Online fish vendor recommendations

[BetteMidler]

https://www.kpaquatics.com/
https://reeftopia.com/
I buy from collectors first ....

I like the way you think. Not sure if these guys are collectors, but are based out of South Florida, Caribbean Tropics. The site looks sketchy, but they keep it updated periodically. The communication was good & were very helpful. Shipped overnight UPS & packed very well. Just not a lot of variety/availability. Could add them to your list if you ever try them.

 

[Reef Stallion]

Biota
Dr Reef Quarantine
Reef Beauties.

 

[APCoralReefs]

Hi Everyone, looking for recommendations for online reef safe fish vendors. My lfs leaves much to be desired and the next closest is 2 hours away. Y'all have any go to vendors? What do y'all look for when looking at fish online? Appreciate it.

Really any, as long as they have a huge reputation.

 

[Dierks]

fishotel.

Solasis Thank you for the shout-out!!

 

[Ocean_Queenie]

Reefbeauties.com
They have a 15 day guarantee (on non-expert species) and great prices with a relatively low amount to get free shipping.
https://reefbeauties.com/

Have used quite a bit in the past, great customer service and healthy fish!

 

[littlefoxx]

Ive only ever ordered from saltwaterfish.com and biota. Saltwaterfish.com has generally been pretty good, but you will definitely want to qt your fish from them. Ive had fish come in pretty rough.

Agree

 

[Rob Romalino]

TSM Aquatics - All fish are quarantined a minimum of 30 days.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Do any of these vendors take special requests for male or female specific fish? (Mandarins, cardinals, blennies, yellow watchman, or grammas) Don’t have to be paired. Ordering online is quite the risk if I can’t confirm that I won’t get stuck with 2 males or 2 females, shipping charges, having to gamble again with a new one, and no way to return those that are incorrect. My nearest lfs is several hours away. Does any vendor offer this service? Anyone?

 

[littlefoxx]

Do any of these vendors take special requests for male or female specific fish? (Mandarins, cardinals, blennies, yellow watchman, or grammas) Don’t have to be paired. Ordering online is quite the risk if I can’t confirm that I won’t get stuck with 2 males or 2 females, shipping charges, having to gamble again with a new one, and no way to return those that are incorrect. My nearest lfs is several hours away. Does any vendor offer this service? Anyone?

I know reefbeauties can sex most fish

 

[Sphyrna_gal]

Hi Everyone, looking for recommendations for online reef safe fish vendors. My lfs leaves much to be desired and the next closest is 2 hours away. Y'all have any go to vendors? What do y'all look for when looking at fish online? Appreciate it.

I am in the same boat where our LFS is a big miss and far away. But since learning that Petco goes through Quality Marine I have ordered from them online as they have more options online than ever in store. Ordered a few times from them and had good experiences, even if DOA they are quick to either replace or refund.

If you have a relationship with the person ordering for Petco they can even order some fish in store for you and call to pick up.

 

[Biota_Marine Verified Sponsor]

Do any of these vendors take special requests for male or female specific fish? (Mandarins, cardinals, blennies, yellow watchman, or grammas) Don’t have to be paired. Ordering online is quite the risk if I can’t confirm that I won’t get stuck with 2 males or 2 females, shipping charges, having to gamble again with a new one, and no way to return those that are incorrect. My nearest lfs is several hours away. Does any vendor offer this service? Anyone?

We offer pairs for our mandarins and seahorses and can sometimes by request do other species but with gramma and many juvenile blennies, gobies, and cardinalfish don't show enough sexual dimorphism to confidently send the right sex over.

 

[Bri99]

Good thread. I’d agree with the people saying QT/conditioning matters more than just the cheapest price, especially with fish. Dr. Reef, TSM, Biota, Reef Beauties, etc. all make sense to look at depending on what you’re after.

Another one I’d add to the list is Corals Depot. They’re known more for coral, but they also carry saltwater fish and inverts, so worth checking if you’re comparing online livestock options.

My main checklist would be: are the fish eating, how long have they been held, what’s the DOA policy, can they handle special requests, and do I still have a QT/observation plan on my end. Online fish buying can work, but I wouldn’t skip those basics.

 

[Bri99]

For fish, I’d mainly compare vendors based on QT/conditioning, clear DOA policy, and whether fish usually arrive healthy and eating. Biota, Dr. Reef, TSM, and Reef Beauties get mentioned a lot for good reason. Corals Depot is another one worth checking since they carry saltwater fish along with corals and inverts. Either way, I’d still QT or observe everything before adding it to the display.