Need your opionion on online ordering of fish

[8965]

i'm looking to purchase a tang in the next few weeks and would like your opinion on whether or not I should order online or not. The reason for ordering a tang online is because they are much cheaper than if I would go to my LFS (about a $45.00 difference). My major concern is how do these fish handle the "overnight in the bag thing?" Are they much harder to acclimate than if they are in the bag for an hour or so on my drive home?

 

[Anemoneman]

Fish ordered online will be fine. Acclimate slowly then net the fish and put in your tank, don't add the bag water.
The only concern I would have is the cold temperature this time of year. IMO its best to order online in the warmer months.

 

[yaksplat]

I ordered a bunch of inverts in the middle of february in Buffalo, NY. Everyone survived fine. The heat packs in the box were still warm.

 

[b3noodles]

I had a problem with ordering online I bought a blue tang and it arrived dead. I called the place and they sent another that died in transit. When I called and told them they told me that they would refund the cost of the fish but not the shipping so it cost me $25 for two dead fish. How lucky am I to get such a great deal? That was about 3 months ago from liveaquaria.com so be careful.

 

[lbaier]

i had problems with liveaquaria as well. The fish they gave me is missing his back top back fin and was full grown, i had at the time all babies so he was the outcast and only survived because we divided the tank in half. they again sent me a coral banded shrimp instead of a mantis shrimp, that mistake has cost me all the crabs and snails. They also messed up my shipping and said they would give me my next order free, and then said that the proper way is that they would have sent me paper work. So the fish is a pain, but his name is Stumpy and we love him!

I would never buy from them again, i'm very cautious to buy online as well. mareindepot has a good record with me, but that was crabs and other cleaners.

 

[lbaier]

i have to change that, it was saltwaterfish.com not liveaquaria... i just found the bank statements.

 

[AirRazr]

lbair... you wanted a mantis shrimp?? Everything I have read about them say they are generally pests and you should get them out of your tank as soon as possible.

 

[lbaier]

On the website it was claimed to be an algea eater, I still haven't researched shrimp. I can't kill it, I'm going to get another tank eventually, we always have to upgrade! and he can live alone. are the coral banded shrimp pests? this one has been eating all our snails and even snips at the fish at night, I don't really trust much research from the internet!

 

[blorkiemom]

I don't really trust much research from the internet!

Except your good friends at AA, right?

 

[ellisz]

My order with saltwaterfish.com came out pretty good. 2 fish ordered are still kicking. I did lose 3 out of 4 peppermint shrimp though.