Warning! Don't order from oceansgarden right now.

[LacroixBoy]

I'm new to reefkeeping (started my tank in early December) and have started filling out my livestock. I ordered a fish and a shrimp from oceansgarden.com last week. I was worried about the temperature given that I'm in Massachusetts, but their website has the following:

I've placed one order through them before, and everything arrived alive. Given that the forecast has shown extremely low temperatures in the northeast this week, I assumed they would pack this order more safely (i.e., with more heat packs). My fish and shrimp arrived extremely cold, turned over, and dead. Inside the box was just one heat pack. I have no idea how long they lasted along their journey but the thought of them freezing to death because oceansgarden didn't pack them well enough is very upsetting.

After talking to their customer support, they told me I should have shipped them to a FedEx facility and held them there. Honestly, I didn't know that was something I could do. In hindsight, I should have done that, but I'm new to this and their statement on the website led me to believe it would be okay.

Given that statement, and that they were shipping to Massachusetts in JANUARY, surely more could have been done to protect them. I paid $42 dollars in shipping and a $10 packing fee! And all of that for what? They were packed the same as they would other times of the year.

I've learned my lesson in all of this, but I wanted to share my experience with all of you. That statement on their website does not appear to be true. Don't be like me and believe they'll be okay.

 

[GARRIGA]

Not dismissing your experience but you now know that safest route is hub to hub and not home delivery and why perhaps this warning should be more directed at informing others best shipping method vs discrediting the shipper. Hub to hub only way I ship reptiles to a retail customer unless they fully understand and accept the risk and even then might not ship if it seems they are placing my livestock in peril.

 

[LacroixBoy]

I agree that's definitely something I've learned from this.

I think oceansgarden should take that section off their website though if they aren't actually monitoring the weather and packing accordingly.

 

[GARRIGA]

I agree that's definitely something I've learned from this.

I think oceansgarden should take that section off their website though if they aren't actually monitoring the weather and packing accordingly.

Agreed. They should emphasize hub to hub only during winter and middle of summer as those are two times where slightest delay or mishandling can cause stress. Fact is live shippers of any thing should only offer hub to hub with home delivery being a request and buyer acknowledging all risks and even then refuse shipment if there's any doubt of a safe delivery.

Obviously this doesn't solve the fact that in route that package might be left exposed to the elements or improper cabin pressures. Shipping company accepts no responsibility and be prepared for that because it happens often enough depending on layover. Heard horror stories of Dallas and Georgia and I'm sure others as well over the past two decades because we rely on humans who either may not care or paying attention to that they do.

 

[LacroixBoy]

If anyone is curious, here's the link to their page on shipping: https://www.oceansgarden.com/ordering-shipping-guarantee/

I really wish they would take more care packing livestock in the winter (surely more could be done than styrofoam, a plastic bag, and one heater pack?). Or at least they should not lead idiots like me into believing it would be fine.

 

[Mike A]

I've seen notices from a lot of online livestock vendors specifically stating that shipping would be suspended this week due to the extreme cold.

 

[mook1178]

I have never understood people ordering a tropical animal in the winter, then complaining that it died in transit. There is only so much the vendor can do and hub to hub is not always a guarantee. I do not order from online in the winter.

 

[Üter]

many vendors don't even ship in this cold. I usually would hold off until the weather was ok. I would just buy local until weather improves. some carriers leave the stuff in their vehicles over night and hard to predict storms.

 

[helmsreef]

They typically pack the box with the correct amount of packs or else they would end up heating the livestock beyond what they can handle. Its in their best interest to not do that. Going hub to hub might of kept them in a safer range and or if they just held off the shipment.

 

[Idech]

I’m from Canada and sellers do ship in winter - directly to your home. With the right amount of heat packs and a 24 hr delivery, live stock arrive safe.

 

[piranhaman00]

This is your fault for ordering. Don’t order during cold spells.

 

[jimk60]

I agree! Never order livestock for delivery in extreme weather either hot or cold. These threads happen every winter.

 

[LacroixBoy]

I agree I've learned from this, won't be ordering this way again!

I did, however, place the order 6 days ago. Oceansgarden shipped yesterday when they absolutely should have shipped it better.

My point isn't that I'm not an idiot, but that oceansgarden's policy seems to indicate that they handle this. Nowhere on their shipping page does it say anything about cold weather and not shipping during that time. I hope they see this and change how they do their packaging during the winter. A styrofoam box (with a hole punched in it??) and a single heat pack seems like the absolute bare minimum when they claim to be factoring in weather.

I would be shocked if I ordered something in May and the packaging was any different. I think that page on their website is just a lie.