fish by mail?? Help, don't have a choice

[shell]

I'm not sure what to do about this. Everything I have read on the post says do not buy livestock by mail. However, we do not have a lfs that sales salt fish, even though I live on the ocean.

Are there any that are ok to use? I live in the southeast. Our tank will be set up this week, so I still have a few months before I am ready to buy.

Thanks for any input.

shell

 

[Anonymous]

> Everything I have read on the post says do not buy livestock by mail.

Where did you read? I and many theirs had purchase both freshwater and saltwater by mail, and with no problem. The important thing is to get good, reputable seller that do a good job. When problem occured, and sometimes it does, many of them will resolve it to your satisfaction.

I have good experience with exoticfish.com for example. Check the forum, and see if you like feedback on this and other places, and see if you still feel uncomfortable about getting fish by mail.

 

[SpecialK]

I have not mail ordered any fish myself, but have read alot of good things about others that have. I agree check around the forum I am sure you will find feedbacks on here and other places.

Have a Good Day
Kaye

 

[rbmount]

I am new to this board and don't know the rules about using other websites in replies, so until I hear different, yes you can order online-I have and will do again. Everything came in in great shape, besides the lfs get theirs just the same. Be sure to acclimate properly and you shouldn't have any problem. And most reputable sites offer a live delivery guarantee.

 

[Anonymous]

why not order online..most online sites have a 10 day guarantee too, provided you dont buy some rare "expert" only type species...Thats where LFS get there's...actually you bypass alot of b.s. when you buy mail order from reputable online businesses such as Live Aquaria and That fish Place..People who say dont buy through the web are either LFS owners or buddy buddy with LFS owners...that takes business away from the LFS....

 

[Anonymous]

> I am new to this board and don't know the rules about using other websites in replies...

I don't see any problem with a link to other website appropriate to the discussion.

 

[dwall174]

I'm new to this board also! I have order from several mail order suppliers & have had any problems. I haven't ordered anything during the cold months tho?

 

[dwall174]

Anyone have good results shipping livestock during the cold months?

 

[Meloco14]

I have ordered all of my livestock from etropicals.com, a sister site to live aquaria, and I am very happy with the service. They ship fedex next day air and I have had no problems with deaths or anything. The only thing is you have to be there to sign for it. They also have a ten day guarantee provided you use their acclimation process. There is a $25 flat shipping rate, which is a good deal if you order enough. If you're only getting one or two things its not worth it though.

 

[danmhippo]

Check for the purchase guarantee before you place order. Otherwise, I've purchased thousands of dollars of live stock via internet. It's impossible to expect your local fish stores to carry everything you wanted. This is even true at Southern California, where I used to live.

 

[dwall174]

Check for the purchase guarantee before you place order.It's impossible to expect your local fish stores to carry everything you wanted.

Thanks! Not only do my LFS not carry some of the things I want! Their prices are high & quality is low!

 

[Anonymous]

Order it online through a reputable company. Liveaquaria, marinedepotlive, etc. etc. you will get a much better price and the quality will be the same or better. I have never had a problem getting livestock in the winter or summer, they will use heat or cold packs depending.

 

[Anonymous]

There are many reputable online marine livestock vendors. From personal experience I can highly reccomend:

www.liveaquaria.com A little pricey but the fish I have bought form them were very healthy and they have a nice selection.

www.reeftopia.com I bought a chalk bass on the last cleaner order I did for my reef club - he came in fine and is living the high life in my nano still.

Also there are two other e-tailers I have not personally ordered from but have heard nothing but good things www.seacrop.com and www.themarinecenter.com . Seacrop is owned by Mary Middlebrook who is truly committed to dealing only in net caught fish and sustainable collection practices. The Marine Center again is pricey but they have amazing fish - rare angels, butterflys - you name it , their stock is supposedly all feeding and quarantined prior to being sent out.

 

[dwall174]

Thanks all! I think I will give it a try after the holidays!

 

[JohnD]

I just ordered a clean-up crew from etropicals.com that arrived last Friday. Everything was packed very well. I went to the Fedex terminal (about 1 mile) from me to do a dock pick-up. A couple of red hermits died, but everything else is doing very well.

Etropicals also ships fish. Check them out.

 

[kparton]

I have had much better luck getting healthy livestock from mail order than from my local LFSs. I don't know if they get lower quality stuff or if they don't acclimate well or if it's just the stress of that extra acclimation, but I order everything now.

 

[Anonymous]

Doug, see if you can pick it up at your local FedEx office. It will probably end up saving a lot of time in the bag. As an example, an order from the other side of the country gets to within 20 minutes of my house in 12 hours or so, and then sits there waiting to be delivered by my local driver for another 6 hours or so in most cases. If I just go pick it up myself it saves lots of time = healthier fish

 

[dwall174]

Thanks for the tip Matt!
As I stated before I'm going to wait until after the Holidays before I place an order!
In fact I have heard that several of the online livestock vendors don't ship during Christmass because of the extended shipping time!