Monterey Abalone Company provides farmed California red abalone
fresh from their natural ocean environment. The abalones are sold
live, in the shell, by the pound.
Because our abalones are shipped fresh and alive, care is required
to maintain the highest quality and taste. Once the abalone have
been received, they can be transferred to your holding tank for
long-term storage (up to a week). Otherwise, the abalone can remain
in their shipping bag, unopened, (the air tight bags contain
supplemental oxygen), for up to 24 hours (chilled). Or you can
prepare them for serving fresh within five days. We recommend that
abalone be processed before they die, so that the meat will
tenderize evenly.
For transfer to holding tanks or aquariums after shipping, we
recommend the following:
The quality of the water in the aquarium is very important. The
ideal temperature is about 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the salinity
should be about 33 ppt, and ammonium levels should be low. Abalone
do not last very long when put into tanks with other animals such as
crab or lobsters.
When the abalone are received form the shipper, the plastic bag
containing the abalone should be removed from the Styrofoam box as
soon as possible, and placed, unopened in the tank. Float the bag on
the water in the tank for 20-30 minutes to allow the abalone to
equilibrate their temperature to that of the tank. Then open the
bag, and place the abalones in the water. The surfaces in the tank
should be smooth to facilitate the removal of the abalone. If the
surfaces are slotted, grooved, or perforated, the abalone will be
very difficult to remove without damaging their feet.