Live online orders - how long can they sit in the box?

[ants86]

I recently ordered a midas blenny, trachy and stylophora from LiveAquaria, but the package delivered a day earlier than they promised. As a result I can't get to the livestock until very late tonight as I work about 1.5 hours from home, at which point the contents will have been in the shipping box for about 36 hours.

In your experiences, how long can the livestock stay in the box for without any adverse effects? LiveAquaria told me up to 72 hours, but that seems like a long time. I could have my wife help me to acclimate/quarantine the fish, but would much rather do so myself.

Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions they could share?

 

[AbsoluteFaye]

Depends on the weather a lot. If it's too hot or too cold that would change the temp in the box. If it's mild weather I think 36 hours would be fine. Just try to get to that box ASAP! Good luck. My Midas blenny is my fav fish in my smaller tank. So much personality.

 

[Sniperhank]

With live aquaria, they should be ok. Just get to them ASAP and make sure you acclimate them for about 2 hours by drip acclimation so you don't shock them.

 

[ants86]

Thanks. My wife got too excited and opened the box, but wants to wait til I get home before acclimating and quarantining. She said she couldn't see the midas blenny though! It's now impossible for me to concentrate at work...

 

[AbsoluteFaye]

If she opened the box she should probably float the bags so they don't get too cold.

 

[ants86]

Thanks Faye. Luckily liveaquaria included a heating pack and she put the pack back in and sealed the box.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I'd ask her to start floating them at least. If she can do so and have the bags open that would also help.

 

[Myfisheatsyours]

If they don't make it you can most likely get a refund or a new specimen. Iv had problems in the past with them and all it took was an email and they fixed whatever the issue was. Sometimes they are more expensive or don't have exactly what you want but their customer service is impeccable.

 

[ants86]

Everything seems to be doing well so far! Mickey the midas blenny is finally eating and seems to be enjoying his new PVC/live rock QT shelter and the trachy opened up and ate mysis the first night. I don't have a separate QT for the corals so I just dipped them in coral rx and am hoping for the best!

 

[huma-huma]

If they don't make it you can most likely get a refund or a new specimen. Iv had problems in the past with them and all it took was an email and they fixed whatever the issue was. Sometimes they are more expensive or don't have exactly what you want but their customer service is impeccable.

Why would you even make this comment? Just because a company has a guarantee on their livestock does not mean we should be so careless in tending to them. To the OP, glad to hear they are doing good! Just recently got my first live shipment from liveaquaria and have to say im greatly impressed with their packing/shipping.

 

[Tuck]

Why would you even make this comment? Just because a company has a guarantee on their livestock does not mean we should be so careless in tending to them. To the OP, glad to hear they are doing good! Just recently got my first live shipment from liveaquaria and have to say im greatly impressed with their packing/shipping.

I think he was saying if by them time he gets to the fish they have passed away... Then inform the company because they were delivered at the wrong day and time. What if his wife wasn't home either?

I dont think he was saying just f**k the fish if they die who cares 8/......

 

[DELTA1579]

I think he was saying if by them time he gets to the fish they have passed away... Then inform the company because they were delivered at the wrong day and time. What if his wife wasn't home either? I dont think he was saying just f**k the fish if they die who cares 8/......

I agree, I don't think the OP was meaning for it to be interpreted like that

 

[Myfisheatsyours]

Why would you even make this comment? Just because a company has a guarantee on their livestock does not mean we should be so careless in tending to them. To the OP, glad to hear they are doing good! Just recently got my first live shipment from liveaquaria and have to say im greatly impressed with their packing/shipping.

People like you are exactly why other people stop using this app. I was simply giving the OP alittle reassurance aswell as complimenting liveaquaria. At no point did I say leave f the fish. At no point did I say anything about being careless towards the fish. Grow up and stop thinkin your better than the next person.

 

[willbratz]

People like you are exactly why other people stop using this app. I was simply giving the OP alittle reassurance aswell as complimenting liveaquaria. At no point did I say leave f the fish. At no point did I say anything about being careless towards the fish. Grow up and stop thinkin your better than the next person.

I thought it was a pretty silly comment myself. I knew exactly what you were saying. Don't let silly comments like this keep you from posting. There are people like me who root out the dumb, or ignorant comments.

 

[huma-huma]

How is dumb or ignorant? And im glad you think so highly of me. You posted "if you dont get to it in time, they have a guarantee" which is implying that "oh its ok if you dont get home and they die, the business will just send you more"... All i said was that we need to practice good husbandry and try our best to insure our fish survive. Perhaps you need to find a way to handle criticisim better (or choose your words better). Im sure im not the only person that got the wrong impression from your poorly worded post

 

[bshenanagins]

How is dumb or ignorant? And im glad you think so highly of me. You posted "if you dont get to it in time, they have a guarantee" which is implying that "oh its ok if you dont get home and they die, the business will just send you more"... All i said was that we need to practice good husbandry and try our best to insure our fish survive. Perhaps you need to find a way to handle criticisim better (or choose your words better). Im sure im not the only person that got the wrong impression from your poorly worded post

I see why you intervened hum. Not to thread jack, but as I've stated in other threads, lots of members take this hobby very personally. Regardless of the intentions, no experienced keeper would want a delivered fish to remain in the bag more than 5 minutes unattended to upon arrival, let alone over an hour. To the OP, your concern is understandable and doing whatever you can to ensure safe acclimation is commendable. To other posters, careful with your statements, something's are just better left unsaid. Not to argue, but a guarantee is made for DOA's, not because of your inability to recieve the shipment when it's made. This is what I believe rubbed hum the wrong way, NBD lets move on we're all pals here

 

[huma-huma]

No harsh feelings here, would hate to see fellow hobbyists fall back on a guarantee to supplement careless husbandry

 

[Gregcoyote]

I agree to a point. I take losses hard, I take it personally, what could I have done better...? And after owning fish stores I realized not everyone felt this way. To many folks fish are like fresh flowers, they are decorations that just last a short time . That is what drove me out of the retail side. I didn't blame them for their opinions, I just didn't want to enable them by supplying them a endless stream of fish and coral. But the OP got placed in a jam. When I imported fish in bulk, the shippers were always on the verge of bankrupting me by letting fish sit on the loading ramp for days.