Wow, thanks for all the replies. I just got off the phone with them and even though I said I really want a refund due to the repeated issues, but no go and they gave me credit. Maybe I will use my credit for a cleanup crew. I can't imagine buying something expensive from divers den and getting a $1000 fish DOA! then you are stuck with that much credit to use - not to mention lose if you don't use in a year. it's disappointing no doubt - I need a reputable place to buy fish that actually packages them correctly. Is it that difficult!?
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Liveaquaria - going downhill fast or just a coincidence
- Thread starter attilak
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Please read here before posting. Outside comments are not permitted per R2R's feedback forum policy. This is to allow the buyer and seller to have a streamlined conversation and hopefully come to a mutually satisfactory resolution in a negative transaction. If you would like to contribute your own feedback experience with either the buyer or seller, you may do so by creating your own feedback thread. Only the thread starter and vendor will have posting access. Thank you.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
LA used to be my go to place for some corals and most of my fish.
But my last 2 orders for corals was an absolute disaster.
Both orders came in a thin insul bag. Bag was not taped shut. The first order there were no heat packs and nothing to keep the bag of water the coral was in from rolling around. The coral was doa. Daytime temps were around 30 and it sat for an extra day at the airport.
The last order was worse.
It was also the large box with a thin insul bag with a few air pillows. Maybe 10 total, when 30 should have been used.
The bag was not taped shut. The box had so little tape on it, it was open too.
No heat pack in the bag.
Of the corals ordered the second time only one survived.
The other coral took about 2-1/2 weeks to completely dissolve, outside of the warranty time limit.
Never again.
But my last 2 orders for corals was an absolute disaster.
Both orders came in a thin insul bag. Bag was not taped shut. The first order there were no heat packs and nothing to keep the bag of water the coral was in from rolling around. The coral was doa. Daytime temps were around 30 and it sat for an extra day at the airport.
The last order was worse.
It was also the large box with a thin insul bag with a few air pillows. Maybe 10 total, when 30 should have been used.
The bag was not taped shut. The box had so little tape on it, it was open too.
No heat pack in the bag.
Of the corals ordered the second time only one survived.
The other coral took about 2-1/2 weeks to completely dissolve, outside of the warranty time limit.
Never again.
Spare time
10K Club member
Not going to rant here on the bad experience I am continuously having with ordering fish from liveaquaria - but have been using them for years but now I am to a point of completely removing them as an option to order from... lost fish, to not updating if fish is shipped, to DOA arrival due to no heat pack! Take a look at the picture of the fish I just received with a heat pack that is not hot any more - the previous order from last week had no heat pack and fish lost.
This is 3 DOA cardinals - temp. at around 55 degrees.
Anyone else having negative experience with them?
The fish in cold water seems to be a issue with the delivery from FedEx or whatever. FedEx thought it was a great Idea to send me a mandarin by loading it in a freezing truck at 5am and delivering it AT 5 PM. Did they think the caution live animal label meant that I was ordering a penguin? Why would they think it to be a smart idea to put a live animal in a freezing delivery truck for half a day? Live aquaria was nice and immediately gave me a refund. I've had only great experiences with their customer service. I only order from divers den as I don't have time to QT fish (nothing enters my tank without QT)
FishyFishFish
Valuable Member
A quick Google search shows that Fedex ground delivered 12 million parcels every day in FY21. If they thought that closely about every parcel then, presumably, nothing would ever arrive on time (and I dread to think what would happen at Memphis if every package was individually checked).
I am not an expert on US consumer laws. Are you not legally entitled to refunds for items delivered not as described (i.e. purchase a live fish and it arrives dead)?
I received two corals today from DD. I didn’t measure the water temp but it was very cold. They were packed well but the new insulated envelopes do not hold warmth. One coral (a sinularia) seems fine and is showing some polyp extension tonight. The wellso has some damage and skeleton showing (it looks a bit better now than in these photos). It’s pretty clear these were healthy corals but the new shipping materials are not good. The amphipods did survive shipping just fine (until I dipped the corals and killed them - I always feel so bad lol). I’m really hoping the brain pulls through. Sadly, I hadn’t seen the posts on the new packaging before I ordered.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
The new insul bags really do suck in cold weather.
They claim it's to be more eco friendly, but that's bs.
The only was to ship corals and fish is in the styrofoam boxes.
You did get a fair amount of air pillows. On my last order I got about the same amount as your last picture and there was nothing to hold the bags in place.
Yes, it was actually very well packaged but just doesn’t hold warmth. At least they got one part right. I have to think they ran shipping tests with these and measured water temps. I had planned to measure the water temp but it just get so cold I didn’t want to wait.
They did hold my order due to the snowstorm last week, which was good. I contacted them about it and they had already stopped shipping to Michigan.
Spare time
10K Club member
I got a refund as I stated. The purpose of my rant against fedex was that the item was not similar to likely 99% of their packaged as it has in big bold letters LIVE ANIMAL and they practiced the worst possible care you could towards a live animal delivery.
Where are you located?Not going to rant here on the bad experience I am continuously having with ordering fish from liveaquaria - but have been using them for years but now I am to a point of completely removing them as an option to order from... lost fish, to not updating if fish is shipped, to DOA arrival due to no heat pack! Take a look at the picture of the fish I just received with a heat pack that is not hot any more - the previous order from last week had no heat pack and fish lost.
This is 3 DOA cardinals - temp. at around 55 degrees.
Anyone else having negative experience with them?
For 3 Bangai cardinals LFS is your better bet. Why use online retailer.
Between shipping price and this being such a common fish it could be prevented.
Just a friendly advice. Save your online orders for more expensive fishes. I see these are tank bred for 109 for three. They must have shipped from Wisconsin facility. You also get a free coral. 109 plus tax plus 30 shipping almost 155 dollars for 3 cardinals.
Your LFS could have helped.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
I doubt the sticker on the box means much. Fedex says they don't ship live animals. They only ship boxes.
I'm sure there are lots of unrelated stickers on boxes being shipped these days.
FishyFishFish
Valuable Member
My refund comment was directed to those who had asked for refunds but had been refused, with only credit being offered.
There are probably thousands of boxes with special handing instructions shipped every day. Be that ‘fragile’, ‘urgent’, ‘this way up’, ‘frozen food’, ‘do not freeze’, ‘live animal’ etc. Whilst I agree that it is poor form to ignore any of these messages, the truth is that they probably can’t give special treatment to any of them. I’m sure they would guarantee a temperature-controlled delivery if you paid for it, but it would be $$$$$$$.
I dare say that the courier’s terms and conditions allow for this. It probably puts the onus on the shipper to ensure that it is packed correctly to cover the conditions it is likely to encounter in transit. Playing devils advocate, why should FedEx be responsible for keeping a specific box warm? Whoever shipped it should have waited until the weather warmed up, or they should have packed it in such a way that sitting on a truck a 5am (which isn’t an unexpected scenario) wouldn’t spoil the package.
Take it one step further with this thread. If packages are being shipped with insufficient packaging, insulation or heat packs, should the couriers be responsible for all of these as well?
11f150
Valuable Member
No, definitely not FedEx’s fault. They can be blamed For delivering something late when LA paid for priority overnight. Mine was only a little late - 1pm, so that wasn’t the issue for my shipment, strictly the lack of sufficiently warm packaging
mfinn
likes zoanthids
I read on a post from a UPS who posted that on medical supplies get the required attention
dennis romano
Valuable Member
I made it a point to get to know my Fed Ex and UPS drivers. Let's face it, their jobs are tough. Cold water bottles on a hot day are appreciated. When they see a box marked "Live", it gets a little better, and faster, treatment.
FishyFishFish
Valuable Member
UPS has a specific medical logistics department and with my experience of medical supplies, I wouldn't have thought that would be a particularly cheap service. As I said above, I bet they will do anything if you pay for it.
In any case, this is a side-issue from the Live Aquaria issue. I know that most online reviews tend to be negative, and usually they are a small number of the actual number of transactions that take place. However, there seem to be enough of these reports now for it to be more of a trend than a one-off. I, personally, think that refusing refunds is outrageous when it is shown that the packaging was insufficient to keep the animals alive (and I also think the refund should include the shipping cost).
I am on the lookout for fish and have been looking at all of the online stores (including LA), but there is no way I am going to purchase from a company with so many bad reviews, who won't even make things right when they've messed up (which seems quite common).
Spare time
10K Club member
Still, I wouldn't put live animal with any other of those categories you listed. I think you are taking the wrong message from my post. My point was that live aquaria was fantastic with their customer service in my experience, and any issue I have ever had, are related to shipping. Wholesalers, retailers, and such nearly all ship their fish the same way and deaths are almost 99% of the time caused by some issue with the middle man. This is not just my experience from live aquaria, but also dealing in the retail business of fish. They are all shipped the same way, its just the middleman who seems to screw things up.
Yes no heat pack is bizarre and that was a mistake on behalf of live aquaria. I never stated that the heat pack missing was an issue with fedex because I wasn't replying to that specific aspect on this thread. Again, my point is that I haven't had cruddy experiences with them unlike others who said they have, and I stated where I find most of the issues come from. My post is specifically in response to those who have had overall had experiences and stated said information here.
albano
2500 Club Member
I believe that they said that DD fish are not QT’d… they are observed.
Please read here before posting. Outside comments are not permitted per R2R's feedback forum policy. This is to allow the buyer and seller to have a streamlined conversation and hopefully come to a mutually satisfactory resolution in a negative transaction. If you would like to contribute your own feedback experience with either the buyer or seller, you may do so by creating your own feedback thread. Only the thread starter and vendor will have posting access. Thank you.
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