Online livestock purchases?

[d3rryc]

Hey, all! I'm curious as to who has been brave enough to try ordering livestock online and what the experience was like. What's the story?

[erikharrison]

www.liveaquaria.com (http://www.liveaquaria.com) I had 0 problems. Fish will come in stressed, you have to remember they are handled by a shipping company.... Make sure to drip acclimate and not use the water they came in. Quarantine is best practice.

[lhoy]

www.liveaquaria.com does a fabulous job, highly recommend. Only other mail order of fish is from a place no longer in business but it was good.

Lee

[RayAllen]

Agree with the others choice. Make sure to check out the divers den section on the site.

[txstateunivreefer]

i have also used marinedepotlive with good results. i used them when i started in the hobby and some of the fish are still alive 2yrs later.

[princer7]

I've ordered my picasso clowns from saltwaterfish.com with great results. The fish were packed better than I expected and arrived FedEx overnight. Other fish have been freshwater and have come USPS or air freight - no losses.

[alton]

Okay here comes Mr. Grumpy when it comes to online orders. I use Ed at Wolf Reef for my custom orders, works almost every time when he goes to California. Tell him what you want, what size, and what price range. Do you think the online stores will go through that much trouble? And did I mention he is cheaper than online. Example (Although I did not order it, but he picked up a Chevron Tang, online line the cheapest is $125 plus boxing and shipping $170. Ed wants $129. The problem I have had with online ordering is not with the online stores but the fact that the shipping companies UPS and Fedex have no concern that the package marked Live Fish means not a thing to them. UPS lost a Red Sea Imperator and it showed up 4 days later(Died shorly after delivery). And Fedex lost a Chrysurus Angel. I had to go down to the main office on a Saturday Morning and argue because they told me that it would be delivered on Monday and that was five days after it was shipped from Dallas! I finally got the manager told him that if they delivered it on Monday it would be dead! After an hour they found it and surprisingly it survived. Sorry I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, had to vent?

[Jynxgirl]

Marinedepotlive.com - had great results. Were shipped very well. Great customer service.

And of course livestock from reeftopia.com Usually I have great results, last time there were a few glitches but I have ordered from them 5 or 6 times before with no problems.

Some of the online places have guarantees on their fish. If I am going to drop 50$ on one fish, that guarantee is mighty nice!

I have my LFS special order fish as well. I can tell them what I am looking for and the pricing, and they can tell me if they can get what I am looking for. Its good to build up a relationship with a fish store so they will do this for you.

Jill

[lhoy]

Yea, the difference Alton points out between the shipping companies and online vendors is a big one. No matter how well an online vendor packs, prepares and cares for the livestock a shipping company just sees it as a box. I ordered (2) two harelquin serpent stars and the Fedex driver just knocked, left them on the porch (I was home expecting the delivery). Now mind you the top of the box says "Live animals, keep warm" and as you all know it is a bit chilly outside!!

Lee

[erikharrison]

Right now, you need to be available to receive the packages as they come in. the same goes for summer. Do not take the risk of having a frozen or cooked fish/coral. Yet another reason to go through a sponsor of MAAST.