# How would you go about this????



## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

I was asked today if I could do a job this Sunday at the Oru restaurant at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. They are having a big managers dinner and the chef would like to prepare fresh spotted prawns for the guests. What I have been asked to do is keep the prawns alive for 3 hours for the event. The chef wants the guests to be able to see them alive before they are served that way they know for a fact they are fresh.

I have no clue what to do. I am assuming that if I just keep the tank full of treated water with some marine salt in it, with good aeration this should be fine to keep them alive for 3 hours. 

What I am wondering is what salinity I should keep it at and if maybe I should let small containers of frozen water in there to keep the temp down. The only info I could find is that they are collected at the bottom of the ocean and the fisherman and transporters try and keep them at a temp of 38 degrees farenheit or about 3 degrees celcius.

Now my other dilema is what to charge. I have been offered either to be payed for the job or recieve a complimentry room and meal at the hotel. This is the hotel I helped build so it would be pretty cool to stay there for a night and it is a really really nice place but could also use the money too. What the heck would one charge for this?


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## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

wonder if u loaded up some toats with water from the ocean there , and keep the water refridgerated in the hotel fridge , and use a sponge filter for filtration and oxygen ? just a gues on what to do


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

I was kinda thinking that myself, but wonder how the water right at our beach really is.


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## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

if there is no concerns of red tide i would gues it would be ok .


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

What I am more concerned with it the clarity of the water. If all the guests are looking at the tank it's gotta be clean and I wouldn't really have time to properly filter the water at all.


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## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

ya would be murky but letting it sit should gett all the youck to settle on the bottom of the toat


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## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

would hooking up a canister with charcoal in it be ok ??


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

The tank has to go onto a cart so it can be moved around I do believe. I am thinking if I setup the tank with treated water at a sg of 1.020 - 1.022 and keep containers of ice floating in it to keep the water cool they should be fine for 3 hrs.


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## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

and is just for three hours till they , have the one way hot tub


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

Just not too sure if I wanna be responsible for everyone meal lol Also have no freaking clue what I would charge for something like this, would have to be at the hotel for the better part of the day prob around 6hrs. I was thinking around $300- $400 just don't wanna cut myself short, not only is it my time and my tank but also have to consider gas to get down there from Maple Ridge and parking.


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## darb (Apr 21, 2010)

taureandragon76 said:


> I was kinda thinking that myself, but wonder how the water right at our beach really is.


well there is a storm sewer outfall right around that area and after every rain the shoreline is littered with needles that wash out from the junkies that throw them down the storm sewers

the whole area around GVRD is probably littered with storm sewer outfalls and similar water quality issues. personally I would say that the shoreline water around the GVRD is not suitable for consumption and thus isn't something that you want to be soaking food for a high end restaurant in.

moving an aquarium on a cart could also be an interesting proposal. maybe suggest that they setup the tank in a visible location instead.


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

Ya I didn't like the sound of the tank being on a cart, I gotta call the guy pretty quick here and let him know whether or not I want to do it.


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## Keri (Aug 2, 2010)

What is the salinity of the tanks that they are being transported in? You'll need to match that exactly or you'll have dead shrimp  Plus you'll have to keep them really, really cold. It's not going to be easy -(you should charge accordingly) I would talk to a person from a fresh fish market, see how they do it?

Let us know how it goes!


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Congratulations on being offered such an unusual and cool job!

I would have no clue about what to do, either. Have you thought of calling an expert at the Vancouver Aquarium and asking them what to do? Maybe they'd give you some buckets of water or some great advice about how to do this.

I'd vote for staying at the hotel over being paid. How often would you feel able to splurge on a night in a hotel in the city you live in? So, it might be a great chance to stay in the hotel you helped build. As well, you will be able to run back and forth to check on the prawns from your room!

I hope it all goes well.



taureandragon76 said:


> I was asked today if I could do a job this Sunday at the Oru restaurant at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. They are having a big managers dinner and the chef would like to prepare fresh spotted prawns for the guests. What I have been asked to do is keep the prawns alive for 3 hours for the event. The chef wants the guests to be able to see them alive before they are served that way they know for a fact they are fresh.
> 
> I have no clue what to do. I am assuming that if I just keep the tank full of treated water with some marine salt in it, with good aeration this should be fine to keep them alive for 3 hours.
> 
> ...


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## discuspaul (Jul 2, 2010)

Try this: It works for keeping clams & mussels alive for up to 24 hours right out of salt water. Just before leaving for the restaurant site, drain the shrimp out of their salt water & place them in doubled freezer bags, or some similar plastic-type bagging, left open slightly at the top to allow oxygen in, and transport them placed over an ice bedding in say, a styrofoam container. When on site, remove them from the bagged/ iced container & place them on a viewing platter for the guests. The warmer environment should make them move around a little to show they're alive. Not absolutely certain it will work for your shrimp, but it should - I've tried in on shellfish with good results.


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

No won't work, if they are not kept healthy and totally alive the meat turns to mush. If done this way the heads would have to be removed as there is something in the head that secretes into the body as they die destroying the meat of the prawn. Would work if the chef didn't require them to be swimming while waiting for his grill.


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

I am about to call the guy and say no. I do want to do it but just don't feel I have the necessary stuff to do it or time to prep for it. If I had a little more notice then maybe. I am thinking a chiller might be required as they need to be kept really cold. I am concerned that if the temp of the water came up even a few degrees the prawns would be ruined. I have tried to do some quick research and just haven't found much at all on the topic. I would probably feel more comfortable if I had more time to plan it and to talk to fish markets and what not to see what kind of info I can gather first.


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## discuspaul (Jul 2, 2010)

Never had the experience of live shrimp meat turning to mush - and have cooked live shrimp many times, from New Orleans, to Malaysia/Thailand, Caribbean, & points in between.
Just trying to be helpful - didn't know the Chef expected the shrimp to be swimming around to show the guests. Good luck.


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

Hey no problem, I know your trying to be helpful They turn to mush if they die and the head stays on for too long after death. At least this is what all the sites I went to for info on the spotted prawn.

The chef is after the wow factor, "oh look there is my dinner swimming around"


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## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

ur rght with the chiller i called the super store in calgary with s seafood section they use a chiller for there shrimp and . crabs and lobster , but the ice method would work do your marine mixture and add the ice till you get the right temp and is just for three hours so we use to get lobsters in and they were just in water soaked newspaper and the lived all day .


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Seems like too much of a liability without real preparation time Aaron. It'd be interesting to do, and the cash would be nice, but I wouldn't risk it my man.


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

Neat idea, more or less what any chinese restaurant does for keeping live seafood in their restaurant show tanks. Sorry I don't have any particular experience so far. Perhaps someone that works in a restaurant would be able to chime in....even though I know you are turning this job down...just interested in knowing how they do it too.


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## skrick (Apr 25, 2010)

Well my friend is a commercial fisherman and he has brought me fresh live crab in totes before not saying they are the exact same and 3 hours is not a long time to keep them well he brought them to have a party at my house and I have kept crab alive in totes and I mean at least 150 of them in a tote by having it filled with fresh cold water from a tap hose running and giving the tank oxygen but then you need a drain so constant fresh water is getting through and they stayed alive for 1.5 days with only a few dead by the others beating them up but only about 5 died that was this last summer and he told me to do it


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