| This material is from the 4th edition of The Zebrafish Book. The 5th edition is available in print and within the ZFIN Protocol Wiki. | |||
| Use two boxes nested inside each other to ship fish. The outside box is a cardboard box. The inside box is a thick styrofoam box with a styrofoam lid. The inside box is very important; this is what will protect the fish from rapid temperature changes. The inside styrofoam box fits the cardboard box perfectly, so it will not rattle around inside of the cardboard box. Note the shipping labels attached to the box. These are described below. The pictured box is available for purchase at: http://www.polyfoam.com |
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Ship adult fish in plastic bags at a density of approximately 5 fish per liter. Note that the double bag has remained tight, retaining its air pressure. This pressure is important because it helps insulate the fish. Also note that the bag does not have pointed corners that may trap fish when set on a hard surface. This is achieved by grasping the point of the bag's corner, and taping up against the wall of the bag. Do this for each of the bottom corners. |
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| Place the double bag containing the adult fish inside the styrofoam box. Fill any space around the bag with styrofoam peanuts. Important: do not use packing peanuts that break down in water. Fill any remaining space with packing peanuts to insulate the fish and also prevent excessive movement during shipment. |  |
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Place the styrofoam lid on the styrofoam box and seal with tape. This inside lid helps insulate the fish. It also serves to prevent water from leaking out of the box if the bag springs a leak. Close the cardboard box and tape shut with shipping tape. Apply tape to all of the seams of the box to help contain possible leaks. Attach the address label to the top of the box. For international shippments also attach customs papers. |
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1. Fill a 250 ml tissue culture flask with 150 ml of sterile (autoclaved) fish system water.
2. Add 50 ml of diluted methylene blue (dilution: 2ml of 0.1% methylene blue, to 1 liter of fish water). At this concentration, methylene blue inhibits growth of mold in the water.
3. Add 100 embryos per flask. Preferably send one day old fish. Flask should have air space and not be filled entirely with fluid. Close lid tightly.
It is very important to pack embryos for shipping in an insulated container. Zebrafish require warm temperatures for normal development, and these conditions need to be met during shipping as well.
| Use two boxes nested inside each other to ship fish. The outside box is a cardboard box. The inside box is a thick styrofoam box with a styrofoam lid. The inside box is very important; this is what will protect the fish from rapid temperature changes. The inside styrofoam box fits the cardboard box perfectly, so it will not rattle around inside of the cardboard box. Note the shipping labels attached to the box. These are described below. The pictured box is available for purchase at: http://www.polyfoam.com |  |
| Fill the box half full with styrofoam packing peanuts. Important: do not use packaging peanuts that breakdown in water. Place the tissue culture flask containing the embryos inside the styrofoam box (ensure that the lid is firmly on and that no water leakage occurs). Push the tissue culture flask into the packaging peanuts. |  |
| Fill
the box completely with packaging peanuts, covering
the flask completely. Fill up all space so that
the flask will not move during shipping.
Place the styrofoam lid on the styrofoam box and seal with tape. This inside lid helps insulate the fish. It also serves to prevent water from leaking out of the box if the bag springs a leak. |
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Close the cardboard box and tape shut with shipping tape. Apply tape to all of the seams of the box to help contain possible leaks. Attach the address label to the top of the box. For international shippments also attach customs papers.
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Labels are taped onto the outside of the box containing the fish. This is to help ensure that they receive proper handling during their journey. We hope that this extra information will help avoid problems with fish being left in freezing conditions and being subjected to harmful security measures.
We have two standard labels that we have used successfully at the University of Oregon.
The first contains the following information:
LIVE FISH
HANDLE WITH CARE
KEEP WARM
The second label contains the following information:
DO NOT X-RAY
BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES
NON-TOXIC
NON-HAZARDOUS
NO COMMERCIAL VALUE
Papers for customs officials are necessary for international shipments. The following papers are suggestions for the kinds of information that must be attached to the outside of your box for customs. They are only generic papers. If you know of more specific papers that must be filled out for your country and destination, please do so, and attach them with your shipping labels.
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Commercial Invoice
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Date of Exportation
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Export References |
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Shipper/Exporter (complete name and address)
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Consignee (Complete name and address)
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Country of Export
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International Air Waybill Number |
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Country of Ultimate Destination |
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No. of Packages |
Full Description of Goods |
Weight |
Total Value |
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1
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Zebrafish eggs for
research purposes.
NO VET CLEARANCE REQUIRED. |
$2.00 US |
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Totals |
These commodities are licensed for the ultimate destination shown.
I declare all the information in this invoice to be true and correct.
______________________________________
Signature of Shipper/Exporter
Date
____________________________________________
Typed name and title
To be printed on departmental letterhead
Zebrafish Facility
Date:
TO CUSTOMS OFFICIALS
This box contains live tropical fish and biological sample material. These fish (Danio rerio) have no commercial value and are intended for scientific research purposes only. PLEASE DO NOT X-RAY. They are a gift from _______________to_______________.
I certify that this is true and correct.
__________________________________________
Signed Name
__________________________________________
Printed Name
Address:
Phone number:
To be printed on departmental letterhead
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Zebrafish Facility CUSTOMS INVOICE |
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DATE OF EXPORT:
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SHIPPER INFORMATION Name: Address:
Phone Number:
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RECIPIENT INFORMATION Name: Address:
Phone Number:
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CONTENTS:
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Live tropical fish (Danio rerio) |
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REASON FOR SENDING: |
The fish are intended for scientific research and are a gift from _________________________________ to _____________________________________. |
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DECLARED VALUE:
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$2.00 USD |
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
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TOTAL WEIGHT:
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5 lbs |
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These commodities are licensed for the ultimate destination shown. I, ___________________________, the undersigned, do certify that this statement is both true and correct.
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Signature and printed name |
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To be printed on departmental letterhead
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International Federal Express Information
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Name of Sender:
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Phone of Sender:
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Name of Addressee:
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Address of Addressee:
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Phone of Addressee:
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Charge Account Number:
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Description of Contents: |
Non-hazardous biological specimens for research purposes only. (live tropical fish (Danio rerio). |
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Declared value:
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No commercial value |