Which shipping service should I use for my wild bettas?

Hi everyone! Long time no post. I am getting ready to start selling my F2 Betta dimidiata juveniles online (some of which will likely be listed on this site, coincidentally), and I am torn whether to use UPS or USPS to ship them when they start to sell. As far as I can tell from my relatively limited experiences getting fish in the mail, USPS is a great deal cheaper than UPS (which requires one day shipping in order to ship any live animals) but also seems less reliable. What are your thoughts, especially those of you who have shipped fish before? Thank you

 

I would never buy anything live and have it shipped USPS. I know some online sellers will not ship fish unless it's overnight UPS.

My personal experience is that USPS has gotten much less reliable in the last couple of years. If I had gone to the trouble of raising fry to sell, I wouldn't trust them to USPS. I also would ship them overnight, which will make an order of one fish quite expensive.

USPS shiped a recent package to the west coast ( I live on the east coast), held it for 5 days and then shipped it to me. They also got some plants to me a week late. Well, they weren't plants anymore when I got them.

UPS lost an overnight fish order, so they are not perfect either.

 

I would never buy anything live and have it shipped USPS. I know some online sellers will not ship fish unless it's overnight UPS.

My personal experience is that USPS has gotten much less reliable in the last couple of years. If I had gone to the trouble of raising fry to sell, I wouldn't trust them to USPS. I also would ship them overnight, which will make an order of one fish quite expensive.

USPS shiped a recent package to the west coast ( I live on the east coast), held it for 5 days and then shipped it to me. They also got some plants to me a week late. Well, they weren't plants anymore when I got them.

UPS lost an overnight fish order, so they are not perfect either.

OK! Those are the kinds of thoughts I am looking for. Thanks Sorry about your plants, by the way.

 

I have often shipped shrimp and plants with USPS, and fish once or twice, and wouldn't hesitate to do so again. The only time the package was delayed enough to hurt the contents was when I shipped plants in the middle of December. I won't ship in December again.

I typically ship on Monday or Tuesday afternoon, using Priority Mail, which gives me a tracking number. They say 3-day shipping, but at least half the time they arrive on the second day. I've shipped to California and had the package arrive just over 48 hours after I dropped it off at my local post office in southeast Texas.

 

I have often shipped shrimp and plants with USPS, and fish once or twice, and wouldn't hesitate to do so again. The only time the package was delayed enough to hurt the contents was when I shipped plants in the middle of December. I won't ship in December again.

I typically ship on Monday or Tuesday afternoon, using Priority Mail, which gives me a tracking number. They say 3-day shipping, but at least half the time they arrive on the second day. I've shipped to California and had the package arrive just over 48 hours after I dropped it off at my local post office in southeast Texas.

Does that mean you use the (more expensive) three day express shipping?

 

Speaking as someone who's only received but not shipped... USPS can work, but is highly variable depending on location. If there's any chance weather is an issue at either location (might be hot or cold) I would 100% do UPS next day service.

There are more delays with Priority these days than in pre-pandemic days. A lot of sellers offer both options (USPS, UPS). USPS is obviously cheaper, but most won't guarantee live arrival with USPS unless the tracking shows that it was delivered by the 3rd day.

I believe bettas ship fairly well, and would probably do well with USPS in a lot of cases. That said, we've even had freak weather in San Francisco where it was abnormally hot. It's a gamble I don't personally take anymore, especially when the cargo is hard to get. I've definitely had DOAs due to weather before.

Good luck. Any chance you'll document what you've learned from the shipping process?

 

Does that mean you use the (more expensive) three day express shipping?

I don't remember the specific term, but when they offer the three options it's the one in the middle. Most packages cost from $8.00 to $12.00 to ship, but I had one with two bags of shrimp a few weeks ago that cost just over $20.00.

 

I have had poor luck receiving ottos (I won't buy wild caught), so I stopped trying with those, but have had 100% success receiving cories via USPS Priority from private sellers. Inverts are easier and I have sent cherry shrimp from NH to states like TX and FL where they got 'trapped' in an apartment building post box, and not recovered until 6pm on a Friday night (5 days total). Happily, even those arrived all 100% alive. I think an insulated box is important, no matter what time of year. Like most, I tend to send on Mondays or Tuesdays and have had no lost, damaged, or long delayed packages from them. One box to Lawrence KS arrived overnight, yet another to nearby Providence RI took two days. And check out USPS cubic rate shipping (online vendors like PirateShip). A free 7x7x6 USPS Priority box to Texas, for example, cost $11.62. Just my .02. Good luck!

 

Speaking as someone who's only received but not shipped... USPS can work, but is highly variable depending on location. If there's any chance weather is an issue at either location (might be hot or cold) I would 100% do UPS next day service.

There are more delays with Priority these days than in pre-pandemic days. A lot of sellers offer both options (USPS, UPS). USPS is obviously cheaper, but most won't guarantee live arrival with USPS unless the tracking shows that it was delivered by the 3rd day.

I believe bettas ship fairly well, and would probably do well with USPS in a lot of cases. That said, we've even had freak weather in San Francisco where it was abnormally hot. It's a gamble I don't personally take anymore, especially when the cargo is hard to get. I've definitely had DOAs due to weather before.

Good luck. Any chance you'll document what you've learned from the shipping process?

Yeah, I experienced a minor usps delay a few weeks ago...a group of black paradise fish that was sent usps priority wound up spending 4 days in the mail. Happily, they all arrived alive and well and all seven of them are currently prowling my container pond outside. Offering both options may be the most sensible choice...and yes, I can document how the online selling bit goes when I start to sell the fish.

I don't remember the specific term, but when they offer the three options it's the one in the middle. Most packages cost from $8.00 to $12.00 to ship, but I had one with two bags of shrimp a few weeks ago that cost just over $20.00.

Ah. 2 day priority mail then...I was just looking on USPS this morning.

I have had poor luck receiving ottos (I won't buy wild caught), so I stopped trying with those, but have had 100% success receiving cories via USPS Priority from private sellers. Inverts are easier and I have sent cherry shrimp from NH to states like TX and FL where they got 'trapped' in an apartment building post box, and not recovered until 6pm on a Friday night (5 days total). Happily, even those arrived all 100% alive. I think an insulated box is important, no matter what time of year. Like most, I tend to send on Mondays or Tuesdays and have had no lost, damaged, or long delayed packages from them. One box to Lawrence KS arrived overnight, yet another to nearby Providence RI took two days. And check out USPS cubic rate shipping (online vendors like PirateShip). A free 7x7x6 USPS Priority box to Texas, for example, cost $11.62. Just my .02. Good luck!

Ottos tend to be rather sensitive anyway, so if I ever decide to breed them I would definitely use UPS. I have already created a 'sample' box for shipping the first batch of bettas, and among its features is a 3/4 inch 'box' of styrofoam inside the shipping box. Should I use a heat or ice pack at this time of year, coincidentally?

 

Should I use a heat or ice pack at this time of year, coincidentally?

I think you need to be up on the weather forecast for the route and add a pack when necessary.

 

I investigated that with my local PO, and they indicated that the only time a package might not be in a temperature controlled environment was possibly on delivery day (depending on the driver's habits), and heat/cool packs are often exhausted by the 2nd or 3rd day. Bettas sit in those sad tiny cups at Petco (up near the cash register at mine where the drafty doors repeatedly open and close), and what is the temperature of those stores? I assume it fluctuates from 70 to 80 or more. I do exactly what you say, I line each box with a 1/2" Styrofoam 'box' inside the box. I think rapid temperature changes are the most stressful and the insulation slows that considerably. I hope that people who want some bettas, buy yours and avoid the big box stores.

 

Yeah, I experienced a minor usps delay a few weeks ago...a group of black paradise fish that was sent usps priority wound up spending 4 days in the mail. Happily, they all arrived alive and well and all seven of them are currently prowling my container pond outside. Offering both options may be the most sensible choice...and yes, I can document how the online selling bit goes when I start to sell the fish.

Ah. 2 day priority mail then...I was just looking on USPS this morning.

Ottos tend to be rather sensitive anyway, so if I ever decide to breed them I would definitely use UPS. I have already created a 'sample' box for shipping the first batch of bettas, and among its features is a 3/4 inch 'box' of styrofoam inside the shipping box. Should I use a heat or ice pack at this time of year, coincidentally?

Heat or ice as needed. Pay attention to weather at your end as well as the weather on the customers end. My supplier suspends shipping at times due to expected weather extreames.