When transporting fish by plane, it is important to take care not only of a comfortable capacity for their transportation, but also of creating conditions that will help reduce the stress from flying and keep the fish healthy.
Instruction manual
1
Any transportation from place to place, even over short distances, is a great stress for fish. But transportation by plane, in addition to stress, can also harm the health of the fish, so it is imperative not only to comply with the rules dictated by the air carrier, but also to take care of the conditions that preserve the life and health of the fish.
2
First you need to get a veterinary certificate form number 1. Help should be taken care of in advance, as fish must undergo a laboratory test, the results of which will be recorded in the certificate. Some vetstations issue certificates without laboratory tests, only on the basis of a fish certificate issued by the store. But it is recommended that you call the airport information service before the flight and clarify the need for a certificate, as there are often cases when no documents are required at all.
3
When transporting fish by plane, carefully select containers for transportation. It should be spacious, without sharp corners, not emitting toxic substances into the water. Foreign objects and plants must not be in the vessel with the fish, otherwise the fish may be injured during transportation. If the fish are in plastic bags during the flight, their angles should be tied, because sometimes small fish and fry choke in sharp corners.
4
When flying over short distances, the transportation tank is filled with water by one third, the rest of the space is saturated with oxygen or just air. But it should be remembered that when transporting in a plastic container, you cannot fill the bag with air to the top, because at high altitude, it may burst due to pressure differences. If it is assumed that the fish will be on the road for more than a day, the water tank should be saturated only with oxygen, the reserves of which must be replenished, focusing on the condition of the fish. For this purpose, portable oxygen cans, mini-compressors, battery-powered or mechanical devices for purging water are suitable. If the fish stay near the surface of the water - this is the first sign of a catastrophic lack of oxygen.
5
Feeding the fish about a day before the flight must be stopped, because hungry fish consume less oxygen and minimize the amount of waste they live, which has a positive effect on the quality of water in the shipping container. In addition, it is important to take care of the water temperature - its deviation from the norm should not be more than 2-3 degrees. If transportation is carried out in winter, it is necessary to purchase a special aquarium heating pad to maintain the desired temperature level. In addition to a heating pad, a specialized thermos container or a thermobag can successfully solve this problem. When transporting fish in non-specialized containers in cold weather, you can cover its walls with a dense layer of newspapers, and in the heat with ice. These measures will help protect underwater inhabitants from temperature extremes critical for their life and health.
