Need advice for first time online coral purchasing

[maugustine]

I have always picked my corals out at my local store.. I would like to order some online.. what are good.. quality.. reputable places to buy online,? Do the corals.. ever die in transit?

thx in advance for any help

 

[itsken37]

WWC and corals.com got some nice frags

 

[Cannons Fish]

I agree with corals.com, just got some nice zoas and hammer from their. All in great condition.

 

[itsken37]

WWC is a little expensive though

 

[dennis romano]

Corals.com and Austin Aqua Farms are both good. Keep in mind shipping costs. Yes corals do die in transit, usually due to shipping delays. Check reviews on R2R for other sites

 

[Bruce60]

There are many good places, some are already listed. My recommendation is to know the weather where you are and where they are, especially during winter and summer. If you can wait for more moderate weather there is less worry about good survival. I have had losses and poorer viability when specimens are more stressed from extreme weather travel.

 

[Kristopher Conlin]

Cherry Corals and WWC are both amazing! FishofHex, Unique corals, Austin Aqua Farms, and Tidal Gardens as well. If you check out anyone else just check to see what their DOA policy is in case their frags don't make it. Most good retailers will have an arrive alive guarantee of some sort.

I was nervous buying online at first but I have only had great experience with the vendors I listed.

 

[burningmime]

A bunch of them sponsor this site, so you can check ads. There's also the livestock selling/trading forum here and many people ship.

Dying in transit IME is usually caused by a delay (storm, shipping at a busy time of year, or you live out in some forgotten wasteland like Eastern Montana). Extreme heat or cold can be a problem, but if it's well packed, the coral can usually survive overnight. But it can't survive more than 24 hours if there's a delay. My (limited) experience suggests that extreme cold isn't often a problem for 12 hours since they usually come packed with heat packs. But extreme heat can kill corals, whether in a tank or the back of a truck. So winter is a better time to order than summer.

 

[RobW]

I was thinking about ordering a frag pack from wwc. They're only about 3 hours away from from me. I guess I can rule out the extreme weather changes. Florida is just hot all the time.

 

[tgafish]

I was thinking about ordering a frag pack from wwc. They're only about 3 hours away from from me. I guess I can rule out the extreme weather changes. Florida is just hot all the time.

I would advocate a visit if it's 3 hours away. No worries about your delivery being delayed and the store is simply amazing.

For the OP I have purchased from 5 different suppliers in my short time and have not had a DOA. I can tell you that Cherry Corals frags are consistantly considerably larger than the other 4 I have ordered from.

 

[Bruce60]

I was thinking about ordering a frag pack from wwc. They're only about 3 hours away from from me. I guess I can rule out the extreme weather changes. Florida is just hot all the time.

If you are 3 hours from WWC, I suggest making a day trip. We did that on a road trip from PA to FL, and were blown away by the store and the selection. Plus, they held my purchases and shipped them to me after I returned home. Be warned that after visiting WWC you will not have any $'s left for the house of mouse or other attractions.

 

[D4jack]

Tidal gardens all the way. Best packaging I've seen.