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Shipping fish via USPS Priority Mail 2 day

I ve been doing some research on how to ship my africans from MD to CO and there really is no cheap way to do it. The airlines are costing me a fortune to check a box of fish that weighs more than 10 lbs. and even if its less than 10 it will still cost me $170+.

I cant really ship through air freight because that requires being a "known shipper" which by now is too late to sign up for.

I was thinking, could I get away with shipping a couple of my africans in the USPS Priority Mail Large flat rate box? The expected delivery says it would get there in 2 days. If I bagged the fish right and boxed it correctly, my fish should be able to survive, correct? Also if i were to do this, would oxygen be necessary in the bag? This would be by far the cheapest rate, only $15.45 for each 12"x12"x6" box. I would inlcude a 72 hr heat pack as well.

Thanks in advance
 

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
Should do

With two exceptions it's the only way I've ever received shipped fish and the only fatalities came from when a guy cooked the fish with too many heat packs. Fast them for 24 hours, ship them in clean water, maybe with a little polyfilter, and it shouldn't be a problem.
 

JLW

CCA Members
Personally, I would wait until after the New Year to ship. Right now, and in the week following Christmas, there are a LOT of boxes flying around. Trucks are filled, drivers are overworked, and it's easy for something to get put underneath 200 other boxes and smashed. Plus, with all that extra volume, stuff spends longer in the truck -- I usually get UPS by 3 PM, but lately, it's been 630! That's three hours more it's sitting in someone's car, being driven around, and possibly unheated. This is also THE time of year for packages to get bumped (Oops, the truck is full, guess it'll go tomorrow, it's not guaranteed anyhow, right?), or just plain lost. Plus, uh, there's a couple of holidays when mail is not being delivered. Y'know, Christmas and New Years.

That said, if fish are well packed, they should make it. Overnight for FedEx or UPS isn't too much, though.
 

dogofwar

CCA Members
If you're talking about your 4-6" african cichlids, I wouldn't do it.

I ship a lot of small fish USPS Priority...in good weather...with success.

Shipping larger fish in questionable weather...and during the holidays...is a crapshoot.

Why not just check your bags with fish in them as your checked bags for your flight? Your fish will arrive with you...

Matt
 

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
Carry on - and on and on

It's allowed - old thread on here somewhere with the reg attached from an inquiry I received from Homeland Security.
 

dogofwar

CCA Members
I was actually talking about putting them in your checked bags (also allowed, just so that there's no leaking water).

But Sam is also correct: go to www.tsa.gov and type in "fish" into the "When I Fly,Can I Bring My...?" field.

and you will see:

Live fish must be transported in a clear, plastic, spill proof container. In this case, the container may be larger than 3.4 ounces. A Transportation Security Officer will visually inspect your live fish at the checkpoint.

Print the page from the TSA web site and bring it with you...

Matt
 
I was actually talking about putting them in your checked bags (also allowed, just so that there's no leaking water).

But Sam is also correct: go to www.tsa.gov and type in "fish" into the "When I Fly,Can I Bring My...?" field.

and you will see:

Live fish must be transported in a clear, plastic, spill proof container. In this case, the container may be larger than 3.4 ounces. A Transportation Security Officer will visually inspect your live fish at the checkpoint.

Print the page from the TSA web site and bring it with you...

Matt

Huh, I actually did see that tsa thing about live fish. I could use a smallish cooler as my carry on to bring 4 or 5 Africans with me on the flight. It's not like the airline is going to inspect my cooler right? I don't think I've ever seen them look into someone's bag as that is tsa's job.

With checking a bag of fish aren't there risks like baggage people tossing and flinging the bag on the conveyor belt, etc. Also don't they inspect checked luggage or at least X-ray it which could be harmful to the fish? I guess I could put fragile stickers on my checked luggage of fish.
 

dogofwar

CCA Members
Just bring a carry-on (small suitcase) that complies with the airline's size rules for your carry-on bag.

For the checked bag, I'd recommend having styros in the suitcase. This is how I bring fish back from Uruguay.

Matt
 
Just bring a carry-on (small suitcase) that complies with the airline's size rules for your carry-on bag.

For the checked bag, I'd recommend having styros in the suitcase. This is how I bring fish back from Uruguay.

Matt

I guess I'll have to remove the fish during security since I shouldn't put them thru the X-ray, correct?

Also when I bag the fish should I not fill the bag completely with air due to pressure changes on a plane?

Thanks
 

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
Yes and yes

You have to remove the fish for security since all liquid quantities over 4 oz. are otherwise prohibited. Have them out and ready for inspection - do not try and sneak them through as they will just get flagged and complicate/delay everything and antagonize everyone. They shouldn't object to hand-checking them since an x-ray won't show anything they can't already see through the bag. A little slack in the bag(s) wouldn't hurt and is probably a good idea.

Hopefully everyone is full of Christmas cheer, but with a copy of the TSA reg and a smile it should work.
 

dogofwar

CCA Members
Yes - for the carry on, I'd let the TSA agent know, show them the print out...and ask for a hand check.

For your checked luggage, just check it like it's nothing out of the ordinary.

Leave a little slack in the bags on the checked luggage (they'll be traveling at whatever air pressure there is at 30,000 ft.). The ones on your carry-on should be OK like normal (since the cabin is pressurized).

Matt

I guess I'll have to remove the fish during security since I shouldn't put them thru the X-ray, correct?

Also when I bag the fish should I not fill the bag completely with air due to pressure changes on a plane?

Thanks
 
Ok so should I just put the fish in regular styrofoam boxes and pack them with bubble wrap/newspaper and then just put the styro in my luggage as if it were a regular item? Maybe even pack clothes around the Styros to keep them from jostling. I assume I should double bag the fish, right? And would oxygen be necessary for this plan?

Thank you again for the help
 

KJacks

Members
I had my fish i got today shipped from michigan to louisiana usps express mail bc it is put ahead of ALL mail including priority which is also pushed through first. It was guaranteed shipped 2days by 3pm. I work at a post office so i shipped them directly to my office n got them straight off the truck.. as long as u write fragile n live fish on the box it would b fine. Mine cost $48.50 instead of the $35 quoted at first but the girl added extra bubble wrappe and put the fish in a thing of water then n a thermal cake tote so the heat pack would b warmee since its colder.. all four were alive n she forgot to write fragile on the box

Sent from my LG-P925 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

dogofwar

CCA Members
I would put the styros in your checked luggage. You're much more likely to get hassled about a styro on its own...

A large (but not "oversize") piece of luggage can accomodate a regular styro and a smaller one. Depending on weight, etc. I pack clothes or whatever. They fit pretty snug and you've only got 50 lbs to work with per bag... A 12 hr heat pack should be good but a longer one can't hurt. At least double bag and use a trash bag around all of the bags in the box. Just in case.

When we moved out here, this is how I did it.

Of course individual airlines, airline staff, TSA agents, etc. vary. Probably makes sense to have a family member or friend come with you to take the boxes of fish if - for whatever reason - you get turned away. They can just ship them to you. Better than missing your flight!

Matt

Ok so should I just put the fish in regular styrofoam boxes and pack them with bubble wrap/newspaper and then just put the styro in my luggage as if it were a regular item? Maybe even pack clothes around the Styros to keep them from jostling. I assume I should double bag the fish, right? And would oxygen be necessary for this plan?

Thank you again for the help
 

Mikeinco

Members
I have lost more fish to USPS 2nd day than I care to count. I think if you're having fish delivered its best to do overnight. Yeah, its a bit more expensive but i think its worth it.
 

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
Caveat emptor

USPS Priority Mail is effectively the same as overnight for a broad swath of the eastern US shipping to the DC region inclusive of Florida to Massachusetts all the way to Ohio. I've bought fish from Jeff Rapps this way several times and indeed he and a number of experienced vendors appear to prefer this method when/where possible for relative cost and ease.

If they're properly prepped and packed, 48 hours in a dark box is not remotely a threat to healthy fish let lone fatal . I've had excellent success with Priority Mail shipped fish - that being said, I've found about half the vendors I've dealt with on Aquabid to be "challenged" to the extent that I am not inclined to buy fish from them again, either because the fish were puny or there was clearly little intelligence or real effort involved on the prep and packing end of the transaction.

The vagaries of federal mail service notwithstanding, the greatest variable in the equation is the starting point as it involves the condition of the fish and how they're prepared and boxed - with breather bags and polyfilter available, and assuming that the fish are healthy and allowed to "poop out" before being bagged, most small fish can spend up to a week or more in transit without ill effects.
 

Jay

CCA Members
USPS is unreliable

I ve been doing some research on how to ship my africans from MD to CO and there really is no cheap way to do it. The airlines are costing me a fortune to check a box of fish that weighs more than 10 lbs. and even if its less than 10 it will still cost me $170+.

I cant really ship through air freight because that requires being a "known shipper" which by now is too late to sign up for.

I was thinking, could I get away with shipping a couple of my africans in the USPS Priority Mail Large flat rate box? The expected delivery says it would get there in 2 days. If I bagged the fish right and boxed it correctly, my fish should be able to survive, correct? Also if i were to do this, would oxygen be necessary in the bag? This would be by far the cheapest rate, only $15.45 for each 12"x12"x6" box. I would inlcude a 72 hr heat pack as well.

Thanks in advance

I do not use the USPS because you can not depend on them for a set day of delivery. Priority mail is two to three days no guarantee and sometimes it will get there in two or three days and other times it can take a week. The more remote the spot, the more time it is likely to take. I set up a known shipper with SWA Cargo to ship through them. However, this cost at least $100 and you must have an inspection of your location done. This fee can be yearly; but, Southwest, normally waves it if you ship enough fish with them. With SWA it usually cost the same amount for one to four boxes and larger orders are best to take advantage of this. Rates vary by distance, size and weight. They start around $60 for Freight Collect. For local deliveries I use Fed Ex Home or Fed EX Ground in my one day zone year round. I only use second day Fed EX in warm weather. I found that anytime the weather goes below 45F even with long lasting heat packs, the fish do not survive second day shipping for me. I wished that Fed EX would give me rates like the do for LFD. My Air rates are way too expensive.

jay
 

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
Relativity

I've received over a dozen Priority Mail shipments the next day from within 500 miles of DC. Since York maybe isn't exactly a mainstream transshipment nexus could be it doesn't work out that way, but we're golden here inside the Beltway. The only time I've ever not had a USPS Priority shipment of fish arrive within 24 hours was when it came from Oregon - east of the Mississippi I will continue to depend on the USPS, especially as they aren't in the habit of parking their trucks in the middle of the street like some...
 

QuarterMiler

Members
I've shipped dozens of boxes, most via the USPS, some via UPS(next day ground areas). The vast majority of those were via Priority. Of those, most were 2 days, 3 shipments took 3 days. It's all in the preparation and packing. The only losses I've had were a recent Express shipment to NY. They were delivered on time, but I think they were handled roughly. I made the mistake of shipping too close to the holidays with high volume, temporary employees, and generally less "soft handling" of the packages. Some of the worst experiences I've had were with ME trying to explain the live animal, specifically fish, shipping policy the employees of either company when they questioned if they could do it.
 

dogofwar

CCA Members
There are only a few things that can kill fish with shipping (assuming healthy fish prior):

1) Waste build-up (ammonia) - reduced by fasting the fish prior, limiting the number of fish per bag, using P;oyfilter and using de-chlorinated tap (vs. tank) water

2) Aggression - alleviated by bagging individually

3) Cold - prevented by using heat packs

4) Heat - prevented by using thick styros and shipping in not-too-hot weather

Properly bagging / preparing fish will allow them to be OK in transit for some time.

Of course, the larger the fish, the harder it is to ensure that they don't pollute the bag...

I usually ship USPS Priority. Most losses - and they have been minimal - have come as a result of extreme cold weather and 72 hr heat packs not lasting as long as they should.

The Fedex-Kinkos nearest to me refuses to ship fish (tried twice). Shipping with UPS depends on who's working there at the time (and I've stopped shipping ANYTHING with them because of a HORRIBLE decision on their part to let a box sit over a long weekend). The good old USPS by me has been awesome. Calls me when boxes arrive. Doesn't hassle me about shipping fish, even in bare styrofoam. And is cheaper than both other companies.

That said, I wouldn't ship a bunch of 4-6" African cichlids USPS Priority. I'd pack them in styros in my checked luggage and ship them that way. But that's another thread from the same OP...

Matt
 
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