Flying with fish

[Shannan]

Our son moved off to college and is settled in and now its time to bring his fish!!

Any advise of flying with fish (2 clown fish)?

Should we single bag? Double bag?
Any issues with TSA?
Once through security should I double bag them? Would having them in a container be best?

We have to leave for the airport at 5am (so I'll be bagging them around 4am) with an hour layover in Georgia and arrive in Philly at 2pm. Add an hour drive to his campus so we should get there around 3ish?
We have about 15 min from the time we stop at his dorm to put the fish in the tank and then drive another hour to Harrisburg for the Hockey showcase (where son will be). Games end around 8 so I'm thinking son should be back at the dorm around 9ish (or we can run by the dorm).

Would it be better to simply float the bag in his dorm tank until he gets back and can properly acclimate them? Is 14hrs ok for them to stay in the bag safely?

His dorm tank is cycled. We're both doing water changes next week and matching salinity. Leaving his snails and coral here in Texas.

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[ZoWhat]

I would start by calling your Airline.... but most likely you'll get one answer on the phone and a completely opposite answer standing at the gate.

Why dont you just SHIP the clownfish overnight via UPS..... or more preferably FedX?

Seek out a LFS in your area that has an Online Sales presence and ask/pay them to help you ship your fish overnight.

I would say most reefers prefer FedX over UPS. UPS can get stupid sometimes with delays in shipmemts.

I would ship them midweek. Like overnight on a Mon into Tues.... or a Tues into Weds. AVOID anything remotely close to a Fri or Sat

Hth

 

[Sailingeric]

I think you will have problems since they are more than 3oz of liquid. Might want to get a small cooler and check them in. I would bag each one separately with as much water as you can get in there.

 

[MnFish1]

Our son moved off to college and is settled in and now its time to bring his fish!!

Any advise of flying with fish (2 clown fish)?

Should we single bag? Double bag?
Any issues with TSA?
Once through security should I double bag them? Would having them in a container be best?

We have to leave for the airport at 5am (so I'll be bagging them around 4am) with an hour layover in Georgia and arrive in Philly at 2pm. Add an hour drive to his campus so we should get there around 3ish?
We have about 15 min from the time we stop at his dorm to put the fish in the tank and then drive another hour to Harrisburg for the Hockey showcase (where son will be). Games end around 8 so I'm thinking son should be back at the dorm around 9ish (or we can run by the dorm).

Would it be better to simply float the bag in his dorm tank until he gets back and can properly acclimate them? Is 14hrs ok for them to stay in the bag safely?

His dorm tank is cycled. We're both doing water changes next week and matching salinity. Leaving his snails and coral here in Texas.

Thanks in advance!!!

Agree with the rest - carrying them 'on board' may be a problem - and you will probably get 2 (or 3) different answers from the airline. I might suggest - the safest - simplest thing is - have him buy 2 new clownfish when he arrives where he is going, has time to set up a tank, etc. etc. I can't tell from your post whether he has a 'cycled' tank - ready for fish - but...

To directly answer your question - if you ARE going to try to bring them 'on board with you'. I would triple bag them - and then put the bags in a waterproof container. Use a smaller amount of water - as compared to 'air' in the bag. The fish breath oxygen - and the more in the bag the better.

You can also add a dose (the recommended dose) of an ammonia 'remover'/'stabilizer' - to avoid problems with that.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Shannan]

Agree with the rest - carrying them 'on board' may be a problem - and you will probably get 2 (or 3) different answers from the airline. I might suggest - the safest - simplest thing is - have him buy 2 new clownfish when he arrives where he is going, has time to set up a tank, etc. etc. I can't tell from your post whether he has a 'cycled' tank - ready for fish - but...

To directly answer your question - if you ARE going to try to bring them 'on board with you'. I would triple bag them - and then put the bags in a waterproof container. Use a smaller amount of water - as compared to 'air' in the bag. The fish breath oxygen - and the more in the bag the better.

You can also add a dose (the recommended dose) of an ammonia 'remover'/'stabilizer' - to avoid problems with that.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

His tank is completely cycled and we are going to bring these 2 naked clown fish via plane. (He doesn’t want new ones and I honestly have no room for them. I have 2 mean clowns in my main tank so my only options are keeping in the 5 gal they are in until they move, my quarantine or with him)

I didn’t even think of the stabilizer, great idea!! Also like the idea of less water!

 

[MnFish1]

His tank is completely cycled and we are going to bring these 2 naked clown fish via plane. (He doesn’t want new ones and I honestly have no room for them. I have 2 mean clowns in my main tank so my only options are keeping in the 5 gal they are in until they move, my quarantine or with him)

I didn’t even think of the stabilizer, great idea!! Also like the idea of less water!

the reason I asked - I gave to 2 fish to a couple friends from Europe. in the middle of the flight they were DOA (not quite A yet) - it was a mess. Not sure why.

 

[jccaclimber]

There is an exception to the TSA 3 oz. rule for live fish, I've used it plenty of times. Occasionally I've gotten a TSA person who doesn't believe me and they have the right to over-ride the rule anyways. Being polite has always gotten me through, although I generally have whoever dropped me off stick around until I'm through in case I have to send the fish back home.
Take the fish, double bagged, out from whatever bag it is in and put it in its own container so it's clear you aren't trying to hide it, then send it through the x-ray scanner (hasn't been an issue for me yet). Expect a wipe down to test for chemicals on the back end.
Then put it back in your carry on. Just because TSA lets it through doesn't mean the airlines will, so I wouldn't advertise it at the gate. Also, leave plenty of room for expansion in the bag. The plan might be pressurized, but it is the equivalent of 6-8k feet, so there will be air expansion and you don't want to be responsible for leaking salt water on an airplane.
Don't check them, that's not permitted per TSA unless it's going as air cargo, which you'll need a shipper number to use.
Stop feeding a day or so in advance and if you can, move the fish 12 hours in advance of being bagged (bagged with in new water, or at least not the water they spend those 12 hours in) so they do their business somewhere other than the bag they ship in.