Shipping Delay - Odds of Survival?

[mh0ward]

Hi everyone,

I’ve purchased coral and other inverts online several times before and have gotten lucky with no delays or other issues. However, I wasn’t as lucky this time and the package has been delayed by a day in Louisville. This order also happens to have my first clam in it (Derasa) and I have no idea if it has a chance of surviving the extra 24hrs with the weather getting down to mid 30’s overnight. Anyone have any experience with shipping delays when it’s colder out? I know some of the heat packs can last up to 72hrs, but I have no idea if it can keep up with the cold weather in the styrofoam container. Thanks for any insight!

 

[dschuffert]

It depends on how the shipper packed it. I had a large order come in a day late, just before Thanksgiving, when we had some freezing weather. When I opened the boxes, everything was fine on the inside. The shipper had the right amount of heat packs, and all the corals were fine.

 

[mh0ward]

It depends on how the shipper packed it. I had a large order come in a day late, just before Thanksgiving, when we had some freezing weather. When I opened the boxes, everything was fine on the inside. The shipper had the right amount of heat packs, and all the corals were fine.

They definitely have a lot of experience shipping stuff out. I got another order a couple of weeks ago from them when it was probably a little colder out, but it arrived overnight as scheduled and didn’t have a clam, which I’m assuming is going to be a little more sensitive.

 

[MnFish1]

Unfortunately, it's impossible to give odds - except that the longer it's not arrived the less it gets. I have had fish delayed 3 days that were fine. Inverts are more difficult to say - since they can look dead and recover - I would try the smell test - if they smell rotten - they are dead

 

[mh0ward]

Well against pretty much ALL odds, the clam is alive. I’m not sure how “well” it is doing, but it is alive, it is apparently a fighter, and it will open about 1/2” so far. After opening the styrofoam cooler, I would have bet quite a bit of money that everything in that order was dead because of how cold it was. I pierced one of the bags with the temp probe and read 55 degrees. And the bag that the clam was in had leaked about half of its water out (which might be why the heat pack was not even warm).

That is as much water that was left in the bag when I opened the cooler. I acclimated it, and it’s in the tank… hoping for the best!

 

[MnFish1]

watch it very very very carefully

 

[mh0ward]

Anything in particular I should look out for? This will be my first clam.

 

[hart24601]

Just make sure it extends the mantle and doesn’t pull away from the shell. Nothing you can do but wait.

 

[mh0ward]

Well it made it through the night! It seems to be opening a little further too.

There were 4 other coral frags in that order and somehow the clam is doing better than all of them - a candy cane, a zoa frag, an acan and a birdsnest (already bone white, not surprised).

 

[Tamberav]

Well against pretty much ALL odds, the clam is alive. I’m not sure how “well” it is doing, but it is alive, it is apparently a fighter, and it will open about 1/2” so far. After opening the styrofoam cooler, I would have bet quite a bit of money that everything in that order was dead because of how cold it was. I pierced one of the bags with the temp probe and read 55 degrees. And the bag that the clam was in had leaked about half of its water out (which might be why the heat pack was not even warm).

That is as much water that was left in the bag when I opened the cooler. I acclimated it, and it’s in the tank… hoping for the best!

My dersa came in low 50's and it was overnight, no delay, was 2 weeks ago, clam looks great and no cares in the world. Fish mostly did fine too, some corals also did amazing, a few died. Euphyllia and chalice did not care bag was 52, acro's DO care though!

 

[formallydehyde]

I had an ORA yellow porites delayed by by only about 8 hours that arrived cold, with a dead randall's assessor. I filed a claim on the fish but regrettably not on the coral because while it was pale-ish, the tissue looked okay and the polyps were retracted so I couldn't assess them. The polyps never opened up and it definitely did not survive the trip, but it was too late to get a refund at that point.

I am glad the clam seems to have made it, but I would definitely would at least alert the seller to a potential DOA situation so you have it documented if it turns out the corals don't make it, especially the birdsnest.

 

[BryanM]

I had 6 items delayed 1 day recently. 4 made it, two did not. The deaths were a splitting torch and pink Goni.

Just depends on your luck