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transporting fish


malawi4me

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Hi everyone!

I have never transported fish interstate before but I have 2 peacock bass down in NSW I need to get up to Bundaberg Queensland. Im flying down to visit friends in a couple of weeks and concidering flying them back with me.

Fish are approx 15cm.

My questions are:

Has anyone traveled interstate via flight and brought fish with them?

Are they reasonably safe in the airlines care?

Also how would they best be prepared, bagged and contained?

Im guessing if they came with me on the flight they would be bagged for up to 12 hours....

Any info greatly appreciated!

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Who are you flying with ?

you used to be able to use your luggage allowance with your ticket

but they must be packed correct in an approved styro box that must be open

and inspected when you check in - phone the airline for latest regulations

things have changed since 2011 with compliance - take a roll of 2" tape to

seal the box with

the fish will need to be at least double bagged if not triple due to them possibly

spiking the bag

you must have an absorbant in the bottom of the box that they approve and

there must also be a liner in the box

check with the airline :yes:

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The last time i tried to take fish on a flight they knocked me back and made me send them with AAE, from memory that was a Virgin flight from Melbourne to Sydney, you had better call the airline first and double check.

AAE has an office at Sydney airport so you could make a booking and drop the box of fish off before you board your flight and grab them from the airport when you land!

Fish need to be double bagged and the box has to be lined with a large plastic bag and the box must comply with AAE requirements which has a fish Symbol on the lid.

Hope this helps,

Damo

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I did it many years ago with Qantas, you can't check them in like luggage. Once you get your boarding pass take the fish to AAE, show your boarding passes and they will be on the same flight as you for a lower than normal cost ($50?), you then collect the fish from AAE at your destination about an hour after you arrive.

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just found out a mate is driving up and has offered to drive them up.

Would a box with water, bit of stress coat..dont feed em for a few days......taped up so it doesn leak and add a battery powered airator ? would that keep them going for 24 hours or more?

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Not sure if you have left or not yet but I would not feed your fish for a week (or more). fish can fast for weeks without food especially if they are well fed big fatties.

If you are traveling with them then as long as they have water and plenty of air I cant see any issues.

Personally I'd bag them with oxgen myself as per links instructions and maybe if you are concerned later in the trip break the bags open and then put them in your box with your airater. Float the bagged fish in your box of partially filled tank water with the airator but place some blown up emtpty bags around it to hold it in place in the box..

The only reason I say bag them really is because I'd worry about my fish sloshing around in a box for 24 hours. You may end up bashing them to death.

If you bag them like the freight instructions, the transport shouldn't be an issue. Take some tape with you and halfway check the box and retape.

Remember to not over fill bags with water!! Oxygen is important.

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Something not mentioned yet,,, the use of a Ammonia-lock product,,, (ammo lock).

Three days fastening is all that's really required.

Also,,,,, just a note, as not a lot of people know this,,, the ammonia (a direct waiste) molecules attaches its self to the oxygen molecules in the water,,,, as the fish breathes the oxygen the ammonia is taken into the body this way following intoxication.

Now..... If your fish are in bags for extended time,,, then as the oxygen slowly depletes and the ammonia obviously rises.

The oxygen running low towards the end is a good thing in measure as it reduces the uptake of ammonia.

So half way or towards the end of shipping time,,, if you were to cut bags and put in buckets and add air,,, it's likely the fish will uptake a serge of ammonia and die.

If replacing into bucket,, ensure there is twice the volume of the plastic bag at least before adding air.

Many ammo lock products uses things like sulphur which replaces the oxygen molecule when combining to ammonia molecules,,,, thus usually directions saying don't use over 29'c as the products reduce oxygen Availabilty to a small degree. :)

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also don't have the box on the floor of the car as radiant heat from the road will transfer to the car floor an into the box

middle of the back seat is good and throw the seat belt around it

bagged with O2 is best nice large bag each 1/3 water with Prime or Stresscoat lay the bags on the side in a styro box should

be snug against each other so they don't move around

just need to not feed them for a couple of days at least

just check on them half way but they should be fine, have moved plenty of fish like this and never a problem

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Not sure on the area but most shops here have oxygen. Most decent guys wont object to a quick squirt of oxygen to help out hobbiests moving fish.

Try ringing a few. They may bag them properly for you for free or a small sum.

I dont know many breeders set up with oxygen tanks but there may be some here that can help you out.

I've never had Cichla before but I do remember people shipping these and having difficulty with the fish spiking the bags so make sure you put on an extra bag imo (3)

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When are you shipping these the fish ? I may be able to help out with the oxygen depending

I live in Helensburgh which is the northern most suburb of Wollongong..if your mate is driving north he will only have to make a minor detour as it is on his way

Kevin

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I've driven with fish bagged up from Sydney -> Brisbane before.
Left Sydney in the morning. Arrived in Broadbeach in the early evening. Did a small water change with some tank water I brought along, and bagged them up again.
Drove them to Brisbane the next day lunch time.
(Also had a clean bucket and battery airpump in case I decided they needed it.)

They were fine. And I reckon would have been fine without the water change, too.

Interestingly, I just had Cichla down from Mackay (bagged for around 16 hours for their flights) because I couldn't locate anything appropriate in Sydney :-D

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I haved shipped many large fish interstate by road and air and never had an issue

As others have already said the most important thing is the preperation of the fish before hand

most important is to purge the fish/not feed them for at least a week at that size and ship in seperate bags /containers.

At that size probably 2 buckets with lids and plastic garbage bag liners,half water and a air pump

with air stones into them thru a hole in the lids would keep them alive for days.

Bagged correctly will also see them safe for a long period ..at least 24hours easy.

Kevin

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  • 2 weeks later...

there most likely are but they usually don't open till 10am and if you are

leaving the Gong at 6am you'll be too early

better to try a garage with a workshop that has oxy welding gear to

get a shot of oxygen just need to clean the oxy tip and be gentle with the tap

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