Transporting corals on a plane.

Harth23

New member
So I am from Wisconsin but happen to be in Orlando on a business trip. I stopped at a local store and they have a small frag and some dragons breathe macro that I just can't get back home!!! Can I transport them in my checked bags? And has anyone ever done this before. Please help.
 
Lol idk, it may fall under the "liquids" catagory.

Keeping temp is a whole other ordeal. The heat pads may set off a bunch of bells and whistles. Air traffic security is no joke.

You should ask if they can ship for an additional charge, or maybe even buy the shipping supplies yourself, and have them ship it. Maybe you could woo them by signing a release form or something too.

Millions of options outside of getting on a plane with it.
 
Honestly, since it's so hard to get, I would go the expensive route before I went the risky route. If the first isn't an option, meh, why not risk it.
 
If you haven't landed yourself on airport prison yet lol, you should note that live aquaria has a huge facility in Wisconsin. You could probably get corals and fished delivered at your door the day after your purchase.

I live in minnesota, and when I order from BRS, I get my orders the day after purchase.

Just food for thought.

Maybe you could send liveaquaria a request or wait until they offer it.
 
I have bought Zoas and packed them in my luggage, checked the bags and they survived. This was about 8 years ago when I wasn't very educated. I didn't do anything special with the Zoas, I had them in small styro cooler with no heater pad. Zoas were in the cooler for about 10 hours total and survived wonderfully.

If I were to do it again (going back Monday March 7.... Will likely end up bringing something home for Orlando) I would use heating pads, other than that, I would take the risk. This time won't be Zoas, probably will be SPS, I'll let you know how that goes.
 
The last thing you should do is accept legal advice on the Internet. That said, if you are curious about researching interstate transport of plants and animals, the Lacey Act is a good place to start. It's like a RICO charge from the gangster movies, transporting protected species across state lines escalates the charge to a federal one. Plus you have the whole TSA drama with liquids. Additionally, Wisconsin may have rules about what you can bring in. Like, you can't bring caulerpa algae into some states because people flushed it down the toilet and it went cray as an invasive species.

So you have 3 questions: what can go on a plane? what can leave FL? and what can come into WI?

If you can afford it, the easiest thing is to probs buy the specimens and declare them at the airport. If they want to take it, or trash it, so be it. Trying to sneak anything onto an airplane is asking for a world of hurt.
 
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