shipping fish, if done right is fine. i have had many fish sent to me and i have only had one DOA. I usualy order my cichlids from my work but the company we wholesale from has stoped carying the rare tropheus I like becuase nobody orders from them since many are not wild caught. other than that, shipping, done right, is simple. as far as YOU yourself shipping, i would say use air cargo if possible but if not use UPS overnight, pack in o2 of course.