Best online places to purchase fish
- Thread starter jft
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LeftyReefer
2500 Club Member
for fully QT'd fish, I've use Dr. Reef before and was very happy. all fish arrived alive and completely healthy and dropped directly into my DT.
I've purchased non-QT'd fish from a couple of vendors too, also with good results, BlueZoo and Tankstop.
I used to order from LA, back when they were pretty much the only fish supplier around, but haven't used them in years due to the poor reputation now.
I've purchased non-QT'd fish from a couple of vendors too, also with good results, BlueZoo and Tankstop.
I used to order from LA, back when they were pretty much the only fish supplier around, but haven't used them in years due to the poor reputation now.
jft
Well-Known Member
Overall best place
BanjoBandito
Valuable Member
If I'm buying online, not minding paying more and not willing to QT and just want "good stuff" I would buy from Dr. Reef. Shipping is brutal right now, and shipping seems to go wrong more often than not anymore, so your best bet would be to find a good reef store and ask them to order whatever you are looking for.
There is no answer to that.
Do you have a quarantine or do you plan to quarantine before introduction?
As a counterpoint to this, The supply line of fish is really dirty right now... I've been seeing fish come into all the shops on the West Coast and they look haggard. I have recently commiserated with many other hobbyists who are ordering in fish and the quality has gone down.
Mike at Dr reef does a great job with the, fish, shipping, and any possible complications that may arise after the fact.
BanjoBandito
Valuable Member
Yeah, you are right. I kinda gobbled up the fish I wanted pretty quickly from a LFS so I haven't been shopping for fish, but I know the LFS is experiencing bad shipping/loss on every load. They are also ALWAYS late coming into the airport. They lost a big queen angel in the last load. Just brutal right now. Cost of shipping is ballooning too. Used to be able to get a box of scolys trans shipped for a few hundred dollars. Forget that now!
It's killing them and it's terrible.
I normally get a heads up text from my LFS when they get back to the shop and start unloading. It's not uncommon for me to be there while there's still unloading some boxes.
Maybe a month ago I was giving a hand because they were short-staffed and the amount of fish dead in bags, Just between LA distributor and the shop which is maybe an hour away was astounding. Out of 25 bags of fish, I think There were nine that didn't make the trip.. That's rough because there's no recourse for them. They have to eat that cost.
jfoahs04
Well-Known Member
I agree with this and Mike at Dr. Reef said as much just a few weeks ago when we were exchanging emails about an order of mine.
But I'd also reiterate that Dr. Reef is excellent. He takes great care of his customers. Apart from the obvious benefit of not bringing pests into your tank, one of the additional perks of buying pre-QT'd fish is that they've been living in an aquarium for 30-45 days (or longer) by the time you get them. When you buy unQT'd or unconditioned fish (especially a wild caught fish), they're often flipped pretty quickly, spending only a few days at most in each spot going from the fisher - the buyer - consolidator - exporter - importer - wholesaler - retailer (online or LFS) - then your home. So if it's beat up by the time it gets to your retailer and you buy it within a day or two of arrival, you're assuming a lot of the risk that it may not adapt and survive. A fish that's been in a single tank under treatment and observation for a month or more is less likely to just die on you.
BanjoBandito
Valuable Member
BUY AQUACULTURED FISH IF YOU CAN. This is a great point. The biota guys produce GREAT, HARDY fish. They have been shipping them a lil' bit bigger too. I remember the teeeeeensy 1" yellow tangs. lol. I wouldn't buy a mandarin unless it was a biota mandarin.
fishface NJ
5000 Club Member
TSM if you are closer to the east coast
Dr Reef if closer to the west coast
Dr Reef if closer to the west coast
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spent alot of time researching reputable online suppliers that does full QT.
TSM aquatics is my top choice - Full QT moderate price
Marine Collectors - Full QT - expensive
Dr Reef Quarantined Fish - Full QT , also do just conditioning for less $. Great pricing. best of the bunch for price and a great list of species. Only caveat is it may take a while before you get your fish. I ordered 2 clowns on May 16....still waiting.
I am sure there are others but these are the top 3 in my book after a month of research.
TSM aquatics is my top choice - Full QT moderate price
Marine Collectors - Full QT - expensive
Dr Reef Quarantined Fish - Full QT , also do just conditioning for less $. Great pricing. best of the bunch for price and a great list of species. Only caveat is it may take a while before you get your fish. I ordered 2 clowns on May 16....still waiting.
I am sure there are others but these are the top 3 in my book after a month of research.
SlugSnorter
2500 Club Member
TSM (qt), Dr. Reef (qt), Bluezoo, ReefCleaners (no fish, best invert place).
CoralB
5000 Club Member
Dr reef , TSM as stated prior . Both decent choices
My experience is overnight from the west coast is better than overnight on east coast from where I live here in Florida . I made a order on the same day from both east and west coast and my west coast made it overnight using UPS and my east coast fedex overnight came three days later . The point of this story I’m telling you is no matter how good or who the on line livestock dealer is , the shipping companies can be a issue and I would look into the company you choose who has the best customer service and that’s will guarantee live delivery .
My experience is overnight from the west coast is better than overnight on east coast from where I live here in Florida . I made a order on the same day from both east and west coast and my west coast made it overnight using UPS and my east coast fedex overnight came three days later . The point of this story I’m telling you is no matter how good or who the on line livestock dealer is , the shipping companies can be a issue and I would look into the company you choose who has the best customer service and that’s will guarantee live delivery .
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afrokobe
Valuable Member
well, I just placed an order for a captive bred yasha goby and neon goby from saltwaterfish. Delivery was supposed to be today and just got this message:
Ill put the blame on Fedex for now. Hopefully I will have a good experience with saltwaterfish if I have any doa
Ill put the blame on Fedex for now. Hopefully I will have a good experience with saltwaterfish if I have any doa
jfoahs04
Well-Known Member
Oof, sorry. I honestly won't buy from anywhere that doesn't use UPS at this point. FedEx and USPS are just way too unreliable.well, I just placed an order for a captive bred yasha goby and neon goby from saltwaterfish. Delivery was supposed to be today and just got this message:
Ill put the blame on Fedex for now. Hopefully I will have a good experience with saltwaterfish if I have any doa
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