In the ornamental fish business, the ability to meet customers' needs for high quality fish is always a critical factor. As most ornamental fish are destined for export, the fish must not only be pleasing to look at but also robust enough to withstand the long journey by air transportation. Since the 1950s when polyethylene bags were first used for live fish transport, the polyethylene-bag transport system has greatly reduced the shipping weight of ornamental fish consignments, and made it feasible to ship them for air freight. Nevertheless, the freight costs of fish consignments still represent the majority of the costs involved in the ornamental fish business, and for consignments such as those from Asia to the USA, it can even cost more than