Transporting corals

[GreatWyte]

Has anyone bought coral while out of state and brought them back with em on an airplane? I'm wondering what the protocol is.

I would rather just have em the carry on, but there are strick rules reguarding liquids. Must be less than 3 oz. each and all the 3oz. containers must fit into a 1 quart bag. Thats not even taking into account that they are live animals, there may be additional rules for that. I don't want to take the chance of having them in a carry on and security deciding they dont like it at screening. By then the other luggage is checked and the only option would be to throw them away to continue.

So, I guess pacing them in the checked luggage is the other option. I've never had coral shipped before. What do they put with it to keep it warm in the winter. I'm sure it will be cold in the baggage compartment.

[slandis3]

People use hand warmers to keep them warm. You could always take it to a UPS or FedEx place and have them shipped home for you. I think they have to be labeled marine plants to be able to ship them.

[Reefd Up]

We've done it before.

Only certain airliners will let you carry corals on.  But, call them, "marine plants".  No one understands how some plant looking things are actually animals...then you're stuck explaining how they're actually animals...and then the people get confused and won't let you do it.

Place triple-bagged corals in water into a rubbermaid cooler and keep the heat packs in their packaging.  Put the heat packs in at the last second because the security people will need to inspect.  That's when you tape up the cooler.  We write "Perishable" on there so people know to treat it a bit better. 

Will can give you better ideas.  It's a pain, but can be well worth it.

[Lost Floridian]

I've took corals on to planes twice, but its not easy. the  challange is the security, i had to call them "marine plants" and have them looked over by the TSA manager, then sealed back up.

i have to run.. but come to the meeting saturday and I'll tell you all about it

[GreatWyte]

Thx for the tips/info all.
I cant make it to the meeting Sat., i'll be out of town.
I actually did navigate thru American Airlines automated call menue, long enough to reach an option, to talk to a real live person! She told me that in the 25 years she worked there she had never been asked that question ...lol. Anyhow, carrying it on is pretty much out of the question. Putting them in your checked baggage is ok to the best of her knowledge. I have some small plastic specimen sample containers with screw on caps. I will put the frags in them. I plan on buying a cheap lunchbox style insulated cooler to put em in. How many hand warmers should be put in the "lunchbox"? Should the warmers be right up against the containers or spaced off them with bubble wrap or something?

[UDJustin]

One warmer should be enough usually u tape them to the top u don't want them to come in dirrect contact with the bags of coral it could burn them