Shipping a small pleco cross country

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Wet Whiskers

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Aug 28, 2008
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So, I have now contacted 3 people to do the shipping for me, but my response rate is a big fat zero with not even an acknowledgement of the PM. :( I need to get one 3" L260 queen arabesque pleco from SoCal to Massachusetts. I think I'm pretty comfortable with everything except the heat packs. I really don't want to cook or freeze her. I'd prefer a professional do this, but I'm out of ideas on who to ask. Variables I need answers on: How much water to 72 hour heat packs if its 30 degrees out +/- 15 degrees?

It's not that hard, and won't be a problem if I take the necessary precautions and use a good shipping company.

OR: Don't risk it, and
a) wait for better weather
b) wait for a professional
c) Both a and b
 
Jen, I moved it here. Let's see if we can get some responses here. Try Aquariacentral as well just in case. There are more pleco members there willing to help.
 
Ask a pro like Snookn21. He has shipped me many plecos with heat packs and they all have arrived perfect. The last one was Xmass eve with 4 Xantos and others.
 
Do you have a styro box or are you making one? I hope this will be an overnight shipment?I'll help,ask away
 
Okay I'll just start this off....
Pleco's have sharp spines etc so I would:
put pleco in the bag with water.(enough water so if the package is up,down on its side whatever position it may be possibly carried in-the fish is still okay and in water enough to survive.not too much though you really don't want it just swimming around)
Tie knot in bag or rubber band etc.
Put semi-wet newspaper around original bag and flip over or make a plastic sleeve by cutting the top portion of another bag off so it just covers the bottom of the actual fish bag.(this will prevent spine from piercing through both bags should it happen.Even 3 bags can be used etc.)
Now take the second bag and slide it over the first and knot or rubber band.
(you will now have what appears to be a rubber band or knot on top and bottom.reason for this is corners of bags can kill a fish if they stick their head in the corner while panicking etc not 100% necessity but advised)
so its a double ended round kinda bag now...put in box...tape heat pack to top of box.
put newspaper or even a paper plate between the bag and the fish bag.
Direct heat on the bag is not good so you need something between the heat and bag.
Make sure heat pack is now working and close it all up.Tape everything! Tape the styro tape the seams on the outer box etc.
any questions pm me if I dont answer right away.
John
Also most of the time-plecos just kinda latch on to the bag and stay there for the ride LOL
I hope that helps.I'm not the greatest person at describing things really but I think I did a decent job :D
Dont stress its really not that hard.I have seen what you can do with a fish tank and all the other crazy stuff you did to make your tank work and the filtration etc(which was all great stuff) and you don't need to let a small shipping project frighten you. YOU CAN DO IT! :thumbsup:
 
Thank you everyone!! (Lupin, moving the threads worked! I suddenly got an outpouring of response.) FishJunky, those were very good instructions. My biggest concern was not using too much or too little heat back for the amount of water. I really didn't want to cook her, but she's going to Massachusetts and its miserably cold there and even colder along the way. A banned wild caught adult female pleco worth as much as she is, is not how I wanted to do my first shipping experiment. However, the good news is that I had a professional that I was really hoping to use get back to me. I'll be taking her to Los Angeles on Sunday. I'm quite attached to her, but I really want her to go to a good breeding colony. Wish the little girl luck! Thanks guys!
 
Wet Whiskers;4771887; said:
Thank you everyone!! (Lupin, moving the threads worked! I suddenly got an outpouring of response.) FishJunky, those were very good instructions. My biggest concern was not using too much or too little heat back for the amount of water. I really didn't want to cook her, but she's going to Massachusetts and its miserably cold there and even colder along the way. A banned wild caught adult female pleco worth as much as she is, is not how I wanted to do my first shipping experiment. However, the good news is that I had a professional that I was really hoping to use get back to me. I'll be taking her to Los Angeles on Sunday. I'm quite attached to her, but I really want her to go to a good breeding colony. Wish the little girl luck! Thanks guys!
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No problem with the advice,and I am glad you found a shipper.I still say you could have done it though ;) but what ever you feel comfortable with and I understand.You are definitely shipping it through the frozen tundra and right in to the frozen tundra again on this side of the country so I dont blame you for being safe and concerned.Best of luck to the pleco!
 
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