Shipping fish affordably?

[DwarfCichlidLvr]

Hi, been awhile since I posted, but I figured I'd post this wherever I could.

I got 6 fish from a private breeder a few months ago. The box was 12" x 9" x 10" (L x W x H) and probably weighed around 1.5 pounds. I paid about $21-$24 for 2-day shipping.

I'm now trying to ship one betta to my friend who moved and left me in charge of her fish while she traveled and got settled in. The cheapest price I can find to ship her fish is $30 for a box about half the size and half the weight.

How do you ship fish affordably? Thanks

 

[JuiceBox52]

Good to see you again DCL! If you find an answer I’d love to know

 

[Rocky998]

Definitely need to follow this thread... I want to start shipping peacock gudgeons so that way I can have funds for an upgraded tank

 

[DwarfCichlidLvr]

Good to see you again DCL! If you find an answer I’d love to know

Nice to see you again, too! My life's been busy.

 

[Colin_T]

How do you ship fish affordably?

The price of postage, packing and shipping has gone up since covid started.

The best way to reduce the cost is to reduce the size and weight of the parcel. Baring that, have as many fish and plants in each box as possible the so shipping cost is spread out over more fish.

If you are only shipping one fish, you should ring around or check different courier's websites and ask for prices on shipping 1 item that is so big and weighs so much. Make sure they do overnight delivery for live fish. Make sure they do deliveries on Monday and not on Friday.

If your friend lives locally, it might be cheaper to go visit them and take the fish with you.

 

[itiwhetu]

Shipping live fish safely will always be expensive. My pygmy catfish basically doubled in cost once I added postage to them, but it was cheaper than driving for five hours to pick them up.

 

[GaryE]

Here, in this big country, shipping costs have gone through the roof. How you can ship affordably will depend on what part of Planet Earth you find yourself on.

I'm sending fish as a package on a bus, to a guy about 4 hours away from here. That will cost him but not as much as our privately run mail system or the courier companies want. It's only a good system regionally though. I am receiving a box of fish airport to airport this week (I hope) and the shipping will cost me a lot.

I used to mail about 30 to 50 boxes a summer, mostly with rare livebearers and Cichlids, and shut my sideline down because shipping costs killed that. Less intelligent customers blame you for the shipping cost, and it is no fun to do for the amount earned. I could see - buying 3 pairs of fish for $45, and then paying $70 for shipping was crazy.

 

[emeraldking]

I do ship fish as well. It's always a pricey matter. Today I've shipped a parcel to Germany. Hopefully, they'll get it tomorrow. I also charge those bags for I use breathing bags. And breathings bags ain't cheap, tbh...

 

[Rocky998]

I do ship fish as well. It's always a pricey matter. Today I've shipped a parcel to Germany. Hopefully, they'll get it tomorrow. I also charge those bags for I use breathing bags. And breathings bags ain't cheap, tbh...

To Germany?? Wow!

 

[emeraldking]

To Germany?? Wow!

That's not that much of a deal, to be honest. I live next to Germany. But it remains a foreign postal. So, eventhough it's the country next to us, we have to consider the german postal rules. And while it's across the border, it's always more expensive than shipping domestically.

And I recently got another order of fish to Germany. That parcel will be shipped by next week.

 

[Rocky998]

That's not that much of a deal, to be honest. I live next to Germany. But it remains a foreign postal. So, eventhough it's the country next to us, we have to consider the german postal rules. And while it's across the border, it's always more expensive than shipping domestically.

And I recently got another order of fish to Germany. That parcel will be shipped by next week.

Ohhhhh oops... For some reason I thought you lived in the states

 

[emeraldking]

Ohhhhh oops... For some reason I thought you lived in the states

Nope! But I used to live in Canada for a while. And I've been to the States a number of times.

 

[Rocky998]

Nope! But I used to live in Canada for a while. And I've been to the States a number of times.

Awesome!
So what country are you in then? I know you said next to Germany, but there are a bunch of countries next to Germany

 

[Essjay]

His location should give you a clue

NL = Netherlands

 

[Rocky998]

His location should give you a clue.

NL = Netherlands

Ohhhh! Sorry on mobile I can't see that unless I go INTO his profile.
I forgot about the location thingy