How to go about shipping fish

Theres been a lot of talk on shipping fish lately. so i thought i would look into it a tiny bit. a lot of us are stuck in places which havnt got much variety so shipping is the only solution.

I emailed Express Air services: (www.flyeas.co.za)

Livestock rate:

Min - R61.90
R15.05 p/kg + R0.16 p/kg security surcharge + R2.23 p/kg fuel surcharge = R17.44 p/kg
R37.50 Service Fee

eg! If your shipment weights actual of 15 kgs with dimensions of 30 X 40 X 30 = 36000 / 6000 (our volumetric factor) = 6 kg

therefore we will charge you on actual (15kgs)! For we will charge you whichever is greater - actual vs volumetric!

R17.44 X 15 kgs = R261.60 + R37.50 (service fee) = R299.10 X 14% VAT

= R340.97

"Confirm a airline will take the fish. Confirm the flight and confirm that the person that is going to receive them will be at the airport.
Dont feed them for a couple of days before shipment.
Bag the fish; on the way to the airport take them to a hospital/docter and beg some oxygen blow bags up (oxy isnt vital but helps) put another bag over the top. Seal with rubber bands.
Pack all of the bags into one of these cheap styrofoam containers and tape the sides so the lid doesnt come off by accident.
If you receiving make sure that you have everything ready so you can spring into action as soon as ou get home."

 

thanks slummies, was just about to mail them myself for some quotes

 

The example i will follow:

 

i just bag them up and ship them out.... they will be in the bags for 4 hours MAX.... livestock gets off the aircraft 1st. i think i have only lost one fish in a domestic transfer and thats due to a bag bursting

 

Yes, i must say that those boxes were packed for minus temps and a trip lasting a bit more than 4 hours

 

Just remember when filling the bag with air not to fill it up to much. the higher you go the lower the outside air pressure . meaning the air in the bag will inflate the bag . it may just burst. But this will only really apply to non pressurised aircraft ass pressurised aircraft will keep the pressure at a decent +- 8500 ft

 

does anyone know how much it will cost to ship a fishtank? i've got 3 tanks that need shipping

 

very open ended question

That's like how long is a string!!???

Best contact the larger furniture removals companies.

You must also know sizes, masses, delivery destination and origin, obviously.....
After you've measured, estimated packed, outer dimensions ( approx mass would help too) , when requesting a quote.

I use this method, with few mishaps sofar, but overall it's suitable for expensive tanks, or multiple setups, with many tanks.

A few = 3-4tanks out of maybe 60+ trucked overland, damaged.

Better use your domestic insurance, goods-in-transit coverage (you don't have any!?!? Get some ASAP)

Carriers insurance don't cover fragile, glass furniture, and fishtanks as a rule..but there may be an exception along the way.

HTH

 

Why not sell them and buy new on the other side. Furniture Removals will charge you and arm and leg to transport a tank. A mate here in George was quoted R15500 to take his 1,8m tank to Gauteng.

 

Hi guys, I found such a beautiful jag female I'd love to bring to my tank in gauteng from cape town, I would just like to know if anyone has shipped a fish recently, and how one goes about organizing with the airlines and if it is worth all the effort, I really want this particular fish even tho they are not very rare or anything if anyone could help me go about organizing her safe trip to gauteng. Thank you in advance

 

thanks for the info , relocating to Cpt from GP en June, got pricing to ship a 650lt & 250lt tank its extra R4k on the removal cost that's with the stand etc....so think better just selling it for an apple ....anyone ever shipped "big fish" like full grown Oscars, Placo's and BGK, any tips???? I'm thinking about risk I'll rather give them to someone or sell, then ship them and they die....

 

Stupid question, but where would you find those styrofoam boxes?

 

Petshops normally sells them the go for between R50 and R120 depending on size

 

If anyone owns or works at a transport company, it appears that fish transport could be a good business idea.

FYI.
As better competition to FedEx etc. An express post Company in Germany called "GO" has specialised in overnight fish transport.
I read up as I wanted to use them but then didn't.
This is how it works.
I assume you have to catch and bag the fish, but it may be that you only have to have them in a place where it's easy to catch them, like a bucket so you can keep the correct temperature & add air. Then you only catch them when the van comes.

They fill the bags with Oxygen, which they have in the truck. Close them up.

They bring the steropor boxes, but you do have to buy them, as after long transport you should keep the fish in the steropor box and slowly add water of the aquarium temperature around the bags to get the temperature right BEFORE you start adding aquarium water to the bags to aclimatis the fish to the water.

Oxygen is essential.
Sorry I don't agree with whoever said you can transport fish for 4 hours without oxygen. Yes it can work, but it is too risky.
The fish needs a certain amount of oxygen per hour.
The Warmer the water, the less Oxygen it will hold per Liter.
It's too difficult to calculate all aspects without oxygen.
EG. A Discus fish needs the oxygen held in 50 litres of water per 24 hours, so I theory it would need about 2 liters of water per hour BUT it would be totally stressed after 30 minutes as the water would have half as much oxygen as the fish needs. Meaning the fish would have to breath twice as much in order to get the same amount of oxygen. It would be almost suffocating while looking for the last few Oxygen molicules.
When Pure oxygen is put in the bags, the water can't absorb it all so the oxygen remains in the air bubble and is absorbed by the water at the rate the fish uses it.

If you do use steropor chips around the bags, remember that all the air between the chips will be room temperature. If your fish water is warmer, this will cause it to cool down faster. Rather use bags of warm water as a buffer if you need it. Water cools down much slower than air.

Good luck
LiZZzz

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