Flying with fish as carryon

Lab_Rat

Lab_Rat

Merry Christmas!
Dec 3, 2009
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Has anyone ever gone through TSA with fish as a carryon? I'd like to take some peacock babies my brother has home with me, but of course no one answers at TSA and the guy at Continental didn't know and had me on hold for almost a half hour before I hung up. I'd have them in 3 oz of water and it would fit into a quart size bag. I'd rebag once I got through security. I'm just afraid they'd confiscate them and throw them away. Has anyone done this before?
 
I really doubt they'd pass in a carryon, airport security would almost certainly refuse them. Better option would be packed in your checked luggage. I know someone who brought back fish that way from Brazil.
 
Success!!! Just got through! I found a part on the TSA website where you could type in anything to see about carrying it on. Live fish are OK as long as they're in a plastic, non-leaking container. I printed it out and handed it to security today with the fish. Just got through them. I told the TSA lady it was kinda weird and she laughed. Visual inspection and checking for explosive residue was all she did to them.
 
I would have given you 50/50 odds regardless of what the TSA website said after the "terroristic cupcake" incident.
 
Lab_Rat said:
Yeah, but if you think about it, the fact that fish are living in it proves it's not a flammable/explosive liquid.
Click to expand...

You know that. Not sure TSA Agent Bob knows that. And we've all seen conditions people have kept fish in. Someone with intent to do harm is not going to sweat putting $750 bucks of discus in a bag if they think it will allow them to sneak explosives on a plane. The fish just have to like through the checkpoint.

Further, in the cupcake instance I mentioned above, a woman was not allowed to take a cupcake through security because the frosting was of a "gel" like consistancy. 3 oz or less never even entered the equation, it was a gel, so they confiscated it. No consideration that it was on a food product. No consideration that the TSA website says cakes are allowed.

My hunch is that if you tried this again, you have a 50/50 shot of them taking your fish, and then you are left with the option of ditching the fish, or missing your flight.
 
fish are exempt from the liquid rules. In fact, they just have to be in a claer container. If the TSA had confiscated, its a good idea to file a grievance.
 
Here's the screenshot I took to them, in case anyone else is planning on carrying on fish and needs something to show the agents that it is indeed ok for fish to be carried on. I used about 12 oz of water if I had to guess.

tsaregulationsonlivefish.png
 
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