Importing tropical fish

Rainmaker · 23 Jul 2009 at 11:05

Hi guys,

Long story short, I keep tropical fish - but only Bettas (B. splendens), mostly plakats. I've been looking at importing some direct from Vietnam and Thailand, and have found that:

Fish are cheap
Shipping is cheap
Import license from CEFAS is free (because I'm not a shop/business)

That's where it gets 'interesting' though, because apparently to clear the BIP (Border Inspection Post) you need to employ an 'agent' at the airport who will enter the package onto the government system for you. This costs, according to quotes, about £400 for £30 worth of fish :eek:

Effectively, if one didn't need to have an 'agent' to enter the arrival for you at the airport, I could have the fish shipped to me for about £30 instead of £430. This seems ludicrous for tapping a few details into a computer and stamping a form!

I was told that free movement of fish in the EU means I'd only require a shipping note instead of an import license to bring them in from another EU country, and can then have them posted direct to my door. Is this right?

There's no UK transhipper that I know of any more, or I'd use them in a heartbeat. With this in mind, I could perhaps use a German transhipper (German import laws are apparently much more lax than ours) to receive the fish from Asia, and forward the "EU based" fish to me at minimal hassle?

Does anyone have any experience, or practical ideas? Most Thai suppliers are offering to ship direct to my door by EMS, but I gather this means normal post and the risk of a HUGE fine and prison if caught by DEFRA? lol

I know it's a long shot but I know there are several fish people here, so I thought I'd give it a go and ask anyway. All thoughts/ideas gratefully received.

Cheers.

RealDeal · 23 Jul 2009 at 11:14

Is it dangerous for the fish though?
Think you risk many of the fish dying during transit mate. Dont you watch any of them customs prgrammes lol

Rainmaker · 23 Jul 2009 at 11:27

RealDeal said:
Is it dangerous for the fish though?
Think you risk many of the fish dying during transit mate. Dont you watch any of them customs prgrammes lol

Na Bettas have labyrinth organs and can breathe fresh air, so the mortality rate in transit is virtually zero. They get shipped well packed in bags with just enough water to cover them, and plenty of air, and they're fine.

I've just this minute finished on the phone to a shipping agent who said they'll do it for £150 all in (including government taxes and fees etc) so that's not too bad! Just gotta find a friend or three to split a shipment with me and it'd definitely be viable...

RealDeal · 23 Jul 2009 at 11:30

In that case, it all sounds very good news.
Good bit of business.

(Y)

Doctor_Zhivago · 23 Jul 2009 at 11:38

Rainmaker said:
Na Bettas have labyrinth organs and can breathe fresh air, so the mortality rate in transit is virtually zero. They get shipped well packed in bags with just enough water to cover them, and plenty of air, and they're fine.

And how will the water be kept at 24c huh?

Then they will be suffering from ammonia poisoning being kept in such a small bag of water for so long.

But as long you can save a few bob...

Rainmaker · 23 Jul 2009 at 11:40

Doctor_Zhivago said:
And how will the water be kept at 24c huh?

Heatpack, the same way all the other Bettas get shipped from these places

Doctor_Zhivago · 23 Jul 2009 at 11:52

You can get them for £2.50 each in Britain

http://www.tropicalfish4u.co.uk/Fish/Freshwater/BettasSiameseFightingFish/BlueBettaMale

http://www.tropicalfish4u.co.uk/Fish/Freshwater/BettasSiameseFightingFish/RedBettaMale

http://www.tropicalfish4u.co.uk/Fish/Freshwater/BettasSiameseFightingFish/FemaleSiameseFighter

and coverd for any dead ones

SiHH · 23 Jul 2009 at 12:18

The fish will die.

Dont do it...

Jamesdavid3 · 23 Jul 2009 at 12:31

yeah the fish will die without a dout, my friend had the same idea as you but ill tell you how he brought them over here from thailand....

He couldnt get them shipped over here for whatever reason, not sure if it cost too much or he wasnt allowed to bring them back. So he poured them into his mouth(it was between 1-4 i think) and kept them in there for the whole flight.

Helium_Junkie · 23 Jul 2009 at 12:45

Doctor_Zhivago said:
And how will the water be kept at 24c huh?
Then they will be suffering from ammonia poisoning being kept in such a small bag of water for so long.
But as long you can save a few bob...

They wont suffer ammonia poisoning in that space of time, they wont run out of air, and they wont be shipped in a freezer, the temperature will be fine.

SiHH said:
The fish will die.
Dont do it...

See above.

Jamesdavid3 said:
yeah the fish will die without a dout.

><

Having done this before, and known someone who imports en masse and has never had a DOA, I must hereby assume you have no clue, or you've been doing it wrong. In which case you really shouldnt be doing it

Adsta · 23 Jul 2009 at 12:52

Jamesdavid3 said:
He couldnt get them shipped over here for whatever reason, not sure if it cost too much or he wasnt allowed to bring them back. So he poured them into his mouth(it was between 1-4 i think) and kept them in there for the whole flight.

OMG

Jamesdavid3 · 23 Jul 2009 at 12:53

aparently its possible for those sea birds which massive beaks(the ones from finding Nemo) to store their mouths then fly them over.

LiE · 23 Jul 2009 at 12:55

Why are you importing them? I bought one last week for £4.99.

Rainmaker · 23 Jul 2009 at 14:18

msm722 said:
Why are you importing them? I bought one last week for £4.99.

The UK doesn't have every style, colour and type you know?

Strangely, I HAD checked my local fish shop before deciding to pay to import some!... Also LOL @ the comments above.

Rainmaker · 23 Jul 2009 at 14:35

Sorry, just seen your ninja edit which deserves its own reply.

Doctor_Zhivago said:
And how will the water be kept at 24c huh?

This part, I answered.

Then they will be suffering from ammonia poisoning being kept in such a small bag of water for so long.

As was said above, this won't happen inside 24 hours. Do you even keep fish?

But as long you can save a few bob...

LOL! First in my OP I state I already keep Bettas. Did this not give you a clue I might (1) know what I'm talking about and (2) already know what's available in the UK, where I clearly bought my existing collection? Don't ever take up accountancy if you think that, by paying to buy and fly fish to the UK and then pay, as per post #3, a further £150 in agent's fees, I can "save a few bob" on a fish you link to as costing £2.50. Logic fail.

Besides, how do you think those "farm bred" fish you linked to arrived in the UK?

LiE · 23 Jul 2009 at 14:41

There was atleast 20 different bettas where I got mine, all in their own little, small boxes.

Jamesdavid3 · 23 Jul 2009 at 14:43

Rainmaker said:
The UK doesn't have every style, colour and type you know? Strangely, I HAD checked my local fish shop before deciding to pay to import some!... Also LOL @ the comments above.

Well if your local doesnt have it dont just give up there... Just drive to any Fish shop it a 2 hour** Radius?

you will find what your looking for then surely...

Edit, i ment Hour

Rainmaker · 23 Jul 2009 at 14:55

Jamesdavid3 said:
Well if your local doesnt have it dont just give up there... Just drive to any Fish shop it a 2 mile Radius?

you will find what your looking for then surely...

Nope. Try a 30 mile radius! I've had offers to import them from one person, which would have worked out dearer than doing it myself anyway. Without having a go, this is a genuine question, but why do people assume that I've spent all this time researching imports without bothering to check a few LFS and the internet? LOL

vincent1989 · 23 Jul 2009 at 15:04

Rainmaker said:
Nope. Try a 30 mile radius! I've had offers to import them from one person, which would have worked out dearer than doing it myself anyway. Without having a go, this is a genuine question, but why do people assume that I've spent all this time researching imports without bothering to check a few LFS and the internet? LOL

some people haven't a clue but feel the need to post anyway. fyi though, although they are labyrinth fish they can only get some of their oxygen from the air, they still need a lot of it to be diffused in to the water but as you say, for 24 hours they should be fine.