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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517 Likes: 38
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OP
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517 Likes: 38 |
As my new pond is still filling, I have aspirations of having a small-scale "Blue Cats By Mail" business someday (hopefully by next year), where I'd be able to ship live BC fingerlings to whomever wanted them. I feel like there's a growing demand for BC, and outside of a few states in and around TX/OK/MO, they're hard to come by. I've done a little bit of digging into it, watched a few videos, etc. I was just wondering if anyone here has direct experience with this, and could offer any advice. Some basic questions:- Any particular source for the shipping supplies?
- Preferred mail carrier (FedEX, UPS, etc.)
- Overnight vs 2-day for Catfish?
- Sourcing oxygen tanks and getting them filled (never done this)
- Bag thickness? Box size/thickness? Cooler needed? Ice packs needed?
Any and all advice would be appreciated.
"In the age of information, ignorance is a choice." - Donny Miller
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,061 Likes: 308
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,061 Likes: 308 |
I'll follow with interest Steve_. I don't know how challenging it will be. BC tend to have more issues in transportation than CC ... but ... its a catfish so they ought to be tougher than other fish that are shipped. Hsb and lmb are shipped for example. Maybe snrub or nedoc could comment on their packages from KEO. Snrub picked up but nedocs overnighted FedEx I think.
Last edited by jpsdad; 08/27/21 07:57 PM.
It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers
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Steve_ |
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Joined: Oct 2019
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Joined: Oct 2019
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Wow, I've never heard of those! Breathable bags that oxygen can pass through? How does that even work? *Brain explodes due to science overload*
"In the age of information, ignorance is a choice." - Donny Miller
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Joined: Oct 2016
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Joined: Oct 2016
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Steve, Not an expert by any means but I would check it out to see if it is a viable option for what you are intending to do.
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,751 Likes: 299
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,751 Likes: 299 |
You might reach out to Zimmerman's fish with questions. http://www.zimmermansfish.com/
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,061 Likes: 308
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,061 Likes: 308 |
Wow, I've never heard of those! Breathable bags that oxygen can pass through? How does that even work? *Brain explodes due to science overload* I learned that ziploc bags pass oxygen from a paper on keeping hexagena mayfly eggs. The oxygen exchange was sufficient to maintain the eggs. Their eggs were refrigerated to delay hatching. The surface tension of water is high enough to to prevent flow if the holes are small enough I guess. Those employ technology to improve the rates of exchange.
Last edited by jpsdad; 08/28/21 05:35 AM.
It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers
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Joined: Jul 2020
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Joined: Jul 2020
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When you want to do test orders let us know! I dont need catfish but wouldnt mind a small donation for you to test shipping
Im going to ask a lot of questions, but only because I'm clueless
5-20 Acres in Florida. Bass/Tilapia/Bowfin/Gator
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Joined: May 2009
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2009
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If I can arrange a shipment, mine will go in a fish tank to grow and assess survival.
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Steve_ |
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Joined: Oct 2018
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Joined: Oct 2018
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For the O2... hit your local welding supply company.
Medical oxygen requires Rx and is very expensive.
Industrial oxygen is plenty good for hauling fishies.
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Steve_, FishinRod |
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Joined: Oct 2019
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Joined: Oct 2019
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Some interesting stuff to think about. I've also seen these cans of oxygen you can buy right from Amazon or a few select big box stores. I think it's for hikers that climb high altitudes, but I could be wrong. Before I begin to think about any of this, I definitely need some damn RAIN! I hate being a slave to the weatherman. Hurricane Ida is going to just go by us to the West, the same as the last storm that came through. TN and western NC will get hit, but not us.
"In the age of information, ignorance is a choice." - Donny Miller
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,713 Likes: 3
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent  Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent  Lunker
Joined: Aug 2006
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I haven't been on the Pond Boss site for a while.
It looks like my old friends "Rainman" Rex Raines is still in the fish business and active here on the site. If he is still in the business, he could be an invaluable contact.
He is one of several who have shipped fish to me over the year. I always received 100% live fish when I received a box from him.
I have a worm bin in one of the Styrofoam coolers he used to ship fish to me from Missouri to West Virginia, probably at least 10 years ago.
He is probably pretty busy this time of year. But if you can get in touch with him when he isn't on the road, he could be an encyclopedia of shipping fish. Maybe he could also deliver fish for you. He has supplied a lot of fish to Pond Boss member's ponds over the years
Ken.
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,713 Likes: 3
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent  Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent  Lunker
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,713 Likes: 3 |
I haven't been on the Pond Boss site for a while.
It looks like my old friends "Rainman" Rex Raines is still in the fish business and active here on the site. If he is still in the business, he could be an invaluable contact.
He is one of several who have shipped fish to me over the year. I always received 100% live fish when I received a box from him.
I have a worm bin in one of the Styrofoam coolers he used to ship fish to me from Missouri to West Virginia, probably at least 10 years ago.
He is probably pretty busy this time of year. But if you can get in touch with him when he isn't on the road, he could be an encyclopedia of shipping fish. Maybe he could also deliver fish for you. He has supplied a lot of fish to Pond Boss member's ponds over the years
Ken.
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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517 Likes: 38
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OP
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517 Likes: 38 |
Thank you, catmandoo. I've definitely seen your name on some of the older posts I've viewed in the past, glad to see you making an appearance. Hopefully Rainman will see this and reply. If he's busy, I'd rather not bug him lol, but I'll definitely keep that in mind.
"In the age of information, ignorance is a choice." - Donny Miller
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame  Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame  Lunker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,100 Likes: 24 |
This is a fairly old post, but, I will reply with some of my experiences....I almost never ship fish anymore...The regs, state and federal are too cumbersome for my older, more feable brain to deal with...lol That said, forget the "breather bags"..They are all but useless if you properly ship. Breather bags need air surrounding them, and to ship properly, you need double layers of plastic bags that can not leak. The best shipping containers are used and designed for shipping "Tropical fish"...Hit up pet shops that are not chain store, like a PetSmart...They will often sell you the shipping containers for a few bucks each...then you need 15" square bottom shipping bags, and double bag. I originally used UPS to ship, but after many crushed boxes of dead fish, and fights for the refunds from UPS, I shipped overnight exclusively with Fedex, and only had 1 "bad" delivery after that...I am fortunate that I live near an international airport, so my cut-off was 9:45pm to ship overnight...and if I was late, a Fedex pilot would often take my packages and still deliver....Overnight is expensive, but reliable...Surprisingly, the least expensive was same-day air freight...I once shipped 400 pounds of fish from St Louis, MO to LA in CA, and the cost was only $175, and in the customer's truck 5 hours after I dropped off the fish....I used industrial oxygen to fill bags "loosly"...the gas expands in flight....It takes practice to do it right on the shipping end, but it takes knowledge and lots of research to ship legally. The Lacey Act of 1900 requires a shipper to adhere to all federal, state, local and international laws pertaining to all plants and animals....including shipping laws
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Joined: Oct 2016
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,132 Likes: 77 |
Good to see you on the forum Rex!
Bob
I Subscribe To Pond Boss
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Rainman |
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent  Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent  Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
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Rex:
I get constant requests to ship fish. I even had a request for two Rainbow Trout to be shipped to an island in Florida in August..... Sorry, ain't going to happen. Like you I found that the work required to do behind the scenes didn't even begin to cover the expenses in packaging and shipping the fish, so I stopped shipping fish. Just not worth the hassle.
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Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
Koi
by PAfarmPondPGH69, October 22
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