shipping fish
- Thread starter DaisyGirl
- Start date
shipping
I know that in the discus forums there were some posts about shipping. I've never shipped, but here is what I've read, more or less correct, so someone with actual experience may have more to add. But, since you seem panicked, here is what I recall.
First, it is really expensive, like $75 to ship by air, that is Delta or some other airline, and FedEx and UPS are near that much also I think, but not sure, you'll have to call. I'm not sure the US Post Office will take live animals, especially ones that might leak!
Then, you need to get real fish bags. They are heavy duty and well made, rather lond and well seamed. And you'll need oxygen. You don't feed the fish for 2 or 3 days. Then pack them in enough water to cover them plus a bit but only about 1/3 of the bag, most of the bag is oxygen. Not many fish per bag if tiny, maybe 6 at less than 1", one fish per bag if larger or if they have sharp spines on fins that will damage other fish. Many add methyl blue or BagBuddies to the water (which has calmative and anti-infection agent I think) Rubber band that bag tightly after fillling with oxygen; 1/3 water, add fish and Bag Buddy, 2/3 oxygen.
Invert that bag and put in a second bag and seal that with another rubber band tightly. Now for larger fish that might poke a hole in the bag, you would wrap the first bag in newspaper then put it into the second bag and then more paper and a third bag.
Then, in winter up north, you need a heat pack. These require air to be effective so you have to cut a hole in the box and tape the heat pack over the hole, then line the box with newspaper. A styrofoam box in nice. Pack the fish bags in, with newspaper in between each.
I actually read that one company puts its fish into bags ahead of time to teach them that it is not so scarey. They bag them and box them a few times before it is time to actually ship, and their fish travel well and are not so scared when they arrive.
There is a company that sells the fish bags and Bag Buddies and has info on how to ship fish. If I can locate it I'll add it to this post. Good luck.
The Shipping Barn
I know that in the discus forums there were some posts about shipping. I've never shipped, but here is what I've read, more or less correct, so someone with actual experience may have more to add. But, since you seem panicked, here is what I recall.
First, it is really expensive, like $75 to ship by air, that is Delta or some other airline, and FedEx and UPS are near that much also I think, but not sure, you'll have to call. I'm not sure the US Post Office will take live animals, especially ones that might leak!
Then, you need to get real fish bags. They are heavy duty and well made, rather lond and well seamed. And you'll need oxygen. You don't feed the fish for 2 or 3 days. Then pack them in enough water to cover them plus a bit but only about 1/3 of the bag, most of the bag is oxygen. Not many fish per bag if tiny, maybe 6 at less than 1", one fish per bag if larger or if they have sharp spines on fins that will damage other fish. Many add methyl blue or BagBuddies to the water (which has calmative and anti-infection agent I think) Rubber band that bag tightly after fillling with oxygen; 1/3 water, add fish and Bag Buddy, 2/3 oxygen.
Invert that bag and put in a second bag and seal that with another rubber band tightly. Now for larger fish that might poke a hole in the bag, you would wrap the first bag in newspaper then put it into the second bag and then more paper and a third bag.
Then, in winter up north, you need a heat pack. These require air to be effective so you have to cut a hole in the box and tape the heat pack over the hole, then line the box with newspaper. A styrofoam box in nice. Pack the fish bags in, with newspaper in between each.
I actually read that one company puts its fish into bags ahead of time to teach them that it is not so scarey. They bag them and box them a few times before it is time to actually ship, and their fish travel well and are not so scared when they arrive.
There is a company that sells the fish bags and Bag Buddies and has info on how to ship fish. If I can locate it I'll add it to this post. Good luck.
The Shipping Barn
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Trying to ship fish in the winter is always risky, especially if it's your first time. You don't mention where you live, but that has alot to do with your success. Your best bet would be to ship next day air but the cost would be astronomical. You might try and see if the person taking your goldfish will help with the shipping.
Shipping shouldnt be that costly.
For me to ship fish to most places on this side of the country, it costs between $30-$40 for a smaller-medium sized box. This is including the cost of styro, heatpacks, bag buddies, and everything else I use to ship my fish.
Basically, you bag up the fish(double bagged of course) with as little water as you can get away with. Some people use kordon's breather bags, I prefer to just use regular 3 mil bags and add bag buddies. They are put in a styrofoam box packed with packing peanuts to keep them from bouncing around. Heat packs are taped to the underside of the lid of the styrofoam box and the lid is placed on. The styro box then goes inside a properly sized shipping box (regular old cardboard) and is shipped overnight. I ship by priority as well, but not in the colder months.
For me to ship fish to most places on this side of the country, it costs between $30-$40 for a smaller-medium sized box. This is including the cost of styro, heatpacks, bag buddies, and everything else I use to ship my fish.
Basically, you bag up the fish(double bagged of course) with as little water as you can get away with. Some people use kordon's breather bags, I prefer to just use regular 3 mil bags and add bag buddies. They are put in a styrofoam box packed with packing peanuts to keep them from bouncing around. Heat packs are taped to the underside of the lid of the styrofoam box and the lid is placed on. The styro box then goes inside a properly sized shipping box (regular old cardboard) and is shipped overnight. I ship by priority as well, but not in the colder months.