Korean Job Discussion Forums

bijjy · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Location: Daegu

Not long ago I made a thread on 'shipping a dog to Korea' because I thought I'd be staying here.

Turns out I'll be heading home in 3 months. Now I want to know if I can take my pet goldfish back to Canada on the plane with me.

Can fish survive the pressure changes, and will customs give me any hassle for bringing my pet fish with me?

Maeuntang's really small, cute and energetic. He loves to play chase, nip my finger, and act cheeky. He also cost 50 cents at e-mart.

Lemonade · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: South Korea

Yes, fish can handle the plane ride home. Koi are shipped all over the world as well as many other types of fish. How do you think a lot of delicate salt water fish make it the pet stores in the mid states? You don't have to tell customs anything. Just put the bag in a good plastic jar that's stuffed in your carry-on bag and no one will care. Gold fish are hardy little creatures.

bijjy · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Location: Daegu

Yeah I learned about the breeders sending fish on the plane en masse. I thought perhaps they might have ways to adjust and monitor temperature, pressure, oxygen, etc. as well as have special compartments to carry the fish in, so they don't get bumped against a hard surface.

Basically, I wanna know what I can do to ensure he'll be alive when I land, and not bruised or exploded.

Very Happy

identity · Joined: 22 Apr 2006

get that little "what about bob" container, watch the movie, and go ahead and make a total ass out of yourself while getting on the plane. how many chances are you gonna get?

capebretoncanadian · Joined: 20 Feb 2005

Shipping a goldfish home? Haha....ridiculous. what's their life expectancy?.....six months?

Cheonmunka · Joined: 04 Jun 2004

" ensure he'll be alive when I land, and not bruised or exploded."

I also worry about the same thing for me when I get on a plane. Will I explode?

Sorry. Just havin fun.

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

I'd be worried about the air supply on on a trans-pacific journey.
I think you'll have to bring the fish in something you can easily open and reseal to replenish the air supply at regular intervals.
Nothing elaborate- a strong bag, a strong elastic, and a good straw should be enough.
But in the end you can expect it to get seized by customs.
In the age of Zebra Mussels and Northern Snakeheads, they're not going to take chances.

If you really like Maeuntang, give him to a friend or a student.

Tarheel13 · Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Location: North Carolina

Sounds to me that you may want to take your teddy bear instead.

Cheonmunka · Joined: 04 Jun 2004

BOYCOTT WHAT THE BOOK

I'm interested in why or what happened that there is this above. mmm
Pray tell.

pet lover · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Location: not in Seoul

When I moved from the mainland down to Jeju do, I took my two fighting fish with me....on the airplane. Each was in his own 2 liter water bottle. I brought them in the cabin. Everyone at the airport thought I was nuts, naturally. And a lot of them seemed to think that the water was actually some kind of liquid bomb. They kept insisting on opening the bottles, smelling them....they poured some water out and look at it. They even put the bottles in some kind of machine (they kept assuring me that they weren't going to kill the fish). When I moved back up to the mainland a year later, I gave them away to a student who'd been coveted them the entire year. It was just easier on both me and the fish.

That was just a domestic flight. I can't imagine what they'd put you (and the fish) through on an international flight). It's wonderful that you want to take him, but you might want to check with the airline and with quarantine in both Korea and your final destination to be sure that the fish won't be taken away and destroyed.

hojucandy · Joined: 03 Feb 2003 Location: In a better place

i suggest yu get in touch with canada's quarantine services and ask them directly.

take a look here -

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/aquaculture/ornamental_e.htm

also of interest -

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/publications/canada/canadae.shtml

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/import/petse.shtml

there are biosecurity issues with import of fish. don;t try to smuggle it. yu must declare it. penalties for failure to do so are severe.

i work in biosecurity.

there is another issue too. IATA may have a problem with yu actually carrying the fish in the cabin of the aircraft. fish survive 48 hours or more in an oxygen filled plastic bag packed in styrofoam.

frankly though - if yu are concerned about the welfare of the fish, find a home for it in korea.

poet13 · Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 4:52 pm Post subject:

you dont need to take the fish. the food on the plane isnt THAT bad.

Lemonade · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: South Korea

Lemonade · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: South Korea

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

I agree, DON'T listen to the only veterinarian on the board, the only one who actually has knowledge of the subject, and the only one who has posted links with pertinent information.

You're much better off trying getting an answer to your question by speaking with a KAL or AC receptionist in Seoul using a combination of broken English and Konglish.