Posting bettas

Hello

Wondering what is involved in P&P of fish as might be sending some females to a member for her sorority.

I have boxes lined with polyboxes from receiving fish, so would I just need to buy a heat pack, double bag fish and send via next day delivery? I'd pack each betta in a diff bag in case they get nasty during transit, but is that the basic jist of it?

I use IAL tea, to minimise waste and stress (most people like stresscoat), then you double bag them, one one way, one the other the other way, roll each one in newspaper, plonk in a polystyrene box, fill up the gaps with whatever you can find, then pack the polystyrene box in a cardboard box et voila! You only need a heatpack if it's going to be particularly cold, but that would need to be wrapped up securely in newspaper. More risk in cooking them, than chilling them.

Thanks! So really, the weather isn't too cold right now (c'mon stupid rain, go away).

I can boil up some IAL

I'll have no fingernails waiting for it to arrive haha

The first time is always soooooooooo stressful lol. Any other 'stressful' event in your life after this will seem like peanuts.

Ok so let the stress and nail biting commence

I don't think I will be able to think about anything else until I know they've arrived!

Silver they'll be fine dont worry

silverrabbit wrote:Ok so let the stress and nail biting commence

I don't think I will be able to think about anything else until I know they've arrived!

So did they arrive ok Louisa??

I sent them this morning so they should arrive with Jasmine tomo before 1pm. My Post Office bloke got really **** and in the end had to take the fish elsewhere as he was talking rubbish and wouldn't accept the parcel.

Didn't include heatpack cos it's been humid and don't wanna cook the fishies. Reallyhoping they will be ok *chomps nails*

Royal mail wont post fish. If they find out there fish they will refuse to take the parcel so he was just doing his job. Its best to go for a proper fish courier.

I'd tell you to stop worrying Silver, but somehow I don't think you can help it. I'm sure it'll be just fine as they make it half way around the world! I can tell by how much you're fretting you did a great job. **** bloke at the P.O.. You didn't need a hard time!

Well i've had a parcel sent to me via royal mail which said on the side "This way up - Live Fish". He didn't need to get rude about it

No im not saying he was right to be rude just from what ive heard they will refuse to send live fish. If they dont know what in there you can get away with it but if they find out they wont take it.

Having just checked the Royal Mail website, under their 'restricted goods' guidelines it is permissible to send live fish fry and fish eggs, and they give details about sending and labelling the package.

Why fish fry would not be allowed but juveniles or adults would not be, I don't know. The fry of some species are probably as large as the adults of another, but they don't appear to place any restriction on species, or guidelines as to at what stage a fish stops being a fry.

In my personal opinion, if the fish are safe and well packaged, there's no danger to anyone carrying the parcel, and you can get away with it due to them not asking what's in the box, then fair enough.

Ive heard that aswell. I think ones a fish is sexually mature they would call it adult rather than fry. I think its a bit weird aswell because fry are more likely to die than adults but there probably just thinking they dont want massive 2-3foot long fish being posted so its easier just to say no adult fish can be posted.

Haha, Royal mail are so stupid. The man was literally shouting at me, whole post office was staring, very embarrassing.

Fish are double bagged, wrapped in newspaper in poly box inside cardboard box, so really doubt the postie would get leaked on lets hope he doesnt shake it lol

silverrabbit wrote:Haha, Royal mail are so stupid. The man was literally shouting at me, whole post office was staring, very embarrassing.

Fish are double bagged, wrapped in newspaper in poly box inside cardboard box, so really doubt the postie would get leaked on lets hope he doesnt shake it lol

I dont think that will be the reason why they wont let you post adult fish because the same thing could happen to fry. Im not sure but i would think its because they dont want massive fish like redtailed catfish and things like that being posted so its easier to just so no adult fish can be posted but hat might not be the case im not sure.

I generally label my packages fragile and this way up and leave it there. Some post offices are funny about posting anything water related, I know what it says in the rule book but they have a right to refuse to post anything they are uncomfortable with - in case it's dodgy - I only post without a heatpack when it is exceptionally hot as you say and the double bagging information is correct. Unfortunately we cant stop the postman from man handling the box, it just depends which postman you get delivering the fish. On the whole though DOA account for 1% of deliveries it's very rare so you should be fine. The key is to only post 100% healthy fish.

I worry after 3 years of posting so dont worry you're not unusual!

The box my Ed came in was horribly squashed by Royal Mail, I was very worried when I signed for it but all was well packed and cushioned inside and he was safe

The rules are a bit silly really... even if it is to stop 2-3ft long fish being posted, that one fish would require the same volume of water as if you were sending a box of thousands of fry, which would be perfectly in line with their rules.

Like i said i dont know if that is the reason but its the only one i can think of.

Well it seems my fish packing skills were fine - panic over

Glad to hear it!

Phew...glad they got there okay.