Hi Shipping Fish... Help

[guppylovepuppylovelol]

Ok now i don't want endless instructions on how to ship fish, or links to videos unless these videos tell me what bags or shipping processes to use. I am going to breed guppies and ship them. Where or what bags can i use, If you know of a place to get them. Also what shipping methods should i use, like fedex ect. What im looking for is if the bag is safe for a guppy, and stuff like that. I know how to package them so that is not what im asking for unless you think you can really help me with your knowledge. If just regular ziplocks are safe tell me (i know there not). Please help me, Thank you in advance for your help. Also how much would shipping cost to ship throughthe U.S.

 

[attibones]

I have never shipped fish before, but I've had fish shipped to me with great success.

Kordon Breather Bags work really well. I believe you can purchase them on that website, but I know some people offer them on aquabid through the shipping section. These are good because you actually save space with shipping.

I've also received fish in standard fish bags (like the sort from the LFS).

Shipping will be expensive on your part. Heat packs, boxes, styrofoam containers, bags all add up. The shipping service itself is hefty, but you save money using the postal service I believe. They also provide several different options for shipping time. FedEx is pretty expensive, but it seems they still do a good job of getting everything in on time. I believe many of their options include insurance too. I would just go with USPS, Kordon bags, etc.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Shipped many fish, some very valuable. What you are asking doesn't have a simple to answer.
 
I am not trying to insult you when I say, if you have to ask if Zip Lock bags are safe, you know close to nothing about packing or shipping.
 
To ship fish via FedEX- which is a highly recommended shipper- you need to have an account to get the best rates. To get an account to ship live fish you have to submit them sample boxes fully packed save for the actual fish for approval. If they do not like how you pack, they don't take your business.
 
Googling will get you to bag sellers. They will sell the other things you may need too.

 

[the_lock_man]

Just bear in mind that guppies are very easy to obtain, every LFS sells them, they are very cheap to buy. If you ship them, you will have to cover the costs of doing so - typically in the UK, shipping costs are £10 or more, and I would expect that Fedex in the US would be around the same - $10-15. Consider why people would want to pay that, plus however much you are going to charge for the fish itself, when they can go to the LFS and pay $1-2.
 
To be successful, you will be having to breed something different, that people will be willing to pay a premium to obtain, something that people can't just pick up at the LFS. And that takes time and some skill, to spot the attributes that make a fish valuable, and to develop them so you consistently get those attributes in the fry.
 
Good luck.

 

[Noahsfish]

Just bear in mind that guppies are very easy to obtain, every LFS sells them, they are very cheap to buy. If you ship them, you will have to cover the costs of doing so - typically in the UK, shipping costs are £10 or more, and I would expect that Fedex in the US would be around the same - $10-15. Consider why people would want to pay that, plus however much you are going to charge for the fish itself, when they can go to the LFS and pay $1-2.
 
To be successful, you will be having to breed something different, that people will be willing to pay a premium to obtain, something that people can't just pick up at the LFS. And that takes time and some skill, to spot the attributes that make a fish valuable, and to develop them so you consistently get those attributes in the fry.
 
Good luck.

Exactly, who's going to order the most generic fish that you can basically get in any fish/pet store across the US. Breeding and selling fish while making a profit isn't just a way to make an extra buck or two, it's a full time job if you want to be successful. I guess since guppies are the easiest thing to breed you could try doing bulk orders only with really low prices, but it's really just a big hassle and in the end you might end up losing $$$$$$.