How to Use Heat Packs When Shipping Live Fish

Whether you're moving across the country or mailing your pets to new owners, there are a variety of reasons you might need to ship live fish. It could be a traumatic experience for the fish and could pose dangers to their health. One way to make sure the animals travel safely is to regulate their temperature with heating packs. These warmers will keep the container and the fish inside at a safe temperature as they journey to their new home.

Things You'll Need

  • Insulated container
  • Heat pack
  • Tape
  • Newspaper
  • Fish bags
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find an insulated, water-resistant container to ship the fish in. Some of the best containers for this purpose are Styrofoam or plastic coolers. These will protect the animals from extreme temperatures and keep the temperature stable inside. Don't use a cardboard box, which will fall apart if a fish bag breaks and leaks. Ensure the container is large enough to fit the fish, heat pack and packaging, but not so large that everything will roll around during shipping.

    • 2

      Determine which type of heat pack to use while shipping your fish. Start by estimating the temperatures at both the starting location and receiving destination. The temperature in the container should remain around 70 degrees, so estimate how much heat will need to be used during shipment to keep the fish warm enough. Check with the heating pack's manufacturer to understand how much heat is released through each pad when placed in a container of your size.

    • 3

      Tape the needed amount of heating packs inside the lid of the container. Use a hardy tape, such as duct tape or moving tape, to ensure the packs don't move during travel. If a heat pad falls from the lid and rests on a fish's bag, it will overheat the water and could kill the animal.

    • 4

      Pack the container with the fish, each in a water-filled bag. Ensure there isn't too much extra space for the bags to roll around; however, make sure the fish bags aren't flush against the lid.

    • 5

      Tape two layers of newspaper to the lid of the box to cover the heat packs. This will allow the packs to be caught in case they fall and also will disperse the heat more evenly throughout the container.

    • 6

      Put the lid on the container and seal it with packing tape. Make sure to indicate there are live animals inside that should be handled with care.