Problems Shipping Live Fish

[Shenandoah Aquatics]

I have just begun selling fish online and shipping them this past year. But recently I have had a string of problems. 
 

I ship with breather bags and in the last two weeks I have had around 10 shipments to not make it fully alive. In those, the breather bag has exploded but the rubber band is fully in tact. I can’t figure out if it’s too cold or what is going on. Many times one bag will be fine and the other will not make it. 
 

I’ve shipped many different ways: styrofoam cut outs, insulated coolers, and even insulation in the entire box but it doesn’t seem to change the outcome. 
 

I started shipping in October and have had around 50 orders fulfilled with only two not making it. But in the last two weeks I have had around 10 to not make it.  I have stopped shipping until I can figure out the issue. 
 

I’m thinking it is the cold but maybe someone else could chime in and help me out. Maybe air pressure? 
 

Thank you in advance! 

[Cory]

When I shipped a lot, you'd get bag runs of breather bags where their seal wasn't great and they'd split at the seam. can you see if that's happening? Typically a breather bag is really strong, but a bad seal just splits open from the factory.

[Shenandoah Aquatics]

Great thank you, that is very helpful. All that I have are the pictures that my customers have sent me, so I’m going to ask and see if that is what is going on. 
 

I also have a new run of breather bags that I’m going to try out. 

[Aubrey]

Maybe altitude, I really couldn't say, but I know bags of chips will expand when sealed at lower altitude and then travel through a higher altitude. I don't know the specifics of how breather bags work exactly or how much pressure is applied at what altitude. Although it would seem that manufacturers would take all of that into consideration considering the nature of shipping live goods in a timely matter would include air travel.

[Shenandoah Aquatics]

Here is a photo and it looks like the seal is busted. 

[StephenP2003]

Had that happen with one shipment I sent out last week, same issue with the split seam. I wish I could get definitive info on whether or not you can double bag them. I've read anecdotes online that people had no issues double-bagging, but nothing that says "I double bagged and the fish suffocated" obviously.

[Brandy]

1 hour ago, StephenP2003 said:

Had that happen with one shipment I sent out last week, same issue with the split seam. I wish I could get definitive info on whether or not you can double bag them. I've read anecdotes online that people had no issues double-bagging, but nothing that says "I double bagged and the fish suffocated" obviously.

could you test it without shipping? leave them in over the weekend when you are home or something and can monitor them? Ive read that the gas exchange might be lower which is logical, but I can't decide if that is the mfg covering themselves legally, or if it is going to be an actual issue. 

[StephenP2003]

28 minutes ago, Brandy said:

could you test it without shipping? leave them in over the weekend when you are home or something and can monitor them? Ive read that the gas exchange might be lower which is logical, but I can't decide if that is the mfg covering themselves legally, or if it is going to be an actual issue. 

Yeah maybe I should experiment, but I'll need to account for the full box environment. Foam walls, paper filling, and a heat pack that's also relying on oxygen to stay activated. Then I need a way to monitor it, and I worry that opening the box to check on the fish might introduce a "fresh air" variable. 

Another thought. I do have an O2 test kit. Could do a before and after test, though I don't know if it would mean anything without fish using up the available oxygen.

[Shenandoah Aquatics]

I spoke with the manufacturer and said that they could be double bagged but it would reduce oxygen by 50% and would have to monitor each fish to see if it would affect them.