Shipping? Please help.

[guppy]

Well, the question has come up again, this time with piranhas.

How to ship, step by step. Can anyone help us out?

I figure that they need to be bagged in an ammount of water taking up 1/3 the sealed bag volume so a 4" fish would need around 43 oz. water in a 1 gallon bag, and should be at least triple bagged.
Does the bag go into a styrofoam cooler before boxing in the shipping box?
Do you need a shipping box from the carrier you use?
Is overnight shipping required? express? standard?
Can you get your lfs to give up a squirt of O2, do you need O2 or will standard air do?
How many fish to a bag and how many bags to a box?
What about sedatives, are they needed? Where do you get them and how do you use them?
And any other answers to Questions I don't know enough to ask, would be appreciated.

Please help as I am not the only one who would like to know.

Thank You.

 

[The TRUST]

most off the time the piranha is place first in a plastic container with holes and then bag that whole thing up that way it cant bite the bags.

 

[rumblesushi]

P's bite through bags, the one I got recently was given to me in a bucket.

 

[M|L]

find a small container with a secure lid. drill holes around the container.

don't fill the bag with too much water, usually 1/4 water and 3/4 pure oxygen.

usually double bagging the fish does the trick, but just to be on the safe side, quadriple bag (or more) wouldn't hurt.

tie the bage with a knot first, then the rest with big thick rubber bands, make sure you fold the tip to ensure the bag won't leak.

you'll need a styrofoam box with a styrofoam top, make sure it's not too big (just big enough for the bag), and fill the extra space with folded newspaper (don't crumble, just fold).

tape the styrofoam box tightly with shipping tape.

put the styrofoam box inside a cardboard box and tape that up.

done.

 

[sleepyflight]

I mostly agree with M|L....but to cover every base....

Double bag with heavy bags appropriate to fish size....lets say that 2 very mature texas might go in a bag that would take up one styro shipping crate/cooler to be safe.

Bag with enough water for fish to stay totally upright and the rest pure Oxygen. I definately recommend tranquilizer also unless you're totally guaranteed to get it shipped in 24 hrs. or less.....the game is O2 consumption (and some waste).

Make sure you don't feed two days prior.
If you have means of putting a metal pinch seal on the bags, it would definately be better.....otherwise get someone to put the rubberbands to its limit to make sure the bag will not come undone or leak.

By all means, overnite it!! I should be safe with O2 and tranq. to make it for 48hrs. very well. So....overnite it that in the even that something does happen, it will still have another 24hr. backup window. Its happened before!!!! The longer you pack it for the less stressed the fish will be or pushed to its limit. Amquel helps keep ammonia waste less harmful....maybe a lil something for slime coat might help also. Depending on time of year you might also need to wrap up a cold pack to put with it to make sure temp doesn't excede 85 or a bit higher.

 

[sleepyflight]

Oh yeah, and as far as the box goes, if its not a "fish shipping" type deal where you might worry about the box.....get a double walled corugated box so it will be plenty strong to protect the styro that protects the bags that hold the water and oxygen that protect the fish that wants to live in your tank that.....

 

[Caveman]

most off the time the piranha is place first in a plastic container with holes and then bag that whole thing up that way it cant bite the bags.

I aggree with what The Trust and others have posted. I would get a small rubber or plastic container and drill some small holes in it and place the Piranha in it other wise you run of the risk of having the Piranha DOA.

 

[Miles]

I figure that they need to be bagged in an ammount of water taking up 1/3 the sealed bag volume so a 4" fish would need around 43 oz. water in a 1 gallon bag, and should be at least triple bagged.

Sound's good, but take the others advice and use a rubber tote if you can. It just makes it heavier, and water can slosh around alot easier. I have also read there is less vibration in a bag full of water, than in a 'stationary' object.. Meaning, Less stress.

Does the bag go into a styrofoam cooler before boxing in the shipping box?

Go to your local fish store, they should have alot of boxes designed just for shipping fish. They will be styro aligned, and they usually have all different sizes. Ask your local Petco/Petsmart what day they recieve fish, and if they would give boxes away. I have about 100 petsmart boxes

Do you need a shipping box from the carrier you use?

No, screw 'em. They mess up with live fish all the time, don't favor them at all if you can! I am really mad at FedEx right now.

Is overnight shipping required? express? standard?

The faster the better! FedEx, DHL, and UPS all have overnight shipping services. Don't ever use USPS to ship fish, they are no good. Sometimes FedEx and UPS will claim they don't even ship live fish (usually lazy people who don't want to do paperwork or make up their own policies.).. DHL is the most expensive, but they don't even think twice about shipping fish. They also seem to be the most reliable, based on my experience.

Can you get your lfs to give up a squirt of O2, do you need O2 or will standard air do?

Usually they will give some o2 to you, but make sure it's not just compressed air. Standard air may work for a short ride home, but I wouldn't risk it with a larger, expensive fish. You can also buy 'mini' o2 cartridges at some suppliers, if you have a hard time finding it.

How many fish to a bag and how many bags to a box?

Depends on the size of the fish, and how aggressive they are. I wouldn't pack P's togethor unless they were juveniles. Don't forget to 'Purge' your fish for a day or two before you ship them, so they do not release waste in the bag and give themselves ammonia poisoning.

What about sedatives, are they needed? Where do you get them and how do you use them?

Ahh, Tranquilizers! I was waiting for someone to touch down on this subject. Alot of exporters who ship P's use tranqs, including our Exporter. It calms the large fish down, and lessons the chance of them 'accidently' biting through the bag. I believe there is a name brand Tranquilizer put out by an aquarium company, but I forget the name of it. Waldo knows what it is called, I will try to have him post about it. Look around, you should be able to find one. Instructions are on the packaging, and it's easy to use.

The other thing that works really well with 'skittish' fish and shipping, is to engulf their package in all black trash bags, as it calms them down.


Hope that helps!~

I also wrote an article in the 'Lessons Learned' section about shipping fish and acclimation.

Miles

 

[guppy]

Thank all of you very much, I am printing this thread so I can put it in my note book.
What made me ask at this time was the piranha forum's "come and get them thread", I have also been planning on sending out some local natives but am waiting until I can spare a few $. These answers will help make sure I do it right.

 

[guppy]

The question returns