Will Airport Security X-ray harm fish

[halibutk]

Planning on buying fish on my next business trip and want to carry them on (of course)

What things will i want to do for a short 2 hrs flight home with the fish.

I.e ask for search of box with fish bags in it instead of x-ray or dont even bother as the x-rays wont harm the fish.

Thanks

[mhurley]

Well, I've bought a box full of corals home that went through an xray and they were fine. I think the fish would be ok.

However, someone posted this question recently and there was a comment that certain airlines were no longer allowing live fish/corals to be carried on. Somehow considered a security risk. Might want to check with your airline first.

Mike

[robwsup]

Your fish will be fine. The ionizing radiation dose that they receive will be negligible.

[acroporas]

I was harassed, and told by delta not to try to bring fish on their planes again. They let me through but werent happy about it. And this was in '99.

[halibutk]

What the point. Are airlines afraid im going to release pirhanna in the air and they may attack the flight attendants. I see people carry on cats and birds, even seen a tarantula once. Had a guy with a black lab sitting next to me and it was laying on my feet (mind you he was blind and the dog extremely well behaved).

Whats wrong with fish and corals.

I sometimes think airlines are so assinine its ridiculous.

[wingd]

I carry small ice chests with coral in plastic bags. I just tell them I am associated with a university and these are for the universities specimen collection.

[JBarnes]

I go on business to Tampa from time to time and was just there two months ago. I always visit Marine Warehouse (more saltwater fish under one roof then we have in the entire state of Colorado). The airlines will no longer allow you to check fish boxes but I have never been stopped when doing carry on. I carry two 24" x 12" x 12" bags with a plastic bin in them for support. I've never had anyone open the bags. Send them through the xray and catch your flight, no harm to the fish.

[Snail Guy]

Hi all,

I am indeed one of the many airport security screeners within TSA...go figure! Hey, the x-ray machine WILL harm your fish and corals...for that matter, anything that is alive. For those of you who subjected them to x-ray, I can only say it is not recommended and detrimental to the animals health.

When you get to the checkpoint, just kindly ask for the container with the fish to be hand-inspected.

Airport screeners are about airport security and are not customs officials. But please be sure you are not violating any laws or transporting a potentially dangerous animal. We do have to report such things to our supervisor. With live animals or plants, you may have to deal with customs too. And just because airport security allowed it through does not mean customs will. Finally, airlines do indeed have the right to refuse certain items on board. I sincerely hope they use good judgement.

As for the container, the easier it is to inspect, the quicker you can get through the checkpoint.

Cheers,
Bob

[ReeferMac]

Hey Bob, thanks for that input! I've got relatives in Florida (and live up in the NE), so am interested in this thread. Halibut, given your location... I take it you're flying into the NW US somewhere's and then back home? Assuming it's a US Carrier and all, you shouldn't run into custom's problems. Maybe flash a business card and ask them to carefully hand-inspect your fish packages? This may sound funny, but I've found that by being outoing and overly friendly ("GOOD morning to you sir/ma'am, how are you doing today?") goes a loooong ways in making experiences like airport inspections a lot easier. To wit - coming home from Germany a couple years ago my wife and I had received some china as a wedding gift. Brought it home as carry-on, and wouldn't you know it, both flights, we got selected for "random" inspections. I was very polite, helpful, and courteous to the women (who were impressed w/ our new china ;) ), and they only briefly inspected the packages, and took great care in helping me get them back together. Had I been a miserable dick to them (as the previous traveller was), I've no doubt there would have been an issue w/ my China boxes not fitting into the overhead compartment (because they didn't).
You know the saying, catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

- Mac

[OrionN]

The problem with airline and fish is that very often people have their bag leak and have smelling water spill on the plane and other customers (dripped down to other customer)
If it is well pack, small so you can keep them with you, you should have no problem. I have carry fish, clams, and small corals without problem. One time I did have problem and not able to carry them was when I have a larger box with three clams, lot of water in a box too large to keep at my feet. Southwest Airline would not let me put them on the plane. My brother have to bring them back to Jeff's Exotic fish to have them repack and ship them to me the next day.
These only involve travel in the US only. Once you travel across a border, a whole new set of rules apply. One cannot bring corals across border without extensive documentation.

[OrionN]

Originally posted by Snail Guy
Hi all,

I am indeed one of the many airport security screeners within TSA...go figure! Hey, the x-ray machine WILL harm your fish and corals...for that matter, anything that is alive. For those of you who subjected them to x-ray, I can only say it is not recommended and detrimental to the animals health.

......
Cheers,
Bob
large Xray is harmful to living things. The amount of damage is dose related. The amount of Xray used will not cause significant problem to the animal. It is similar to the dose we use in many medical procedures. Certainly, it is related to the duration of exposure, and the intensity (there is a switch where the person who do the looking can change to increase the intensity to see through some of the "denser" objects. Even if the fish was keep under the beam of a minute or two, there will not be any harm.