What percentage of online ordered fish survive?

[Firemanreefkeeper]

I was in another thread talking about fish that were ordered from online vendors and how disappointed some were that they received sick fish. It made me think, how many fish have you bought from any online vendor in the past year and how many did not survive longer than a month? That includes QT and nonQT fish as I know some don't QT.
My second question is, how do we increase the percent of survivability? I know not all fish will survive shipping, it's just one of those things, but there has to be a way.

My percentage is 1 in 6. My hippo tang was DOA. My yellow tang was really thin and had what I think was fin erosion and lateral line disease. He got velvet and didn't make it. Labouts wrasse was DOA. Exquisite wrasse lasted 10 days then just died. Yellow fin wrasse got ick then velvet and I could not save him. I have a red head wrasse that did make it into my tank after a lengthy QT and I currently have a Lubbock wrasse that just started QT and prazipro so I hope he makes it. Fingers crossed .

 

[Old Fritz]

I dont order online that much and the only deads ive had was because the company didn't but in heat packs in the box during the middle of a chicago winter. They were all dead when they arrived. Otherwise i haven't had a dead from anything else but like i said i dont order online often because i like to know what a fish looks like in person before purchasing it

 

[4FordFamily]

When quarantined properly not many, unless they’re already an expert or difficult level fish. Remember, LFS source their fish from the same places as the online retailers. In fact, many online retailers don’t ship from their own facilities, rather the distributor directly in their company’s box.

 

[Firemanreefkeeper]

When quarantined properly not many, unless they’re already an expert or difficult level fish. Remember, LFS source their fish from the same places as the online retailers. In fact, many online retailers don’t ship from their own facilities, rather the distributor directly in their company’s box.

So how do we make it better for the fish? All but one of my fish, I have 6, came from 1 of 2 LFS in my area. And none of those died except the one that carpet surfed. That was my fault. If they all get them from a few big fish vendors, I wonder how many don't survive for them?

 

[fishnchip]

I have ordered almost all my fish from online retailers and have had an overall good experience! There have been a couple that just didn't look right and only lasted a few months but that's the risk taken when not observing the fish in person prior to purchasing. I think what needs to be improved most in order to increase survivability in fish ordered online is properly QTing the fish at the retailers and allowing enough time for the fish to recoup from arriving to the online retailer's facility to avoid the fish from contracting any diseases. I think most would agree that ordering fish online can be a gamble since we don't know what kind of treatment and conditions the fish was in prior to it being purchased. Just my 2 cents

 

[Joshua2598]

2/3 of mine have been either doa or died 24 hours later

 

[d2mini]

I only order fish from LA Divers Den and almost all survive (short term). If they don't, LA makes good on it.

 

[declanisadog]

I’ve had a few die within a few days, and a few more DOA. Fortunately I’ve been lucky with disease. I’ve had easy QT experiences with all of mine that survived up front. Live Aquaria’s 14 day guarantee will keep me coming back.

 

[Reefbuds]

I don't QT at all. I also don't order many fish at ALL online. Not to say one shouldn't. I have just gotten all of my fish via LFS. I did get an irresistible pair of Flame Hawkfish from DD tho. Something I've wanted for a very long time and something you really can't get in an LFS. Acclimated for about 2 or 3 hours if I remember correctly. They are doing great, both have striking color again.. although the female never lost any.
I feel like if you are ordering online WYSIWYG is the way to go. It's the closest to being in a LFS as you can get in the online retail.

 

[scurvy dawg]

I have purchased exclusively from LA and Divers Den. I am sitting at exactly 50% total deaths over the last 3 years. 80% DOA and 20% died in QT.

Not that great

 

[ca1ore]

So, I actually keep track. Over the last five years, excluding fish that arrived DOA, it is right around 80%. Including DOA, around 75%. I do lose some beyond 1 month, usually a result of post ich/velvet bacterial issues, but that’s only a few percentage points. Survival to a year is about 70%. Last year I’ve actually done a bit better that’s that, though it skewed mostly by my damsel obsession.

NYAquatic has been the best %, though they’re local to me, so no shipping required. LA/DD and BluZoo also very good, though sample size for the latter is low. LFS survival rates are not materially higher. Best, of course, is getting fish from local reefers ..... 100%.

 

[Tamberav]

In the past year... I have had 7 fish survive from LA/DD and 6 deaths, all within the 14 days or DOA though.. so whatever. A few of the deaths were poor shipper/finicky fish and survival wasn't really in their favor to begin with.

LFS I have had 2 survive and 4 deaths.

LFS always seems worse off for me and no guarantee. Of the two survivors from LFS one had ich but made it through treatment, other was clean. They sell a ton of fish.. so I think with so many constantly moving in and out, they have a lot of parasites come through and you can't just watch a fish for a few weeks because it will be sold by then. The prices are great though, saw a pintail wrasse for $50 and bellus for $80 so perhaps worth the risk.

A different LFS conditiones everything so giving that one a shot and ordered an anthia from them, so we'll see.

 

[rkpetersen]

My overall qt survival rate seems to be about the same whether from an lfs or wysiwyg online (Diver's Den and Blue Zoo), about 80%. Lose 1 in 5. Not bad, but losing a fish still always upsets me more than it probably should.

 

[408Dartfish]

I’m about 15 of 16 on keeping online fish alive so far 6 months in. Zero QT and the 1 death was my most expensive fish. Dustin.

 

[Firemanreefkeeper]

Thank you for the responses. I guess it's a 50/50 shot then of surviving so far. I'm well below the average so I've had bad luck or I should change where I buy from. I do try to buy locally but they just don't have the fish I want. If there was an online store that bought a bunch of fish and housed them for a few weeks to give them a rest I'd buy from them. I believe the fish would have a much better chance of making it if they had a 'layover' after a journey half way around the world.

 

[Aaron4890]

I’ve only ordered from LA and had a 90% DOA and 10% die within a day. I gave up on online ordering fish.

 

[Reefman71]

I order 100 percent online, fish and coral. I live in Paducah KY, no LFS unless I drive to Nashville or Saint Louis. I’ve had gear luck. 4 out of five I’d say over the last 15 years I’ve lived here.

 

[shred5]

Live aquaria Wisconsin 100 percent arrived alive and survived.

Live Aquaria Florida and California I have probably less than 20 percent survive. These two are horrible at shipping.

LA is the only place I have ordered fish from. I have a good lfs.

 

[ca1ore]

Obviously there’s not much that we can do with fish that arrive dead, but there are ways to improve survivability of those that arrive alive. The best thing, IME, is to have a well considered quarantine setup. Not just to catch disease, but to ease acclimation and encourage eating. Putting a new fish into a tank of established, territorial bullies when stressed and often malnourished has always struck me as foolish if survival is the goal. I did it for years, with only modest success. Now, once I get a fish though my QT system, it is quite unusual for a fish not to establish in the display. I do occasionally have to resort to various interventions, but mostly not. An acclimated fish at a healthy weight has reserves that a new fish does not.

 

[steve bergmann]

I have had very good luck with Live Aquaria. I would say 90% survival rate. I do have several cleaner shrimp and a cleaner wrasse that I think help out, and a good idea on what fish will get along. I have an evil Powder Blue Tang that can get nasty so I have to add fish that won't annoy him too much. Knocks out the Achilles Tang that I want to add .