I've never shipped fish before, or rather, not longer than 6 hours by train in the summer - so... How does it work with heat packs? I read somewhere that you need to let air into the box to make the heat packs work? Seems strange as I would think the heatpacks would start working when the temp in the box goes below a certain level?
Do they need to sit freely, not touching any other surface in the container?
What other considerations need to be taken. Should I dare ship at all in december?? Can the cargo of the airlines be trusted with clear markings what the container contains and that it must be kept in a tempered enviroment?
Any experiences?
About shipping
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eklikewhoa
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sooo... how do you suggest we get them out of Brazil when they become legal again? How do you think they got to America in the first place...?eklikewhoa wrote:imo dont ship, dont buy ones that have to be shipped.
Please, your frustration is understandable, but I'm asking a question to people with experience with shipping.
Edit
That's correct chanettt
Shipping
Heat packs start to work once they are activate. usally by shaking the pack. Do not get them WET.
Heat packs are sometimes taped to the inside top lid of Foam shipping box.
Tape the ends of the heat pack no need to cover the entire heat pack in tape. Covering/wrapping them in newpaper is also recomended.
You may also tape a wrapped heat pack in the upper side of box so long as the heat packs does not come in direct contact with the lower/bottom bag area. (where water and zebs are).
For really cold temps you may place the heat packs lower in the box as long as you place sufficent foam/card board/Newspaper between the heat pack and bag. A heat barrier is all it is. Egg crates can be used to surround heat packs as well and placed ramdomly in box. You don't want to cook the fish.
Make sure your heat barrier is not sharp or abrasive to rip bags. Thick shipping bags that are doubled or tripled bagged is advised.
1/4 water 3/4 pure O2 AT LEAST ... if not more O2, more important to have more O2 space in bag than water. Corners of bag taped so there is no more corners for traping fish.
During cold temps.. More than one will be needed of course.
Experimentation is highly recomended. Get one of those indoor out door digital thermometer that record the lowest and highest temps. The outdoor temp probe would be placed in direct contact with bag/water/ fish area. Bottom of the bag is the best place.
Pack up a box as if you were shipping, Use a few cardinals or whatever. Don't forget your Water, O2 and heat packs and place the box somewhere just below room temp. ...moniter the temp and adjust accordingly if need be. . Perhaps leave them outside where it is colder for a 1/2 hour or so. Again Monitoring..This would simulate plane transfer and loading.
You sholdn't have to use anymore than 4 -5 packs per box. that may even be too much heat.
Run a 30 hour test min. You should only have to experiment once..This will set your mind at ease.
Here is some intructions for Uniheat. These are standard in tropical fish shipping, http://www.uniheatproducts.com/directions.html
Here is their website http://www.uniheatproducts.com/ship.html
Hope that helps
Peace
Troy
Heat packs are sometimes taped to the inside top lid of Foam shipping box.
Tape the ends of the heat pack no need to cover the entire heat pack in tape. Covering/wrapping them in newpaper is also recomended.
You may also tape a wrapped heat pack in the upper side of box so long as the heat packs does not come in direct contact with the lower/bottom bag area. (where water and zebs are).
For really cold temps you may place the heat packs lower in the box as long as you place sufficent foam/card board/Newspaper between the heat pack and bag. A heat barrier is all it is. Egg crates can be used to surround heat packs as well and placed ramdomly in box. You don't want to cook the fish.
Make sure your heat barrier is not sharp or abrasive to rip bags. Thick shipping bags that are doubled or tripled bagged is advised.
1/4 water 3/4 pure O2 AT LEAST ... if not more O2, more important to have more O2 space in bag than water. Corners of bag taped so there is no more corners for traping fish.
During cold temps.. More than one will be needed of course.
Experimentation is highly recomended. Get one of those indoor out door digital thermometer that record the lowest and highest temps. The outdoor temp probe would be placed in direct contact with bag/water/ fish area. Bottom of the bag is the best place.
Pack up a box as if you were shipping, Use a few cardinals or whatever. Don't forget your Water, O2 and heat packs
and place the box somewhere just below room temp. ...moniter the temp and adjust accordingly if need be. . Perhaps leave them outside where it is colder for a 1/2 hour or so. Again Monitoring..This would simulate plane transfer and loading.You sholdn't have to use anymore than 4 -5 packs per box. that may even be too much heat.
Run a 30 hour test min. You should only have to experiment once..This will set your mind at ease.
Here is some intructions for Uniheat. These are standard in tropical fish shipping, http://www.uniheatproducts.com/directions.html
Here is their website http://www.uniheatproducts.com/ship.html
Hope that helps
Peace
Troy
-
eklikewhoa
- Obsessed!!
- Posts: 362
- Joined: Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:26 pm
- Location: hou.tx
sorry McEve, im still waiting for compensation for lost zebras. get insurance on the package regardless, if they dont insure live animals they have to insure against a lost package. also get signature confirmation that way its not left at some door or porch. make sure there is no way that the shipping company can mess up basically and if they do there is no doubt that it was their fault.
from past experience i think triple to quad bagging is a good idea, makes the bags round with no corners to get trapped in and helps if the fins decide to poke the bag they are in. nothing sucks more than recieving a box full of water and bags with zebra and no water. probably tape the styrofoam box real well too and mark the box of which side is up.
if its gonna be cold then dont cheap out on the heat packs and get the longest lasting ones you can get. maybe even test them before shipping with a thermometer in a styro box to see how many you actually need to keep the temp warm inside for the zebras.
from past experience i think triple to quad bagging is a good idea, makes the bags round with no corners to get trapped in and helps if the fins decide to poke the bag they are in. nothing sucks more than recieving a box full of water and bags with zebra and no water. probably tape the styrofoam box real well too and mark the box of which side is up.
if its gonna be cold then dont cheap out on the heat packs and get the longest lasting ones you can get. maybe even test them before shipping with a thermometer in a styro box to see how many you actually need to keep the temp warm inside for the zebras.
I don't have pressurized O2 for shipping and I ship fish all over the country. I do definitely agree that 1/4 water and 3/4 air is a good rule. Also make sure you fast the fish for at least 24 hours if not 48 before shipping. The less waste they are making in the bag the better for their long term safety if the box SHOULD go on a detour.
The airlines themselves are not all that great about knowing where the boxes are or caring what's in them, but their protocol helps to keep the packages moving to where they are intended to go, regardless. Try to make sure that you're sending them on as direct a flight as you can get. The less the box must transfer planes, the better.
As to the heat packs, if you use the 60 hour heat packs, you should not use more than one without experimenting. I've overheated a box or two. Cooled down fish are also experiencing slower metabolism and less stress, it's just making sure you stay above that fine line, IMO.
Hope that helps. Shipping used to be VERY stressful for me, and I still refuse to ship any way but next day or with the airlines for ANY of my fish, let alone the zebras. I catch quite a bit of flack for it at times, but I spent all the time and effort raising those babies. I'm not going to stick them in a box and send them off with just a good chance that they'd make it ok. I want them to have the best chance possible.
Barbie
The airlines themselves are not all that great about knowing where the boxes are or caring what's in them, but their protocol helps to keep the packages moving to where they are intended to go, regardless. Try to make sure that you're sending them on as direct a flight as you can get. The less the box must transfer planes, the better.
As to the heat packs, if you use the 60 hour heat packs, you should not use more than one without experimenting. I've overheated a box or two. Cooled down fish are also experiencing slower metabolism and less stress, it's just making sure you stay above that fine line, IMO.
Hope that helps. Shipping used to be VERY stressful for me, and I still refuse to ship any way but next day or with the airlines for ANY of my fish, let alone the zebras. I catch quite a bit of flack for it at times, but I spent all the time and effort raising those babies. I'm not going to stick them in a box and send them off with just a good chance that they'd make it ok. I want them to have the best chance possible.
Barbie
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