Shipping Help

[Lady]

Alright...I have a few breeder males and maybe if I can find a few pairs that I was planning on selling on aquabid....BUT since I have never shipped before...I thought this would be a good place to ask...

If anyone has any real good advice on what works that youve tried...I have some bags...and I know I need to get some heat packs...any good sites you all know of...I have some boxes....but if I need more where do they sell the styro ones? anyone know I havent seen them at my post office store...(yes its randomly a store yet isnt a post office...wierd i know) anyways any advice would be good...

Now for my plan...I have a few fish that I got as extras from people and will just send them to you for the price of shipping...I know they arent anything totally spectalar but they are real sweet... I will probably be posting them sometime in the next week when I get some pictures...thanks everyone

 

[jollysue]

Lady, I have recieved fish from reputable breeders and shippers in a sturdy box, the equvilant of a USPS Express or Priority box, with a sheet of styrofoam cut to fit flush in the box on all 4 sides. Usually there is then news print or popcorn inside the styrofoam created box as additional padding.. It creates a sound, jostle, and temperature wall. It is not leak proof, though. I just recieved fish trans shipped by Linda Olsen with Thai plakats that way. As to where to buy the styrofoam, I would try hardware supply store (Home Depot), hobby/craft, a shipping store, an office supply store (Staples).

I haven't a clue about heat packs, but I would think the boxes and styrofoam would be readily available at an office supply, especially one with a FedEx or UPS outlet.

 

[Polardbear]

You can get just about everything you need on Aquabid in the shipping supply category. Here's another place that sells shipping supplies - theshippingbarn. The styrofoam boxes can be made at home from sheets of styrofoam that you can get at Home Depot.

Theshippingbarn even tells you how to make your own box - box instructions

 

[Lady]

thanks guys great info! Going to see what supplies I can scrape up....

 

[jollysue]

How's your babies?

 

[Synirr]

Something I learned the hard way... don't use small boxes. They'll get manhandled in transit

 

[BrookeLea]

There's some good stuff here. That's where I got my juvie cups and they're great!

There are styrofoam boxes in the shipping section, but they're a bit pricey,

 

[BigC]

Those poly boxes from majestic bettas are excellent coupled with a heat pack, double bag the fish so if one bag leaks you have a back up. The water will leak into the other bag and a puddle will be created where as if a single bag leaked the water would all be lost. Package the fish bags in newspaper/bubblewrap and seal the box.
I send killifish all over Europe and thats the way I do it.
Regards
BigC

 

[wuvmybetta]

My biggest tip (noting you're in Cali), double check the weather in both locations and the route because sometimes the heat pack can be your worst enemy. I've heard too many horror stories of fish showing up cooked.
When I got a box from Linda a couple weeks back, she had put the heatpack on the bottom and covered it with many layers of newspaper. I thought that was pretty nifty.

Since we're still warm here I just finished preparing my last priority box of the year. As you can see, it is fairly small. I've had great experiences with these boxes and they're free at your LFS. I don't recommend them for shipping with a heat pack though.

Also, ime, it's not good to write LIVE FISH.