Where to buy fish online?

[littlefoxx]

NY Aquatic sent me a fish that was tiny and emaciated and on its way out when I opened the box. I couldnt believe theyd send me a fish this emaciated that obviously hadnt been eating. They didn't count this as DOA even though it was already on its side and gasping before I took it out. I gave it a chance and it died in hours.

The other fish in the box was okay, but never ate frozen food as they guarantee on their site.

After sending video and pics they only gave me store credit. Now I have to pay for shipping all over again. I don't understand that logic of not counting the fish as DOA. Honestly, I should've just let it die then took the pic.

Buyer beware.

They sent me a grouper with a “heat pack” that was ice cold when I got the fish. She died and I made them refund me. Who sends a fish in winter with a busted heat pack

 

[mosreef]

I've had really great luck with reefs4less.com - I've bought 76 fish from them (stocked my tank, moved cross country, stocked it again) - and only had a couple of DOAs, which they covered. Everything arrives very healthy. I follow Jay's QT protocol and everything has done really well. (With one exception - a batch of baby clownfish that arrived inbred with deformed mouths, swimming funny, very sickly etc. I do avoid captive bred clownfish from them) All in all I highly recommend them.

 

[Tinnerito]

Similar experience with Dr Reef. The customer service is great, but I've had too many heart-breaking losses. I'm going assume the further the fish travels, the more concerned I should be. I've had great luck with Seahorse Savvy, and my LFS can order pretty much anything I want.

Same here, although every so often I get rare animals whet

I've had really great luck with reefs4less.com - I've bought 76 fish from them (stocked my tank, moved cross country, stocked it again) - and only had a couple of DOAs, which they covered. Everything arrives very healthy. I follow Jay's QT protocol and everything has done really well. (With one exception - a batch of baby clownfish that arrived inbred with deformed mouths, swimming funny, very sickly etc. I do avoid captive bred clownfish from them) All in all I highly recommend them.

76 fish, wow. Will definitetly consider!

 

[BMThunder]

Similar experience with Dr Reef. The customer service is great, but I've had too many heart-breaking losses. I'm going assume the further the fish travels, the more concerned I should be. I've had great luck with Seahorse Savvy, and my LFS can order pretty much anything I want.

She has my vote. Two days delivery on the east coast. I tried from west coast shops with disastrous results. She is promoted by a couple YouTube reefers. They prophylactically deworm all their fish as well as run an anti-parasitic treatment on all of their fish. (their statement, not mine). don't get me wrong, I've still Dink and Stripes from the LFS!!! (something to be said there)...

Alyssa's Seahorse Savvy

Welcome to Seahorse Savvy. We are a Maryland Seahorse Farm producing high quality captive bred Seahorses for retail and wholesale markets.

seahorsesavvy.com

 

[CedarReef]

I have had great service from saltwaterfish.com

 

[flatlander93]

I only order fish from reefbeauties. They ship UPS. I wouldn’t order if they shipped FedEX. They don’t even try to get me stuff on time.

 

[west co reefer]

They sent me a grouper with a “heat pack” that was ice cold when I got the fish. She died and I made them refund me. Who sends a fish in winter with a busted heat pack

I hate to say it, but I feel that they do these things on fish that were probably gonna die anyway, knowing a claim will be made and they'll just give store credit. Basically the customer takes a chance on the fish that's already not doing so well, and the store takes a smaller loss. It's a dirty move that helps the business costs. And we lose out on the shipping fees.

They do these sales, we order, get a dead fish and store credit, have to reorder and the sale price is gone so now we're spending even more money and shipping fee all over again...

This makes sense because why else would they ship me an emaciated fish? The stomach was FLAT.

 

[littlefoxx]

I hate to say it, but I feel that they do these things on fish that were probably gonna die anyway, knowing a claim will be made and they'll just give store credit. Basically the customer takes a chance on the fish that's already not doing so well, and the store takes a smaller loss. It's a dirty move that helps the business costs. And we lose out on the shipping fees.

They do these sales, we order, get a dead fish and store credit, have to reorder and the sale price is gone so now we're spending even more money and shipping fee all over again...

This makes sense because why else would they ship me an emaciated fish? The stomach was FLAT.

Yep I told them they were to refund me. They did so thats good

 

[buzzfin]

I've used Ocean Devotion and Dr. Reef and both have been great. I only buy quarantined fish.

 

[awwinterfall]

I've had really great luck with reefs4less.com - I've bought 76 fish from them (stocked my tank, moved cross country, stocked it again) - and only had a couple of DOAs, which they covered. Everything arrives very healthy. I follow Jay's QT protocol and everything has done really well. (With one exception - a batch of baby clownfish that arrived inbred with deformed mouths, swimming funny, very sickly etc. I do avoid captive bred clownfish from them) All in all I highly recommend them.

I got uronema from reefs4less

 

[awwinterfall]

Luckily it was in quarantine. Still not happy.

 

[mosreef]

I got uronema from reefs4less

Was it from blue chromis? or something else?

 

[awwinterfall]

Was it from blue chromis? or something else?

Butterflyfish

 

[Cthulukelele]

Since the collapse in quality from LiveAquaria, Dr. Reef, TSA, and saltwaterfish.com are probably the 3 biggest retailers for fish, but as you can see there's no real current industry go to trusted source rn. Dr Reef is probably the closest currently.

 

[Jasonak]

Ive personally used Fish Hotel, they are great !, small outfit. He does custom orders every now and then. Ive also used Dr Reef and was very happy.

 

[jft]

Reef Beauties is who i have been using lately and highly suggest them to everyone in my local reef group and on my coral page to customers and friends and no one has been disappointed!

I ORDERED FROM THEM FOR YEARS BUT NO MORE< I BOUGHT THREE CORAL BEAUTIES AND WOULD NOT HONOR THEIR GUARENTEE!! OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH MARINE FISH AND OVER TWO GRAND SPENT WITH THEM SHOP ELSEWHERE!!!

 

[awwinterfall]

I ORDERED FROM THEM FOR YEARS BUT NO MORE< I BOUGHT THREE CORAL BEAUTIES AND WOULD NOT HONOR THEIR GUARENTEE!! OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH MARINE FISH AND OVER TWO GRAND SPENT WITH THEM SHOP ELSEWHERE!!!

I has a mystery disease from reefbeauties in my previous quarantine. Velvet symptoms but no spots.

Didn't honor guarantee for a flounder they claimed was eating. It never ate.

 

[awwinterfall]

I have luck with violet aquarium.
Although they can mess up your shipping date. So be very clear and available to receive your order

 

[Tinnerito]

I has a mystery disease from reefbeauties in my previous quarantine. Velvet symptoms but no spots.

Didn't honor guarantee for a flounder they claimed was eating. It never ate.

I guess I won't be buying from them anytime soon then. I'm happy I got all of these replies so I know everyones experiences.

 

[DCR]

To be fair to Reef Beauties, they never guarantee that a fish will eat and no one else does either. They offer a 15-day guarantee on most fish other than expert level which is arrive alive only. This is at least as good if not better than most other sites. I would not exclude based on this one post