NY Aquatics warning: Super shady behavior!!!!

[Aquarist76]

I've placed 3 orders from NY Aquatics and had problems with all of them. The most recent was just unbelievable. Back around Christmas they had Zebra Tangs for sale on their site; something I've long wanted. They were $899 but there was a Christmas discount so I took the plunge. My tang arrived 1-5-19. The tang I was sold had a large chunk of its face missing from an old injury (see below). This wasn't shipping related or even recent. This was well healed and had to have occurred months if not years earlier. I immediately emailed NY Aquatics. As of yet I have gotten no response from them. They have completely ignored me. I've tried calling but never get anyone to answer. This is utterly ridiculous someone would sell a disfigured fish, especially one this rare and costly, without disclosing that. Then when I have a problem with it, not responding. I am left with no choice but to contact my credit card company and dispute the charge.

I should have learned my lesson from my first two orders with them. In fact after the second I swore I'd never buy from them again but the lure of the Zebra tang was too great.

My first order was for a $900 Gem tang (another dream fish of mine). First, they were supposed to hold it so I could pick it up locally. They confirmed that to me. Then they ended up mistaking my order for someone else's and shipped it to me without notice. My only notice was a call from FedEx that morning saying I had a package arriving that day. I was at work and it ended up sitting on my porch for hours until I got home. I acclimated the fish and put it in a completely brand new Red Sea Reefer 250 by itself. After 7 days it started developing faint white spots. Within 24 hrs it was dead from what I presume was marine velvet. I called NY Aquatics but they had no guarantee on the fish, which I knew, but refused to even accept responsibility for selling me a sick fish. They said tangs were one of the "hardiest" fish there is and I must not know what I'm doing (BTW I've kept over a dozen tangs in the past). So boom, I'm out $900.

Then in July they got more Gem tangs in and had a sale so I took the plunge again. The Gem tang I received had extensive fin battle damage and was the most scared/timid fish I've ever seen. I put him in his own tank and prophylactic treated for disease. He wouldn't come out of hiding for 2 months other than to feed. I'm glad to say he's alive and doing well no thanks to NY Aquatics and the condition they keep their fish in. Never should have bought from them again after that.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Reminder;

This is a vendor feedback thread. Outside comments are not permitted with exception to linking to your own feedback thread in regards to the same vendor @NYAquatic

Thank you,
Crabs

 

[Aquarist76]

Reminder;

This is a vendor feedback thread. Outside comments are not permitted with exception to linking to your own feedback thread in regards to the same vendor @NYAquatic

Thank you,
Crabs

What does that mean? Where am I supposed to give feedback?

 

[Crabs McJones]

What does that mean? Where am I supposed to give feedback?

Your feedback is fine. Another user commented in the thread. It was a reminder that others are not allowed to comment in this thread so that hopefully you and the vendor can come to a resolution

 

[Aquarist76]

Is there somewhere I can post this where others can comment?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Is there somewhere I can post this where others can comment?

Not if it's feedback. This is to keep the thread clean so the vendor can respond and hopefully get your issue resolved.

 

[NYAquatic]

I've placed 3 orders from NY Aquatics and had problems with all of them. The most recent was just unbelievable. Back around Christmas they had Zebra Tangs for sale on their site; something I've long wanted. They were $899 but there was a Christmas discount so I took the plunge. My tang arrived 1-5-19. The tang I was sold had a large chunk of its face missing from an old injury (see below). This wasn't shipping related or even recent. This was well healed and had to have occurred months if not years earlier. I immediately emailed NY Aquatics. As of yet I have gotten no response from them. They have completely ignored me. I've tried calling but never get anyone to answer. This is utterly ridiculous someone would sell a disfigured fish, especially one this rare and costly, without disclosing that. Then when I have a problem with it, not responding. I am left with no choice but to contact my credit card company and dispute the charge.

I should have learned my lesson from my first two orders with them. In fact after the second I swore I'd never buy from them again but the lure of the Zebra tang was too great.

My first order was for a $900 Gem tang (another dream fish of mine). First, they were supposed to hold it so I could pick it up locally. They confirmed that to me. Then they ended up mistaking my order for someone else's and shipped it to me without notice. My only notice was a call from FedEx that morning saying I had a package arriving that day. I was at work and it ended up sitting on my porch for hours until I got home. I acclimated the fish and put it in a completely brand new Red Sea Reefer 250 by itself. After 7 days it started developing faint white spots. Within 24 hrs it was dead from what I presume was marine velvet. I called NY Aquatics but they had no guarantee on the fish, which I knew, but refused to even accept responsibility for selling me a sick fish. They said tangs were one of the "hardiest" fish there is and I must not know what I'm doing (BTW I've kept over a dozen tangs in the past). So boom, I'm out $900.

Then in July they got more Gem tangs in and had a sale so I took the plunge again. The Gem tang I received had extensive fin battle damage and was the most scared/timid fish I've ever seen. I put him in his own tank and prophylactic treated for disease. He wouldn't come out of hiding for 2 months other than to feed. I'm glad to say he's alive and doing well no thanks to NY Aquatics and the condition they keep their fish in. Never should have bought from them again after that.

When you received the polyzona you emailed me about the nose.
I responded immediately (90 min later) that I was sorry you were unhappy with it, but it was a WYSIWYG pic on my website.
I never heard back from you after that.
I assumed the matter was closed.
Guess you were just stewing.

I'm hoping for another shipment in the next couple weeks.
If you have a local store that can help you pack it up and ship it back, I'd be happy to swap it out when I get the new batch.

Here's a cut and paste of email exchange to remind you
Again, never heard back so assumed matter closed



James Barrese via mail.com

Sat, Jan 5, 6:32 PM

to michael

Hi.

What is with this horribly disfigured zebra tang you shipped me? What the heck?

2 Attachments

Michael, NYAquatic <[email protected]>
Sat, Jan 5, 7:57 PM

to James

Not horribly disfigured
Has a funky nose

Pic online was wysiwyg

 

[NYAquatic]

Also, while I'm not always available by phone, I am usually, and ALWAYS return phone messages.
If someone calls and hangs up without leaving a message, that's on them, not me.

 

[Aquarist76]

This is the email I got from this "seller" today:

I never responded?
How about the email 90 minutes after you emailed me?

Michael Stern
www.NYAquatic.com
914-661-3128

On Sat, Jan 5, 2019 at 7:57 PM Michael, NYAquatic <[email protected]> wrote:
Not horribly disfigured
Has a funky nose

Pic online was wysiwyg

1. He never sent an email to me. Period. I checked thoroughly including my spam. I like how the copy of the email he sent me today doesn't have in it the email address he actually sent it to or the date/time it was sent.

2. A funky nose? Are you kidding me?

3. Here is the listing with the picture shown from the listing:

And here's a close up of the fish pic:

Anyone see a damaged face on this fish? Does this look like the picture above of the fish I received?

4. I see nothing there about fish is WYSIWG or mentioning any damage. Also, it wasn't listed in the WYSIWYG area, only the "rare finds" and "Tangs"



Any other lies you'd like to tell sir?

 

[NYAquatic]

This is the wysiwyg pic that was posted when you purchased

 

[Aquarist76]

Nope, sorry more lies. That cache is the only one I could get off the internet but it's the same listing you had up for 3wks before I bought the fish. The larger picture of the fish is the exact one you had up at the time I bought the fish. Whenever I buy fish or coral I always save a copy of what I bought in case of problems like this.

I did try and save a copy of the web page listing after I bought the fish, but as soon as I bought it the page went to not available or something like that.

Again, what I showed above is the exact same way the listing looked when I bought the fish. Exact same pictures, exact same text description, exact same price.

I knew this guy was shady but blatantly telling lies to save face to keep him from looking so bad is scary. Can the people that run this board please look into if this guy should still be allowed to sell here.

Also, I bought over $3K in coral and fish in just the last week so the money actually isn't a big deal to me. It's the principle of it which is why I haven't been bothered for the last several weeks to file a claim on this. I always knew my credit card would likely give me a refund because it has excellent FRAUD protection.


Oh, and here's a little pic of the meta-data for the file of the fish.

Funny how it corresponded exactly (within 3 minutes) of my order times as you so gratuitously showed in posting my email that had my purchase order as well as home address, phone number, and name.

 

[Aquarist76]

Not sure why it keeps double posting my pics.

 

[Aquarist76]

This is the wysiwyg pic that was posted when you purchased

Complete lie. Period. Sad.


Also, why in the world would I knowingly buy a disfigured fish to then just go online that I was sold a disfigured fish?????


Also, weird how doing a google search of NY Aquatics and Polyzona Tang only brings up one listing of a cached page, the one I posted above. Nothing about this supposed "second" listing you had showing a disfigured fish. Weird.

But thank you for proving you knowingly sold a disfigured fish under false pretenses. I'm sure that will only help my credit card claim. I mean before it was a matter of no way could you have shipped this fish not knowing it was disfigured. But now you've actually admitted to knowing it was like that. Thanks.

 

[Aquarist76]

Look buddy, not to toot my own horn but I'm a 42 year old pediatric surgeon that makes well into 6 figures a year. I work 12 hour days saving kids lives. I have better things to do than go on here and make stuff up. You on the other hand are a shady internet seller with proven past of other shady dealings and of selling crappy fish. I know you need to make yourself look better so you don't loose business, but your lies are embarrassing. Really.


But if you wanna keep digging yourself a hole, go ahead. Truth always wins.

 

[Aquarist76]

Two things about this.

1. a little shady to post my name phone number, and personal home address. actually really shady!!!!
2. that picture still does nothing to show what time/date and to what email address you actually sent that supposedly.

 

[Aquarist76]

Reminder to self. Call BBB and possibly state attorney's office of NY. They're the ones you report FRAUD to, right?

 

[NYAquatic]

Again
As I offered before all your nonsensical ranting if you want to send it back I’m happy to replace with new batch or refund
You can get s local store to help pack w oxygen
Just need to get it back alive

 

[NYAquatic]

Look buddy, not to toot my own horn but I'm a 42 year old pediatric surgeon that makes well into 6 figures a year. I work 12 hour days saving kids lives. I have better things to do than go on here and make stuff up. You on the other hand are a shady internet seller with proven past of other shady dealings and of selling crappy fish. I know you need to make yourself look better so you don't loose business, but your lies are embarrassing. Really.


But if you wanna keep digging yourself a hole, go ahead. Truth always wins.

Very classy
Now I’m impressed

 

[NYAquatic]

I should probably just leave this alone.
Dude's def not worth it.
And I agree, there is super shady behavior going on.
Now I know, the customer's always right, but what about when the customer is just a bold faced liar?

So he buys a WYSIWYG fish.
Maybe he doesn't pay attention or notice the pic, so excited to grab this super rare specimen.
He emails me, and as can clearly be seen in the email thread, I replied 90 minutes later.
He waits a month, never called or left message, or emailed, or tweeted, or anything else, then posts here bashing, claiming I never replied to him. HUH?
When I post the entire email thread, he still won't accept what's factually presented to him.
I respond and twice offer to have him ship it back.
no reply
I email the same offer
Offer to send him Fedex label, with me paying freight back.
I guess he's just too busy saving lives (and posting BS on line) to bother.

Anyone want to bet he's just gonna keep the fish and do a chargeback?

MODS, do these kind of hobbyiests belong on R2R????

 

[Aquarist76]

Stopped posting in this thread because all NYAquatics was doing was lying. Really got sick of it. I do have better things to do actually with my time. I know you want to save your rep but I have documented proof you're lying. You were literally making me sick with what a horrible human being you are. I've known some shady LFS guys but you take the cake.

Anyways, I'm posting here to sadly update that "Stripes" died today. Kind of expected this. Had him 7 weeks and never saw him eat once. No sign of any disease when he died. Always just coward all the time and likely died of stress. I've only ever had two tangs that were so stressed they wouldn't eat and both I bought from this guy. They came physically traumatized because of the atrocious quality he keeps his specimens in (guess you get what you pay for; cheap tangs because they're poor quality). Now I know this guy is going to say "oh you just don't know how to care for tangs" I literally have cared for over a dozen tangs that are healthy. Actually almost never have had a problem with tangs. The only problem ones I've had were from NYAquatics. I've literally nursed back sick tangs that were almost dead back into good health. Can't do anything though if a tang won't eat because it's been so badly traumatized before.


Buy at your own risk!!!!!