corals on a plane?

[tunicata]

Hey Folks,
I'm going to be in Oakland next weekend for a work event.

Q: Can I take corals on a plane? I'm going from NY to Oakland, California.
I can't remember the carrier right now.

I can get a little cooler type lunch box. I guess i would buy it/get dropped off the night before/morning of my flight. It would be in the cooler less time that it would on overnight shipping.

I figure it would be neat to see if there was a local club or seller there. I have heard that Cali reefers may have a different diversity of corals and it'd be nice to buy a piece or two of something that is hard to get here because it's not popular or whateevr it is that generates the coral landscape.


This is all tentative. I wouldnt have a car so i'm limited on travel. I just wanted to see if this could work out anyway.

thanks

 

[Nottick]

I've done it from Florida several times. Can't be in carry on though. Pack the bag with enough room to expand from pressure differences.

 

[tunicata]

so I'd have to check the bag???
I was hoping to hold it as a personal bag on the plane on my lap.

 

[Nottick]

Yep. They have regulations on how much liquid you can carry on a plane

 

[arnaldolex]

ive done it from florida you have to check it in as luggage i brought a big box with 13 diff corals just paid extra luggage fee there were no problems at all just use aslittle bit of water possible

 

[Cu455]

I would use a Tupperware container and put it in your checked luggage. Something with a twist cap will be better such as a nalgene bottle.

 

[tunicata]

hm...ok. We'll see if there is someone to 1) buy a few frags from 2)willing to deliver to my hotel or the airport

I am imagining tiny frags after a 1-2" has been poorly treated. lol. I don't even trust my suit bag to fair well!

 

[shauns220]

no big amounts of water allowed in the plane
U must put thru baggage
Buy a small cooler and box the cooler or bring a styro box and box it

 

[oh207]

I brought back corals from Florida last week. You need to check it in. I used a Styrofoam box (from walmart) and wrap it with tape and then put it in a cardboard box.

 

[tttony]

That's good to know , so is there a tempature difference when checking luggage ? I did not think that part of the plane is heated

 

[homegrowncichlid]

I carry the coral dry as carry on. Read this article I've linked. I've tried it on montipora frags for 2 days and they were fine. Basicly, wrap the coral in a few layers of wet paper towel to prevent it come coming into contact with the plastic bag. The tissue can breath just like it was under water, however it can't breath though plastic, which causes the tissue to rot and the die out to spread.


The author states that shallow reefs become exposed to air twice a day during low tide at 100% humidity and they form a protective slime layer which the tissue can breath though. The paper towel is helping this slime layer while inside the bag.
Some species (slimers) to this better than others (I'm assuming deep water species). It the coral dries out it will die, so leaving it wrap up at less than 100% humidity will not work.


I haven't tried anything larger than a 2" frag personally.


http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/eb/index.php