Buying fish on line

[Haydn]

I live in the UK and our on-line fish market is very much in it's infancy, in the US it seems much more established. I would like to call on your experiences of on line buying of fish specifically.

I enjoy going to a LFS, either locally or travelling, where I can look at the fish, assess if they are healthy, check that the shop is clean, pest and disease free. I can ask the LFS owner/worker how long they have had the fish in, what and whether it's feeding and perhaps, most importantly watch it feed. I can pick the specific fish I want and maybe find that hidden gem of a fish lurking in that bottom tank.

Picking a fish from a web seller, I have to take the fish on trust, I have no idea which specific fish I'll be getting, I don't know if it has been kept in reasonable conditions, if it is pest and disease free, if it's feeding. TBH I have no idea if the fish was swimming in the ocean yesterday. I also note that on-line prices seem roughly equivalent to LFS prices even though all the risk has been moved from the seller to the tank keeper.

Now the questions-

QT seem to be much more widespread in the US, is that as a result of on-line buying, would you consider it essential.

If the fish arrives dead, how easy is it to get a refund, what is the process.

What happens if the fish arrives damaged, diseased or just isn't what was ordered.

What about if the fish refuses to feed when it arrives, you don't know if it was feeding when it left the on-line seller. What happens if the fish never feeds and dies a week or so later, do you have any comeback.

Is buying on-line cheaper than going to a LFS, especially if you have to travel distances.

How do you find that hidden gem.

How do you return a fish. Do you need a specific reason, what are they. Can you return a fish because you don't like the look of it eg. a designer clownfish.

 

[SPR1968]

If you deal with a reputable dealer many of the questions you’ve asked are taken care of and they won’t send the fish until there healthy, feeding etc.

Ive used Masterfisch (based in France)for many fish and corals, although they’ve temporarily suspended shipments to the Uk due to Brexit. Very reasonable prices and excellent quality corals and livestock

Talking specifically, I’ve had a couple of instances were the fish were DOA. I took a picture and within about 1 hour a refund had been issued.

The final order I made (and I made around 15-20 over about 12 months) was worth around £250 and sent by UPS next day. Unfortunately UPS delayed the parcel and it arrived 6 days later stone cold (winter). I took a picture and again a full refund was given.

Any reputable dealer won’t send poor livestock, if they did they won’t have many customers for long

Ive had a few occasions were they called me the day before delivery to say a fish wasn’t ready for shipping so I could either have a different fish (sometimes more expensive for free) or a full refund.

All you can really do is do some research into a company and ask a few questions until your happy.

 

[Haydn]

If you deal with a reputable dealer many of the questions you’ve asked are taken care of and they won’t send the fish until there healthy, feeding etc.

Ive used Masterfisch (based in France)for many fish and corals, although they’ve temporarily suspended shipments to the Uk due to Brexit. Very reasonable prices and excellent quality corals and livestock

Talking specifically, I’ve had a couple of instances were the fish were DOA. I took a picture and within about 1 hour a refund had been issued.

The final order I made (and I made around 15-20 over about 12 months) was worth around £250 and sent by UPS next day. Unfortunately UPS delayed the parcel and it arrived 6 days later stone cold (winter). I took a picture and again a full refund was given.

Any reputable dealer won’t send poor livestock, if they did they won’t have many customers for long

Ive had a few occasions were they called me the day before delivery to say a fish wasn’t ready for shipping so I could either have a different fish (sometimes more expensive for free) or a full refund.

All you can really do is do some research into a company and ask a few questions until your happy.

I have looked at the Masterfisch site and their conditions for sale and if you open the bag you are responsible. If the fish is DOA you need to take its picture in the sealed bag. If the fish is 'just' dying in the bag and you open it to see if you can save it- tough.

It seems the answer to all the questions is- it's your problem we don't want to know.

 

[davidcalgary29]

It's 1000km round trip to my LFS, so online shopping is my favourite option. I haven't had a bad experience with it, even though I've been ordering throughout the winter and one order arrived in temperatures below -20C. I suppose that sellers have had enough experience shipping in adverse conditions that they've worked out most of the kinks in their systems.

 

[Reef.]

if I were you I would go to an LFS and ask your questions personally as each LFS and online retailer have different rules, pick out the fish you want, it’ll be less stressful for the fish and you get to see exactly what you are getting.

A lot won’t ship fish anyway.

If you really have to have the fish shipped I can recommend Krakencorals, not had a delivery from them but have bought fish from the shop, Cellarmarine is another online seller I would recommend.

I would highly recommend going to a LFS rather than ordering online.