The Official "How to Ship Coral" Thread

[er1c_the_reefer]

i shipped a box to pinner and it was RTSed... 7 days in transit and i lost 1 in 8 frags. i might have been all 8 to survive, but i really didn't want to open the last bag... =)

[ezcompany]

Here's a weird one--

 

On Wednesday, I shipped a ricordea, a rainbow acan (same as Muddy's), a green slimer and an acan lord. It was to Cleveland from Pittsburgh, so we used UPS Ground---with NO HEAT PACK. Well, UPS bumped the shipment and it took 2 days.

Of course the acro died--the lord did too. But--the rainbow was alive and so was the ric. The recipient said the water was 42 degrees.

 

I don't know what that learns us---but it's something to think about.

 

evening temperatures dips are very low.

[mvite]

evening temperatures dips are very low.

Yep--I am using heat with anything except Southern deliveries. Even still I am trying to keep the coral away from the heat pack with stryo and packing bubbles.

 

I switched from paper towels to cut up strips of 8" x 16" fish bags. I created kind of a "nest" for the coral. We'll see---I just shipped my third acan echinata to Mudfish in FL---with no heat---with plastic bag strips.

 

I'm all outta echinata!!!

[mvite]

Unreal--USPS didn't deliver Mudfish's echinata.

 

I can't believe it.

[ENraged]

Here's a weird one--

 

On Wednesday, I shipped a ricordea, a rainbow acan (same as Muddy's), a green slimer and an acan lord. It was to Cleveland from Pittsburgh, so we used UPS Ground---with NO HEAT PACK. Well, UPS bumped the shipment and it took 2 days.

Of course the acro died--the lord did too. But--the rainbow was alive and so was the ric. The recipient said the water was 42 degrees.

 

I don't know what that learns us---but it's something to think about.

 

i received a batch of rics today that had no heat pack coming up the easy coast the bad was very cold to touch but the rics opened up as soon as i pulled them out of the box and in to the light.

Once i found no heat pack i was like huh?!?!? dropped them in my tank to float them and the little devils were wide open just itching to get out of the bag.

I didnt think rics were that tough.

 

 

I will no longer do priority either. Fedex has been the only shipper to deliver 100% of the time.

 

 

yea even if its to the wrong address!!!

I hate those SOB's With ever fiber of my being!!! i can not tell you how many times i have chased my packages around our building trying to figure out which place they delivered it to this time.

[Mudfish]

I got one better than that.

 

I shipped out two different packages, one on monday and one on tueday via usps priority and NEITHER one arrived. It really sucks because they are both forum members I HATE USPS...............UGH!!!!

I was really thinking about commenting on this post, that I have a different view of the Postal Service. I've never had any problem with shipments of stuff over the years; in fact, I think it's pretty amazing when you stop to consider the bazillions of pieces of mail each day, that ANY of it gets to its intended destination, and much of it OVERNIGHT!

 

But then my GODDAM CORAL didn't show up today....

 

Poor Mark - he has gone crazy trying to get this simple little piece to me, and for no explainable reason, the gods are conspiring against us. Two pieces have arrived dead (can't figure why); now the GUARANTEED EXPRESS MAIL has failed to deliver the third attempt. It's lost in the wilds somewhere....

[mvite]

YAY!!! Mudfish's rainbow acan got there today alive!!! TWO WHOLE DAYS!!!

 

No heat pack---alive.

 

Lesson learned is that I have to understand where my coral is going at this time of year to judge heat.

 

I have stopped using the paper towels and am using the cut up plastic bag sleeve inside the shipping bag. That is working for SPS and LPS alike---right now anyway.

 

I am slowly getting my confidence back!!!

[Izzue]

 

Izzue

[mrabolli]

what about this: Cut a peice of syrofoam (pain in the arse) in a circle to the circumference of the bag. Attach the frag plug into the center of the styrofoam and float it in the half filled bag upside down. Package as normal and include Arrow Up signs on all 4 sides of the box. This would keep the coral submerged and not touching anything! What do u think?

[quy_nquyen]

i shipped out 3 packages on monday using express(overnight). 2 of the packages was delivered the day after while 1 package did not.

 

when i punch in the tracking number the last update was on 4/16/07..... and all it said was that the package is enroute and has left california. nothing about whether or not it has been recieved by the other post office.

 

any ideas?

[EL CHUPACABRA]

i shipped out 3 packages on monday using express(overnight). 2 of the packages was delivered the day after while 1 package did not.

 

when i punch in the tracking number the last update was on 4/16/07..... and all it said was that the package is enroute and has left california. nothing about whether or not it has been recieved by the other post office.

 

any ideas?

 

Was it guaranteed for next day arrival? Some of the time USPS cannot guarantee next day with express because the destination is not close enough to a major airport. I would recommend calling the post office or going into a post office and asking about it. You should be able to get your shipping refunded and express has some insurance built in, so you may be able to get some $ back for the lost coral. DO NOT SAY IT WAS LIVE CORAL, they will not cover it, instead say it was aquarium decorations. Good luck. Oh yeah and USPS web tracking usually updates each night...

[Needreefunds]

Great thread guys. Just wanted to add something that happened to one of my shipments recently. It was a Xenia frag from a member. Packaging was great, pretty much like most of the posts here. The frag was banded to a styro float. Unfortunately the frag had flipped during shipping and the float held it smashed face up into the bag. Little guy hung tough for a few days before it expired. Please understand I am not here to bash anyone. IMO the shipper did what he thought to be best, and did a good job. I told them we will try again down the road. After seeing this, how about forming a U or even a triangle from foam to prevent this? Also understand I have never shipped anything so please go easy on me!! Just floating a thought out there (pardon the pun). I mean is this even possible given the size of available fish bags?

[mvite]

Make sure you check with USPS online to verify the "Express Service Committments" from zip to zip. Also--if you drop it off at the PO they will tell you "it's a 2 day Express".

 

As for the online tracking---that's slow and updated at night.

 

Lastly---Xenia is nearly impossible to ship. It's very touchy.

[mvite]

I haven't been using heat packs lately---remember I am in PA.

 

I have received coral from AL with no heat--with no problem.

 

Any recent experiences so we can remember this next year at this time???!!

[nanonut]

Sup, Buuuudy . You are everywhere these days MVite. So I must add a little extra info to shipping this time of year. Heat pack or no heat pack?? First you should check the zipcode of where you are shipping to on www.weather.com to see what temps will be like. Often the case will be that it is colder (50-60) at night but 80 during the day. So I recommend a heat pack that will get you through the night but will be used up by moring when temps outside start to warm up. It is getting warmer by the day so this may not be necessary anymore, but for your spring and fall shipment, depending on what time you ship, an 8-12 hr heat pack will be fine. That way if USPS doesn't drop off the package till 3pm which, your coral won't be cooked by the heat pack+sun.

 

I also use pretty much the same method as Mvite. If you have heat packs just wrap them in more newspaper than usual to insulate them more and cut down on the heat. I also tape them to the lid and put all frag bags together into one bag.

I've shipped about 100 boxes with on average 4 corals in each box, and have only had 2 DOA shipments and that was in the 0 degree weather

 

See ya

[mvite]

Sup, Buuuudy .

Mr. Nut I presume.... Thanks for the input!

 

I am getting some siiiiick micros tomorrow and asked for no heatie.

[greeneyes]

I have a question. For those of you that ship & trade corals do you reuse the boxes and styro-foam. If you do, do you let the other person know that you reuse to help off set the cost. Just want to know. TIA

[ENraged]

I fully plan to reuse all the boxes i have received.

Save a tree and all that hippy stuff

[modularduck]

I would think that it is common practice to reuse that stuff, i mean, i have not thrown away anything since i started in the hobby and have found much of the stuff i have useful in other ways. not to mention very few sellers/traders here will charge you for that stuff, maybe in the middle of winter you might get charged for a heatpack but hey, big deal.

[greeneyes]

Thanks

[mvite]

Wow---I had some crazy shipping experiences that I can't explain but wanted to pass on.

 

I had some ebay sales that I shipped last week.

 

Two of the packages took 2 days through USPS Express. Both of them had montiporas in them!!! One went to NH--it had a rainbow, a sunset, and a superman in it....I should have sent it with an armed guard!! I used a heat pack because it seemed cold to ship from PA to NH---and I think that's what may have saved it.

 

The second package shipped to MD using no heat pack. It was a monti cap--2 days---none the worse for wear.

 

I have been using a slightly modified shipping method. I am using 6x12 bags---about 1/3 full of water---with HARDLY ANY AIR--there's air--but very little. Instead of the paper towels--I have been using cut up sleeves of 6x12 bags. I cut each 6x12 bag into three "sleeves" and I use one sleeve per bag/item. For some larger pieces, I used the sleeves to kind of trap the coral in the water.

 

2 days for SPS is NOT something I want to do regularly---but PHEW!!!

[MFish]

Instead of the paper towels--I have been using cut up sleeves of 6x12 bags. I cut each 6x12 bag into three "sleeves" and I use one sleeve per bag/item. For some larger pieces, I used the sleeves to kind of trap the coral in the water.

 

Now you're talkin!

 

That's how all the boxes I've ever unpacked in my years of LFS-working have been shipped. Sleeves made out of bags [usually black , though, for some reason]

 

Two days is nothing. I've had boxes, entire shipments even, delayed 3. Surprisingly, everything made it. Dead of winter, too.

[mvite]

We'll see about this tomorrow. I have two boxes that didn't get delivered like they were supposed to today. They were both SPS. Damn USPS has missed 5 in the last 3 weeks for me---after being like 99.9% accurate for one day Express.

[mvite]

WTF????

 

On Monday I shipped two pkgs containing SPS via USPS Express--montis and acros. Both packages got delayed for some reason and took 2 days!!! They were GUARANTEED OVERNIGHT!

 

The corals were fine for 2 days. Don't try this at home!! Explain it though.

 

Also--I don't see too many others postin here---you punk asses better start sending each other some coral ASAP!!!!!

[Snazzy]

just some tips that i heard

 

anthony calfo said a good way was the box for shiping wine bottles. the styrofam box for 1 bottle. you want 1/3 water to 2/3 air. and stick the heater or ice-pack in the neck area in the box. you dont want theheat or ice pack toching the bag for stable temps. make sure you tape the entire box shut, as in just the holes. thats all i remember

 

~snazzy