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The company UPS that is mentioned by Helene still exists. For the purpose of sending fish within Europe across the borders it is a good partner. But there is another problem.
Horst Linke phoned me some days ago and asked me how the distribution service is running. I told him that now, in the European winter, it’s not very active but that we re-organized it during the last weeks. At least in Germany, more than 10 breeders with 9 species are involved now and will offer their offspring in 2012, but only two of them using post-parcel-distribution now during the winter period. We agreed that the risk of sharply decending temperatures is the biggest problem to overcome.
At that point of our telephone call he told me that he had heared rumours about a new plastic material that is able to keep the outside cold off to a very much better degree than styropor. He promised to enquire about the factoring company and the details (name, properties, availability) of that stuff.
I think, that would be a real progress, since a parcel sent by UPS in Europe may sometimes take three, four or even five days. In winter heating packs are a necessity since during the nights temperatures could go down sharply. But heating packs are not easy to be measured out. A better isolating package material than styropor would be of much greater use.
The best method would be for each breeder to have a special box manufactured from that ideal material including well fitting small plastic vessels for the fish which he uses for shipping the fish to the customer, and the customer sends it back including the empty vessels to the breeder. I think this would be a prerequesite for shipping licorice gouramis within Europe accross the borders. Customs is no longer a problem between most of the countries, but shipping time nevertheless can take several days resp. nights. During summer time we can be lucky with our styopor boxes already, but the other half of the year is risky if we are unable to make progress by the method of packing.
I don’t see other problems. Licorice are content with smallest vessels contaning a leaf, they are not swimming around but “sit” quietly below that leaf, there is no oxgen problem. But the problem of temperatures exists. They stand 16 degrees Celsius for a day, maybe two. But not for three or four days, and if temperatures fall below that border (no problem in winter in Europe; even within a Styropor box with thick walls: it need only some hours) then they will not stand it.That sounds interesting! But why don’t licorices have a problem with oxygen? Is there enough oxygen in the air inside the bag/bottle/whatever?
Licorice gouramis could have problems with oxygen, of course. But then they deliberately use their labyrinth; normally they don’t use it at all. Only bubble-nest building males use it for that purpose. So if shipped, a certain amount of air must be available above the water surface, but it can be small.
They need very little amounts of dissolved oxygen in their waters. Therefore single fish or pairs can be transported in rather small plastic vessels (300 – 500 ml) without problems for one or two days; if finding a shelter (a leaf) they nearly don’t move (that’s an important point compared with many other fish!). And if the oxygen runs short they use their labyrinth. Ideal fish for being shipped. But as I said: There is the problem of temperature. That must be solved.
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