Taking a fish on an airplane ... no go.

[Sandee]

So. What do you do when you're 5,000 miles from home and see a fish ya want? I just called the airline, and due to the liquid restrictions, I can't bring the fish onboard! 3oz. limit.

I don't want to ship the fish, just want to bring him home with me (now).

Anyone find a way to do this? Maybe the little Mandarin can live in 3oz. of water for 6 hours, not sure.

 

[panmanmatt]

Bag him up, put him in a thermos and stick him in your checked baggage. Or you can see if the store has any styrofoam shipping boxes. pack him in one of those and check him as luggage.

 

[Sandee]

Yeah, figured checking the box would be the only option. I just hate that idea ... but I guess that's how the fish got to this country to begin with! There's a LFS here in CA with Mysis eating Mandarin and a very cool looking Spiny Box fish that just want to come home with me!

Tnx ...

 

[panmanmatt]

With airlines charging for checked luggage it may be cheaper/easier to just have them shipped back to you. If it was just the mandarin a thermos packed in your suitcase would work perfectly.

 

[reeftank2510]

maybe you could get a couple of those hand warmers and put them next to the container with the fish. I gotta imagine it gets very cold at 30,000 feet where they store the luggage and you would want something to keep the water warm.

 

[panmanmatt]

maybe you could get a couple of those hand warmers and put them next to the container with the fish. I gotta imagine it gets very cold at 30,000 feet where they store the luggage and you would want something to keep the water warm.

Do NOT add any heat source to the box/package with the fish this time of year. If it is in an insulated container the temperature will be fine. They ship fish on planes every day and no heat packs get used this time of year. If anything some will ship with an ice pack to keep them cool while sitting around on the tarmac or in a hot truck.

For the short duration we are talking in this instance just pack the fish in water with air or oxygen and put it in an insulated container.

 

[reeftank2510]

Actually I asked a friend of mine who used to work for one of the air carriers and the short answer is, not a good idea to take a fish and put them in with your checked in luggage. There is always a chance that your luggage will be stored in the non-pressurized area of the cargo hold of the plane. The area isn't heated and drops to below freezing when the plane reaches altitude.

 

[magic]

Actually I asked a friend of mine who used to work for one of the air carriers and the short answer is, not a good idea to take a fish and put them in with your checked in luggage. There is always a chance that your luggage will be stored in the non-pressurized area of the cargo hold of the plane. The area isn't heated and drops to below freezing when the plane reaches altitude.

If a metal thermos was used like Matt suggested the cold or pressure wouldn't be a problem.

Bob