How to Ship Leather/Soft Corals

How to Ship Leather/Soft Corals
Mushrooms, Toadstools, Kenya Tree, Xenia and Ricordea's Etc.

There is a cheap inexpensive way to ship these corals that just about anybody can do with products that are easily obtainable. Everybody has a Wal-mart or something similar, even staples or other office supply stores carry these things too.

Items Needed:
1. A box, preferably a box big enough to have 4inches of space all the away around the contents.
2. Shipping peanuts, those little Styrofoam things that are shaped like peanuts that you can never seem to get rid of after you accidentally spill. Or a Styrofoam cooler box works well too but more expensive.
3. Bubble wrap.
4. Plastic bags, You can usually ask your local fish store if you can have a couple and they will give them to you.
5. Aluminum foil, its not always needed but it does help in the winter time to retain heat.
6. Hot or Cold packs. Get the ones that are good for at least 40hrs(they usually last longer then that.

Here is how I do it.

I wait until the last possible minute to remove the corals from the tank/s. I first take the box and put a 3 inch layer of Styrofoam peanuts in the bottom of the box. Then place the corals in their bag. I usually put about 2 cups of water in the bag, or more then enough to cover the corals. (note: one frag/coral per bag) After I tie the bag up, I wrap it 2-3 layers of bubble wrap. Then I wrap it in Aluminum foil.

Place the corals that you just wrapped up in the box, center it as best as you can. Then fill in the sides around it with Styrofoam place the heat/cold pack on top of the wrapped corals(note: you do not need heat/cold pack as long as the temperature stays between 50-80 degrees F. Above or below needs the correct pack. Then fill the box the rest of the way up with Styrofoam and tape the box up and your done!

Note: it is always best to ship them over night especially when the weather is above or below 50-80 degrees F. You can ship them 2 day and they should be just fine as long as the temperature is optimal.