Traveling With A Fish. I Need Help!

[DiscusKeeper403]

Hey,

I would like to purchase a Discus in Canada and bring it back with me to my little island. What would be the best way to package it? Does anyone know if I can bring it on the plane as my carry-on? I would hope it to be triple bagged with an air stone, and a heat pack in a cardboard box wedged between styrofoam, sound okay, or is there a better way?

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

I think you can get little Styrofoam coolers (looks like this http/www.texasfoam.com/industrial-packaging.htm)...I would get one of those, and pad with packing materials. Not sure if they will let you take it as carry-on though b/c airports are really iffy about letting you bring liquids in carry-ons. Contact the air-line ahead of time to find out what your options are.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Thanks. I will look for one of those coolers. I think the air line is fine with it, because I saw a "live animal inside" sticker that had a picture of a dog, bird, turtle and fish. I if I can't take it on as a carry-on I think it will still be okay (even if it isn't what I want), just as long as I get the heating pad, it should be fine.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Okay, so heres another question, I guess i'll ask here. I think it should be okay, but I will be sticking it into a 20 gallon for a week or so till' I get the 55 gallon up. I was hoping on getting a few from an online breeder, and 1 or two from my store. The only thing about my store is that the importers don't keep Discus correctly and they always come in sick, so most of our Discus die when we rarely get them in. The Discus that i'm bringing back will be the first Discus I get, so my big question is, should I go with one or two? The 20 gallon will also have an angel that will be going into the 55g with em. One may get pretty stressed. So maybe 2 from here, 2 from the online breeder and 1 from my store sounds like the best bet. Whatcha think? I'm kind of scared bringing the Discus on the plane (It will be a pretty long time in the bags, possibly 6 or 7 hours) I will add an air stone for some oxygen, but is there anything I could use for stress? Should I be worrying about water quality in that time also? Maybe i'll go into the store and reserve them, and ask them not to feed the Fish a day or so before, so they don't produce too much waste and muck the water up...

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

When you purchase the fish be sure to tell them that the fish will be in a bag for a very long time. If they know what they are doing, they'll leave extra air space in the bag, and it's not uncommon for stores to use "stress reducing" chemicals and ammonia detoxifiers to make sure it travels more safely. Remember that fish get shipped quite often...I don't think sellers on Aquabid would guarantee live delivery/replacements as much as they do if it fish didn't survive it well.