buying fish

[mh032679]

done buying fish at PETCO!!! Would like to know if anyone knows of a website i can order fish from with low shipping rates? Thanks so much!!!!!

 

[Scott F]

Low shipping rates on livestock are next to impossible. When you consider the weight, packing materials and time it takes to do it, even live aquaria isn't bad @ $34.99 ( I think ) for shipping.

You're dealing with something that cannot, and never should, be sent ground.

I agree with Petco though. While I had a bad experience and will never go back the only things I've ever bought from them come in a box or fish food.

You can go to aqua bid and look for vendor " The wet spot." I think their shipping charges are only $24.99 and they have excellent and unusual stock.

 

[HN1]

Not true. Shipping by priority mail rarely fails and the costs are low compared to Express, Fedex, or UPS. Cost will depend on weight and distance. With the weather as warm as it is, cool packs would almost be required and being there for delivery helps. Check out aquabid or forums for individuals that are breeding or importing fish. You'll find much cooler stuff than you will at the chains too.

 

[Scott F]

If I plunked down over $100.00 on some cool fish(es) ( the last thing I'd want is to have them take 3 days to get here.

That and if I got stuck in a cardboard box I'd want to get out as soon as possible !

 

[jetajockey]

95% of the packages I send are via priority, and the doa rate is something like 1 in 50 or so, and most of those tend to be a result of a mixup in shipping or receiving. Most packages make it to their destination in 2 days.

It just doesn't make sense to ship express with cheaper orders, but I agree, on large expensive orders, express is the best way to go.

 

[DjPotter79]

I love aquabid... Not sure what type of fish you are looking for but there is a guy named lotsoffish on there and his feedback is great and offers free shipping and guaranteed live arrival. Hope I helped

 

[Rupret]

I have bought from Live Aquaria, part of Foster and Smith. Their prices are comparable for most fish and they ship FedEx overnight, at cost of about $35. When I have had fish prematurely die, they will either send out replacements at no charge or issue a credit for your next purchase.

Rupret.

 

[mh032679]

thanks a bunch

Thank you so much to all of you for your info. It was very helpful!!! Just got on here today and i love this site Thanks again everyone

 

[Bbarb27]

I bought fish from PetSolutions and overnight shipping was only 19.99 via fedex. The fish arrived healthy and very well packed and I was pleased. LiveAquaria was $35. I also looked on aqua bid but didn't find what I was looking for at the time. Most sellers offered priority mail shipping, with express as an option.

Considering how many fish I've purchased and lost due to disease from my LFS, it was worth it to buy online and pay the shipping costs.

 

[vanimal]

Well if you like aggressive fish like piranha, wolf fish, and tiger fish check out aquascapeonline.com also they have a lot of other kinds of fish too. I think you should check it out!

 

[foster53]

Check out Wetspot Tropical Fish. They have literally hundreds of fish, and some of them are very rare. UPS guaranteed overnight shipping starts at $35. In my opinion thats the only way to ship. The fish are in the bag less than 24 hrs.

 

[HN1]

Check out Wetspot Tropical Fish. They have literally hundreds of fish, and some of them are very rare. UPS guaranteed overnight shipping starts at $35. In my opinion thats the only way to ship. The fish are in the bag less than 24 hrs.

How many fish have you shipped or received? $35 is high, even for overnight and that particular site / seller has a lot of mixed reviews on Aquabid and elsewhere. Just sayin'.

 

[foster53]

I have gotten fish from Wetspot 3 times. Shipping ranged from $55 to $60 depending on the weight . I just got fish from Frank in New York, shipping was $75, the box was pretty heavy, Lots of fish. United Parcel Service is more expensive, but for rare fish I don't want to depend on the Postal Service They won't guarantee overnight anymore

 

[jetajockey]

$75 shipping? How many fish did you get? I've gotten some modest LFS stocking orders from wholesalers (i.e. ~20 different species) for around $75 in shipping costs.

 

[foster53]

I believe it was in the neighborhood of 35 fish. I fish per bag( my request). I think the total weight was around 30 lbs. UPS is a little high, I think Fedex is a little cheaper.

 

[foster53]

$75 shipping? How many fish did you get? I've gotten some modest LFS stocking orders from wholesalers (i.e. ~20 different species) for around $75 in shipping costs.

What shipping method did you use?

 

[HN1]

I believe it was in the neighborhood of 35 fish. I fish per bag( my request). I think the total weight was around 30 lbs. UPS is a little high, I think Fedex is a little cheaper.

I see where you are coming from, with wanting the rare fish to arrive alive and what not. However, based on our many experiences with shipping and receiving fish, the request to bag fish one per bag for a 35 lb. box was not only overkill, but resulted in an incredibly unpleasant bagging experience for the seller. We have also bought from Frank in NY, and his wonderfully packed box came in 2 days, full of spunky, lively fish that were packed pretty heavily. Needless to say, the shipping cost was much lower for a great result.

My wife is no "veteran" as is Frank, Pete, etc., but she has shipped literally hundreds of boxes of fish via Priority Mail, and the majority of the time the package arrives in 2 days unless the buyer is in the middle of nowhere and the package takes 3 days to arrive- the way my wife packs the boxes, 3-5 days is an easy trip for them barring unforeseen circumstances (which happen occasionally with any carrier). For larger orders, she uses Express Mail (overnight to most customers, unless they really live in the middle of nowhere, in which case it is 2 days)- again, not a problem. Express Mail shipped by weight is almost always cheaper than UPS or FedEx overnight, and even if it takes 2 days, my wife knows how to pack those boxes to ensure survival. With pure O2.

My point is, you do not have to use the most expensive shipping option to receive a well-packed box full of fish that will survive the trip.

 

[jetajockey]

The wholesaler(s) always opt for the cheapest shipping option, but in that particular instance it was usually UPS. A2A was only a little bit more but the time and effort taken to go pick it up from cargo made it a waste.

I do agree about overnight shipping on expensive/rare stuff, or if you are in the same shipping zone, but 2 day priority has served me well on nearly all of the stuff I send.

 

[foster53]

Guess I will try a different method of shipping next order. Might try it out on the common stuff first. Thanks for the input concerning success on different shipping methods. Definitely food for thought