Aust Quarantine & Inspection Service - NON HERP Question

[kerry]

Hi,
I have bought some fish food from the US as it is heaps cheaper than buying it here, and I have just received a letter from the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service advising me that they will not allow the fish food to be brought into Australia. I have the option to pay a fee (4 times the value of the fish food) and have them returned to the sender or they will be destroyed.
- Has anyone else had this problem? (and any ideas as to whether it can be fixed?)
- Any ideas as to where I can get cheap fish food from for my Oscars?
Thanks,
Kerry

 

[peterescue]

RE: Aust Quarantine & Inspection Service - NON HERP Ques

Have it tested and approved for importation is about it really.

 

[kerry]

They dont give me that as an option???

 

[dobermanmick]

I used to catch mosquito fish for my ciclids although they may be a bit small for an oscar

 

[Mr.K]

yep, my sis just got a letter from them about a bongo drum that they won't allow in cos it has camel hair on it. The drum costs $95, they want $117 to destroy it or $380 to get it cleaned/Hair removed!! my sis cant afford either and she cant get any of her other belongings back until she pays as the bongo is packed in with the rest of her gear - nothing to do with your prob, but thought i would have my whinge anyway. Its all a bit stiff if ya ask me.

 

[instar]

Kerry you could breed goldfish (feed fry) there not too hard and pretty prolific under the right conditions. perhaps livebearers like swordtails, mollys, guppys etc, they pretty breed themselves too, you just need to revove fry or they get eaten. How many Oscars and how big are you feeding to require bulk food? they are mainly live food eaters but will eat cichlid pellets. maybe you could get a bulk deal on frozen bloodworm, not sure how to breed those though. cheap way to feed fish in summer months is use a mozzie zapper with a bag beneath, gets heaps of moths, just tip them in, can bwe messy but fish that will eat from surface and turtles love em!

 

[mblissett]

I used to feed my oscars frozen peas every day (they loved them) with out the skin of course and also some kangaroo mince 3 times a week and a pinky mouse once a week..... They grew very fast, had the brightest colour, very very healthy fish and I never had any problems what so ever

 

[dobermanmick]

Thats a new one to me thanks mate !

 

[Magpie]

Go down the local creek / lake and catch a heap of gambusia. Put the in a bucket of tap water for 24 hours then feed your oscars the live ones.

 

[dobermanmick]

Thats the mosquito fish isnt it magpie ?

 

[Magpie]

Yup, we used to catch up to 5000 in an hour or so. Plenty for an oscar for a day or two
I'm hoping to get some malawi eye biters again soon and then i'll be back into it.

 

[dobermanmick]

Yeah there the ones we used to catch for our ciclids they loved them !

 

[herptrader]

Companies like the Herp Shop have to jump through hoops so that they can import products like the Rep-Cal range. Even once they have the required permits, and they have been importing it for years there are often hold ups because a question has been raised about this or that ingredient.

Some things are easier to import than others. Anything that contains plant or animal products or is destined to be consumed by the same will likely require significant paper work and red tape.