Best Places to Sell Aquarium Shrimp Online (2026 Guide)
Posted by · Updated October 2026
A healthy neocaridina colony can produce far more shrimp than one tank can hold, which makes shrimp one of the easiest things in the hobby to start selling. They're small, they ship well, and buyers come back for new color lines.
I run Light Fish, a marketplace for aquarium livestock, so I'm biased about the first option below. I've tried to be straight about the rest, including where each one fits.
Sell your fish, shrimp and plants on Light Fish
A marketplace built for hobbyists: list in a few minutes, buyers pay through Stripe, and you're paid once the order is delivered. Light Fish keeps 12% of each sale, including shipping.
Start sellingTable of Contents
The Best Places to Sell Aquarium Shrimp
Quick Comparison
| Where | Shrimp allowed? | Payment handled for you? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Fish | Yes: freshwater and saltwater | Yes (Stripe) | Breeders who ship |
| r/AquaSwap | Yes | No, arranged by DM | Reaching hobbyists, trades |
| AquaBid | Yes | Varies by seller | Rare caridina, auctions |
| Stores and clubs | Yes | In person | Bulk sales, store credit |
| Facebook groups | Not on Marketplace | No | Meeting local keepers |
| eBay | Not on the US allowed list | Yes | Not recommended for shrimp |
| Craigslist | Rehoming only | No | Rehoming a whole tank |
The Best Places to Sell Aquarium Shrimp
1. Light Fish
Light Fish is a US marketplace made only for aquarium livestock and supplies. Every buyer who lands here is looking for aquarium livestock, shrimp included, so you aren't competing with phone cases and car parts.
How selling works:
- Free to list. No listing fees and no monthly subscription.
- 12% when you sell. Light Fish keeps 12% of the order, shipping included, and pays the rest out to your bank through Stripe.
- Your customers, no fee. Share your own shop link, and the first order from a buyer who's new to Light Fish carries no fee at all.
- Your shipping rules. Set your own rates, the days you ship, combined shipping for multi-item orders, and a free-shipping threshold. You can pause your shop when you're away.
- Buyers pay up front. Checkout is handled for you, so there's no chasing payments.
Good for: shrimp breeders who ship, especially if you also sell plants or snails, since buyers can combine them in one box. Less good for: very high-end caridina, where specialist auctions draw the collectors.
2. Reddit's r/AquaSwap
r/AquaSwap is one of the most active places online for buying, selling and trading aquarium livestock, and shrimp posts are common. It's free, and the community is knowledgeable.
Deals are arranged by direct message and paid outside Reddit, so neither side has much protection, and you'll handle payment and disputes yourself. Good for: reaching hobbyists and occasional sales.
3. AquaBid
AquaBid is the hobby's long-running auction site. Its invertebrate auctions are where collectors look for rarer caridina and unusual species.
It charges listing and sale fees, and payment and shipping terms are largely set by each seller. Good for: rare and high-grade shrimp.
4. Local Fish Stores and Aquarium Clubs
Many independent fish stores buy healthy shrimp from local breeders, usually for store credit or a modest price per shrimp. Aquarium clubs run auctions and swap meets where a bag of cherry shrimp sells quickly.
You'll earn less per shrimp, but there's no shipping and no risk. Good for: thinning out an overstocked colony.
5. Facebook Groups
Facebook doesn't allow live animals to be sold on Marketplace, and buy-and-sell posts for animals can be removed from groups too. Shrimp groups are still useful for meeting local keepers and learning who breeds what, but they're a shaky foundation for regular sales.
6. eBay
eBay's US live animals policy allows tropical fish and domestic aquatic snails, but shrimp aren't on its allowed list, and listings can be removed. The rules differ by country, so check before listing if you're outside the US.
7. Craigslist
Craigslist prohibits selling pets but allows rehoming with a small adoption fee, which is why you'll see shrimp offered together with a tank. It's fine for rehoming a whole setup locally, not for a breeding business.
Shipping Shrimp
Shrimp ship well when they're packed simply and kept at a steady temperature:
- Bag shrimp in their own tank water, so there's no change in parameters, with a small piece of moss or a mesh scrubby to hold onto.
- Double-bag, pack bags upright in an insulated box, and add a heat pack or cold pack depending on the weather.
- Ship Monday to Wednesday by USPS Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express.
- Send a few extra shrimp. Buyers notice, and it covers the occasional loss.
Our guide on how to ship freshwater shrimp in 9 steps covers packing in detail.
What Sells Best
Neocaridina in solid, consistent colors, such as blue dream, yellow, orange and bloody mary, sell steadily, especially in groups of 10 or more. Caridina such as crystal reds and Taiwan bees sell for more per shrimp but need more stable water and more careful shipping. Amano shrimp are popular algae eaters, though most are hard to breed at home.
Whatever you sell, describe the grade honestly, show photos of the actual colony, and keep shipping in proportion to the order. A $10 bag of shrimp with $35 shipping won't move; a group of 20 will.
FAQ
Can you sell shrimp on eBay?
eBay's US live animals policy allows tropical fish and domestic aquatic snails, but freshwater and saltwater shrimp aren't on its list of allowed animals. Check eBay's live animals policy before listing, since the rules differ by country.
Can you sell shrimp on Facebook Marketplace?
No. Facebook doesn't allow live animals, including shrimp, to be sold on Marketplace.
How many shrimp should I sell at once?
Most neocaridina sellers sell in groups of 10 or more, because shipping costs the same for one shrimp as for twenty. Higher-grade caridina often sell in smaller groups at a higher price per shrimp.
How do you ship live shrimp?
Bag shrimp in their own tank water with a piece of moss or a mesh scrubby to hold onto, double-bag, and pack the bags upright in an insulated box with a heat or cold pack as needed. Ship early in the week by USPS Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express.
What does it cost to sell on Light Fish?
Listing is free. When something sells, Light Fish keeps 12% of the order, shipping included, and the rest is paid to you through Stripe. The first order from a new buyer who arrives through your own shop link has no fee.
Miles Harrison
With over a decade of aquarium experience, Miles can be found writing about saltwater and freshwater aquariums. When he’s not writing about fish, you can find him going for a run or building websites, such as this one!