How common are DOAs? Share your experiences!

[aotf]

The DOA sections on many seller websites suggest that --while the sellers do cover DOAs-- they only happen in rare circumstances.

To the sellers out there (buyers too!), how often would you say that you have to deal with a DOA? Is it as rare as it is made out to be? Or are shrimp just fragile enough that we shouldn't be surprised at losses when shipping them across the country?

 

I realize I'm asking a charged question as most sellers would like to never have DOAs and might feel that admitting to "too many" DOAs would reflect poorly on them. That said, I think we all understand that shrimp --especially as you move into the more inbred lines-- are very sensitive little critters, no matter how much care you put into raising and shipping them properly.
 

My personal experience so far has been that over half of the shrimp shipments (shrimpments?) I've received have had DOAs, but I also know to expect that with some of the sources I've used (importers). My homebred shrimpments have been much more resilient.

[oem]

I live in Ohio and most of my shrimp buys have come from the West Coast.  I always have them held for pickup.  Out of the 9-10 purchases only one shipment had any DOAs.  I'm going to say it was due to some crazy extreme while in custody of the USPS as all of the 20+ shrimp were dead (cooked pink color).   They were sent Priority and were somehow delayed as it took 4 days vs the normal 3 days.  The seller shipped out a new batch about a month later when they were available AND paid half the shipping.  It was only about $40 worth of cull shrimp too boot so no high dollar shrimp.

 

  All my purchase's  were from SS members or member recommendations.,,,, Mike

[aotf]

Wow, that's a really low amount of DOAs! Losing your 20+ to weather is unfortunate but given 9 other successes, that's pretty great.

Also, it makes a compelling case for buying from SS members or other hobbyists. I've been pleasantly surprised by some of the vendors on Aquabid, many of them seem to fall into the "hobbyist with a breeding population" category.

[oem]

Your right.   Dhu32 from AB is the guy who was very honorable in dealing with the 20 dead shrimp and was highly recommended by Ohmiko a member on SS who personally knows this family run business.

[JonRon]

I have not had any issues with DOA, the only issues I have had are DIT (Dead in Tank) after the first few days if introduction. The last order I recieved lost three €20 Shrimp in two days. SO MAD!! Can´t do anything about that though.

[aotf]

2 hours ago, oem said:

Your right.   Dhu32 from AB is the guy who was very honorable in dealing with the 20 dead shrimp and was highly recommended by Ohmiko a member on SS who personally knows this family run business.

 

I see DHu32 on AB all the time! I almost bought from him a while back but settled on a different line. He's got some good looking shrimp!

 

1 hour ago, JonRon said:

I have not had any issues with DOA, the only issues I have had are DIT (Dead in Tank) after the first few days if introduction. The last order I recieved lost three €20 Shrimp in two days. SO MAD!! Can´t do anything about that though.

I feel you, I just ordered a handful of (much cheaper) shrimp and half were DOAs, another couple died during acclimation, another died within a day of being put in the tank: I have one left

The seller offered to replace the entire batch because of the DOAs, which was very nice of him. I was ready to write off the ones that died after I opened the bag because those were the terms I agreed to when I purchased the shrimp.

 

Sorry to hear about losing those three, what were you buying? Must have been nice @ EU20!

 

[JonRon]

Two red multi-stripe pintos and an Aura blue

[JonRon]

20 minutes ago, aotf said:

 

I see DHu32 on AB all the time! I almost bought from him a while back but settled on a different line. He's got some good looking shrimp!

 

I feel you, I just ordered a handful of (much cheaper) shrimp and half were DOAs, another couple died during acclimation, another died within a day of being put in the tank: I have one left

The seller offered to replace the entire batch because of the DOAs, which was very nice of him. I was ready to write off the ones that died after I opened the bag because those were the terms I agreed to when I purchased the shrimp.

 

Sorry to hear about losing those three, what were you buying? Must have been nice @ EU20!

Tiger Shrimp here in Germany sell out fast, I got pretty lucky to pick up 6 Aura Blues at that Price. Some sites sell them cheaper, but their sold out and back logged for quite a few months.

The pinto´s I bought could have been cheaper, maybe a few bucks. but I liked the site, and the Reviews that People were saying about the breeder so I figured why not. I was happy. One of the red pintos reminds me of toothless from Dragons. it´s tale is half red half White. So I named Spineless!!! It is my favorite Shrimp, the only one that has a Name, lol.

[aotf]

59 minutes ago, JonRon said:

Tiger Shrimp here in Germany sell out fast, I got pretty lucky to pick up 6 Aura Blues at that Price. Some sites sell them cheaper, but their sold out and back logged for quite a few months.

 

I'm waiting with my fingers crossed for Aura Blues to become more available in the US, I've seen them a couple times but they fetch double-digit prices while their TT buddies go for a third of the price or less. 

[Shrimp Life]

It is extremely rare!

[Shrimp Life]

1 hour ago, aotf said:

I feel you, I just ordered a handful of (much cheaper) shrimp and half were DOAs, another couple died during acclimation, another died within a day of being put in the tank: I have one left

The seller offered to replace the entire batch because of the DOAs, which was very nice of him. I was ready to write off the ones that died after I opened the bag because those were the terms I agreed to when I purchased the shrimp.

 

 

Could be a number of things, heat (summer) box was outside for some amount of time. Also, people who are buying imported neocaridina shrimp often report doas and die offs. Its not uncommon.

[Shrimp Life]

Just now, dazalea said:

Could be a number of things, heat (summer) box was outside for some amount of time. Also, people who are buying imported neocaridina shrimp often report doas and die offs. Its not uncommon.

Buy from sellers here on shrimpspot. DOA will be a thing of the past

[TropicalAquarist]

What i always tell people: Shrimp are at the bottom of the food chain, they are not THAT fragile...

 

I've shipped around 150 boxes of shrimp and had 3 with a popped bag (The long life breather bags), and as soon as I switched to double bagged, 2ml bags have had no problems with them popping. Had one that was left in the snow and shrimp froze, and one that was cooked. Along with those, I've had 2 that disappeared (customer got only the top of the box!). But otherwise all good!

 

Have had 5-6 boxes that took 5-7 days instead of 2/3 days, but those all arrived alive.

 

So I would also say DOA is rare for me

[Kanaloa]

I typically lose 0-1 per order in Southern California. As a seller I normally lose about the same. It's not common but it happens.

[Shrimp Life]

3 hours ago, TropicalAquarist said:

What i always tell people: Shrimp are at the bottom of the food chain, they are not THAT fragile...

 

I've shipped around 150 boxes of shrimp and had 3 with a popped bag (The long life breather bags), and as soon as I switched to double bagged, 2ml bags have had no problems with them popping. Had one that was left in the snow and shrimp froze, and one that was cooked. Along with those, I've had 2 that disappeared (customer got only the top of the box!). But otherwise all good!

 

Have had 5-6 boxes that took 5-7 days instead of 2/3 days, but those all arrived alive.

 

So I would also say DOA is rare for me

I also use the 2ml bags. I used to use breather bags until they starting leaking, popping etc. I have never had double poly bags break, and I will never go back to breather bags. 

[NotKelly]

I've gotten 3 shrimp shipments and 2 had DOA. One was just one and the second one had about 3-4. I don't think it's rare for me considering I'm in arizona and its 110 outside that the box is getting moved around in.

[Jen]

After many online shrimp purchases I've found that shrimp that are bred in the US are less stressed and have a higher rate of survival. I've purchased OERB , blue bolt, golden bee from different US breeders on several occasions with 100% survival rate . The only exception was  one time when all the OERB died. The weather was super hot, the plastic bag expanded and popped thus leaking all of the water and practically cooking the shrimp. It was a sad sight to see. 

 

Meanwhile I've purchase golden bees, painted reds, BM from different sellers that import their shrimp. In those instances I know that at least 10% but up to 50% of the shrimp will be DOA especially when shipping takes 3 days. The one time I had next day shipping for shrimp from the same sellers I had 100% of the shrimp arrived alive.