[Zbrafish] cold weather shipping

[David Lains]

Hello Judy

I use 35 hour packs for domestic and 60 hour packs for international
shipments.  They usually last about 48 and 72 hours respectively but they
are less reliable at the ends of their service.  
http://www.theenergykit.com/Products7.asp

The packs are highly reliable but I always start them with oxygen in a fish
bag to make sure they start producing heat.  To protect the heat packs from
touching the flasks or bags I put them in a bubble wrap envelope with the
corners cut off and a slit down the center to keep them from suffocating.

For embryos I put the pad in the bottom of the box with about an inch or two
of peanuts between the flask and pad.  Make sure the peanuts are packed
tight or the flask can settle down on to the pad due to the vibrations in
transit.  For the adults I put them in the bubble wrap and tape them to the
inside of the lid.

If you are shipping adults and embryos together make sure the flasks touch
the bag below the water level.  This keeps the embryos warmer by making them
part of a larger thermal mass.  If I'm sending embryos only to a very cold
location like Fairbanks last week I'll often put a liter or two of water
into a fish bag just to help moderate the temperature.

Best Fishes
David Lains <}}}><
Aquaculturist, Research Assistant
Zebrafish International Resource Center
5274 University of Oregon
Eugene, Or 97403
Email: david from zebrafish.org
pH: (541) 346-6028 ext. 18
fax: (541) 346-6151


-----Original Message-----
From: zbrafish-bounces from oat.bio.indiana.edu
[mailto:zbrafish-bounces from oat.bio.indiana.edu] On Behalf Of Judy Bennett
Sent: Monday, January 19, 2009 6:44 AM
To: Bill Mebane
Cc: 'zbrafish from magpie.bio.indiana.edu'; Lawrence, Christian
Subject: Re: [Zbrafish] cold weather shipping

I think we were going to possibly go this route, but were wondering  
if they would last long enough...

Thanks for the response.
Judy


On Jan 16, 2009, at 4:35 PM, Bill Mebane wrote:

> Judy - we are having some luck shipping embryos overnight using  
> "Hot Hands" (disposable chemically activated hand warmers sold at  
> fishing and hunting stores for appx $1/ea) There are a variety of  
> manuf. but "Hot Hands" seems to be the best. The box should be one  
> of the molded 2" thick styrofoam boxes...not the 3/4" foam boxes.  
> The hand warmer has an adhesive side that we stick to the inside of  
> the shipping box so the hand warmer is not in direct contact with  
> the water bag. When the weather is really cold (<10F) 2-3 warmers  
> are used - hint...it is possible to get a bad batch of these  
> warmers so test one or two before you buy a box off the self.
> Bill
>
> At 3:57 PM -0500 1/16/09, Lawrence, Christian wrote:
>> D Lains at ZIRC does, I'm sure.
>>
>> Christian Lawrence
>> Aquatic Resources Program
>> Children's Hospital Boston
>> 320 Longwood Avenue
>> Boston, MA 02115
>> 617.919.2738 (office)
>> 617.730.0836 (fax)
>> christian.lawrence from childrens.harvard.edu
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: zbrafish-bounces from oat.bio.indiana.edu <zbrafish- 
>> bounces from oat.bio.indiana.edu>
>> To: zbrafish from net.bio.net <zbrafish from magpie.bio.indiana.edu>
>> Sent: Fri Jan 16 11:03:01 2009
>> Subject: [Zbrafish] cold weather shipping
>>
>> Does anyone have a reliable protocol for (overnight) shipping  
>> adult fish and/or embryos in these frigid temps?
>>
>> Thanks
>> Judy Bennett
>> UMass, Amherst
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Zbrafish mailing list
>> Zbrafish from net.bio.net
>> http://www.bio.net/biomail/listinfo/zbrafish
>>
>>
>> The information in this e-mail is intended only for the person to  
>> whom it is
>> addressed. If you believe this e-mail was sent to you in error and  
>> the e-mail
>> contains patient information, please contact the Partners  
>> Compliance HelpLine at
>> http://www.partners.org/complianceline . If the e-mail was sent to  
>> you in error
>> but does not contain patient information, please contact the  
>> sender and properly
>> dispose of the e-mail.
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Zbrafish mailing list
>> Zbrafish from net.bio.net
>> http://www.bio.net/biomail/listinfo/zbrafish
>
>
> -- 
> Superintendent, Aquaculture Engineering Division
> Marine Resources Center, Marine Biological Laboratory
> 7 MBL Street
> Woods Hole, MA 02543-1015
> phone: (508) 289-7683
> fax: (508) 289-7900
> email: bmebane from mbl.edu
> http://www.mbl.edu  (MBL main website)
> http://www.mbl.edu/haiti (Sustainable Aquaculture Project website)

_______________________________________________
Zbrafish mailing list
Zbrafish from net.bio.net
http://www.bio.net/biomail/listinfo/zbrafish