Opinions about shipping

[cfd3lsd]

Please give me your advice on my dilemma. I am moving from Monterey, CA to Jacksonville, Fl in December and I trying to decide on selling or shipping my aquarium inhabitants. I have a friend in Jax that can hold them for me until I have a tank ready.
Included:
1. Frog Spawn (show piece) 25+ heads bigger than a volleyball _ extracted and softball sized retracted.
2. 6-8 inches of green star polyps on 5 lb live rock
3. Colony of Zooanthids (4-5 inches)
4. Purple Mushroom rock (4-5 inches)
5. 2 scarlet cleaner shrimp
6. 1 peppermint shrimp
7. 1 Tomato Clown
8. 1 Purple dottyback

Should I take the chance in shipping these animals or should I try to sell them? I have some bags and a Styrofoam chest from the lfs. Of course, I was planning on overnight shipping. What I want to ensure is the best treatment for the animals. I know their is no guarantee with shipping but their is also no guarantee that they will live if I take them to lfs or sell them to anybody.

[mfinn]

You could try it, if you are really attached to these pieces and fish.
With out previous practice doing this, you are taking a big chance.
Usually corals will survive overnight shipping without pure oxygen being added to the bags, but fish really need it.
Also it's really tough to determin how to pack them. For a cold trip, which would be this side of the country to the other side, which is really hot right now.
I'd try and sell them where you are and buy new stuff when you get there.
Unless, you could find a lfs that has experince doing this and is willing.

[kelly630]

I'm going to suggest the opposite end of the spectrum....try shipping them...you have no guarantee that they'll make it to you safely. On the other hand, if you sell them, you have no idea that they'll have a good life.

Go ahead and try the shipping...if they survive that, at least they'll be under your care again.

[zemuron114]

frogspawns are bad shippers.. it is very very unlikely the whole piece will survive. Can you frag it and maybe sell some and then ship the rest?
shrimp are delicate shippers as well especially with temp fluctuations.

everything else will ship fine. dottybacks are nearly indestructable. How big is the tomato clown?

if you can ship them airport to airport. It will be cheaper and more reliable.

what size bags do you have?