Hey everyone! My name is Thomas, and I'm the owner of Shrimp Up Aquatics! Thank you for finding your way to this page and allowing me to share our story with you. We hope that you're able to find everything you're looking for and create an awesome shrimp shopping experience. 😊

I'm going to start at the very beginning and explain how my fish-keeping hobby began almost 11 years ago. I have been interested in fish and shrimp since I was a little boy. When I was 10 years old, my parents got a lake house in mid-Michigan, and that changed my life. I became obsessed with fish and fishing, spending every minute there catching fish, trying to catch fish, and learning about fish.

I first became obsessed with catfish as I thought they were cool and unique. I loved their little whiskers and was amazed at their lack of scales. One kind, in particular, caught my attention – bullheads. I would spend every night out at the end of our dock with 2-3 poles, all baited with Berkley Catfish PowerBait, trying to catch as many as I could. One day, I found baby bullheads by the shore under some rocks, and little did I know that this would change my life forever. I quickly caught them and put them in a bucket, deciding to grow them up, breed them, and release the babies back into the lake.

Long story short, that project ended up failing as the catfish began eating everything in the tank and grew at an incredible speed. I had no choice but to release them prematurely. However, even though that project didn't go as I had intended, it ignited a spark in me that would become my lifelong passion.

By the age of 16, I had around 10 tanks scattered throughout my parents' house. I had a few in my room, an old one in the living room, and started setting up a few 10-gallon tanks in the basement. I first got really into plecos, breeding them for many years and still doing it as a side project. However, over the next year, I discovered something that has captivated me until today – Neocaridina shrimp.

I watched a few YouTube videos about them and realized the insane variety of colors and beauty they exhibited. I decided to get a few and see if they lived up to the hype. I went to my local fish store and picked up three cherry shrimp. I introduced them into my 55-gallon pleco tank and watched in awe. It took a few months, but by the end of that year, I had more cherry shrimp than I knew what to do with! They brought life into every crevice of the tank and truly lit it up. I had fallen in love. It was then that I realized I needed to explore more colors.

Over the next couple of years, I delved into various types and colors of shrimp, including Neocaridina, Caridina, and even a few Sulawesi. I spent several years selling on eBay and Aquabid to supplement my hobby, learning all about the shipping process, the weather requirements and much, much more. I expanded to over 20 tanks in my parents' house during this time. A big thank you to mom and dad!

And now, we come to the present. I am currently 20 years old, turning 21 in a couple of months. I have since moved out, gotten engaged, and continued my shrimp passion to the fullest extent possible. I now have around 30 tanks, all stocked with a huge variety of Neocaridina and Caridina shrimp. I work with an importer to ensure a constant supply and to stock anything new and interesting. We are still located here in mid-Michigan, and I absolutely love what I do. I wouldn't change anything for the world. The shrimp-keeping hobby has brought me peace and prosperity, and I look forward to sharing it with all of you.

I look forward to spreading the love of shrimp and fishkeeping for many years to come, and I warmly welcome all of you on this journey with me. Let's make the world of shrimp and fishkeeping even more amazing together!

Because I've spent so long in the hobby and have bought so much shrimp myself, I've developed some standards of business. I like to think of every order I send as an order id get myself.

1. PRIORITIZE THE CUSTOMER AND COMMUNICATION FIRST ☎️

I personally handle all customer service requests at this time. The phone number provided on the site is my personal line. Whether you have a concern about weather, shipping, delivery times, or just want to chat (just kidding lol), contact me, and I will get back to you as quickly as possible. There can sometimes be issues when shipping any live animals, even with a system as bulletproof as I've developed, which is why customer service is so crucial in our industry.

2. HEALTH, QUALITY, AND SAFETY OF OUR SHRIMP 🦐

As I've mentioned before, I like to think of every order we send as an order I would like to receive myself. First and foremost, I want the shrimp to arrive healthy. We ensure this by implementing strict quarantine measures on all imports for up to 30 days and providing the shrimp with a healthy diet and clean water. The quality of the shrimp is important to us, as we never want to send out B grades when A+ grade shrimp were ordered. We only send out the best of the best. Additionally, the safety of the animals is of utmost importance. We take precautions to ensure proper packing for the right temperatures and minimize any potential stress during shipping. With years of experience in shipping and caring for shrimp, our packing methods are finely tuned, and we monitor the weather weekly to ensure safe and live arrivals.

3. SHARE SHRIMPY KNOWLEDGE 🧠

Just as I once started in this hobby and needed help many years ago, I'd love to give back to the community that has brought me great happiness. If you have any questions about shrimp keeping, whether you're a new or experienced hobbyist, please don't hesitate to email us. We are here to help and share our knowledge with you.

 - Thomas

Owner, Shrimp Up Aquatics