Buying Fish Online - Aquarium Advice

Mlrust1816 · 01-17-2006, 06:48 PM

So whats the deal with buying fish online, is it a good deal?

mr funktastic · 01-17-2006, 07:53 PM

its not always a good deal but u are able to get fish that are usually not available at your [acronym:0beba7a265="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:0beba7a265]. there are sooo many more fish than u even know about that u can get for your aquarium and they are all available online but at a cost.

**Zagz** · 01-17-2006, 08:39 PM

If you shop around and check carefully, quite often you can find deals online. But keep in mind you usually have to purchase a fair quantity to make it worthwhile. I just purchased 9 fish online. I wouldn't be able to afford buying only a few.

crazycat · 01-17-2006, 09:56 PM

i buy a lot of fish online. shipping can be a killer, but it's allowed me to acquire a lot of fish that i can't get locally. i use aquabid fairly often--and i have one word of advice--it's a very incestuous community--and their are some really untrustworthy sellers--so CHECK feedback! and if a seller has bad feedback, check the feedback of the people who gave it to him/her. sometimes people use negative feedback punitively on the site, just to get back at a seller for some petty reason. if the personal who leaves negative feedback also has negative feedback, i'd take that into consideration when evaluating a seller. and if you have questions, especially about shipping, ASK FIRST! that being said, most of my online fish buying experiences have been very positive!

crazyred · 01-18-2006, 10:56 AM

I have used aquabid and exoticfinds.net and had a really good experience with both. I do second what crazycat said about checking sellers on aquabid.

I've also heard good things about liveaquaria.com, azgardens.com, and fish2u.com, but the shipping can get up there. My [acronym:9a44ceb20a="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:9a44ceb20a] has nada and they are limited by their supplier on what they can order for me, so if I want something cool and unique then I have no choice. It's worked out pretty good so far.

sherry · 01-18-2006, 03:56 PM

I have had good luck with AZGARDENS. I have had BETTER luck with them when I order in nicer weather (above 50 degrees). They will make good anything that doesn't arrive alive and well, and they will do so no questions asked, no pictures required, no argument.. but I would still rather just have live healthy fish.

Also with AZGARDENS I find it helps to call them to make the order.. this way you can ask how big a fish is shipping at. Sometimes they send incredible speciimens, sometimes smaller, younger fish. If you care, ask ahead of time. They are good honest people and will tell you just what you are buying.

It also helps to let them know if you ONLY want the fish if everything you order is in stock. Shipping at any of these places is high... and you don't want in two orders what you can get in one.

I have recieved the most remarkable apisto cacatoides from AZGARDENS. beautiful big Farolowella cat fish.. Very "handsome" large bristlenose plecos, and beautiful and active feather fin rainbows.They will also send you females where a lot of fish stores for the rainbows don't even stock them.

Their plants are always fantastic, no questions needed.

Oh. the other nice thing about www.azgardens.com is that their prices are so much lower than the [acronym:45df0cb431="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:45df0cb431], that it takes the sting out of some of the shipping. but expect the shipping to be between 40 and 60 bucks.

they dont' make any money on it.. .but they do use fedex overnight to ensure that your fish have teh best possible chance of getting to you in good shape.

It helps to split an order with a friend.. Or to order when you have a bunch of demand... It is never worth it to order just one or two fish.

Az gardens also has a great variety of shrimp and they sell my favortie snails.. olive nerites. they completely keep my glass algae free and they DON"T reproduce in fresh water.. which I love since my red ramshorns reproduce far too much.

01-17-2006, 06:48 PM	#1
Mlrust1816 Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Winona Mn Posts: 65	Buying Fish Online So whats the deal with buying fish online, is it a good deal? __________________ Mike 20 Gallon High Power head for water movement and a Cascade 100 Filter 1 Male and 1 Female Mikrogeophagus altispinosus 4 Coradoras (3 juli, 1 yellow rabauti) 1 Brachydanio rerio 5 Hyphessobrycon serpae 1 Gyrinocheilus aymonieri 1 Otocinclus

01-17-2006, 09:56 PM	#4
crazycat Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: nyc Posts: 597 Images: 19	i buy a lot of fish online. shipping can be a killer, but it's allowed me to acquire a lot of fish that i can't get locally. i use aquabid fairly often--and i have one word of advice--it's a very incestuous community--and their are some really untrustworthy sellers--so CHECK feedback! and if a seller has bad feedback, check the feedback of the people who gave it to him/her. sometimes people use negative feedback punitively on the site, just to get back at a seller for some petty reason. if the personal who leaves negative feedback also has negative feedback, i'd take that into consideration when evaluating a seller. and if you have questions, especially about shipping, ASK FIRST! that being said, most of my online fish buying experiences have been very positive! __________________ don't turn your back on the ocean.

01-18-2006, 10:56 AM	#5
crazyred Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Harlingen, Texas Posts: 1,179 Images: 1	I have used aquabid and exoticfinds.net and had a really good experience with both. I do second what crazycat said about checking sellers on aquabid. I've also heard good things about liveaquaria.com, azgardens.com, and fish2u.com, but the shipping can get up there. My [acronym:9a44ceb20a="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:9a44ceb20a] has nada and they are limited by their supplier on what they can order for me, so if I want something cool and unique then I have no choice. It's worked out pretty good so far. __________________ "My name is Crazy Red and I'm an Aquariumaholic." ~~Melissa~~dedicated Ram breeder~~ 55 gal.FW: 4 platies, 3 angelfish, 3 Cochu's blue tetras, 2 Rummynose tetras, 4 A. cacatuoides, 1 A. trifasciata, 2 blue rams, 6 Von Rio tetras, 1 Queen Arabesque pleco 29 Gal. FW: 2 variatus platies, 6 cherry barbs, 10 harlequin rasboras, 1 opaline gourami, 1 hillstream loach, 1 Rio Jari pleco (L-316), 1 GBR 10 Gal. FW: 1 african clawed frog, 1 dwarf flame gourami 10 Gal. FW:tons of blue ram fry (4) 2 Gal. FW: all four with male bettas

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01-17-2006, 07:53 PM	#2
mr funktastic Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: alliston, ON Posts: 2,220 Images: 17	its not always a good deal but u are able to get fish that are usually not available at your [acronym:0beba7a265="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:0beba7a265]. there are sooo many more fish than u even know about that u can get for your aquarium and they are all available online but at a cost.

01-18-2006, 03:56 PM	#6
sherry Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: new york city Posts: 539 Images: 2	I have had good luck with AZGARDENS. I have had BETTER luck with them when I order in nicer weather (above 50 degrees). They will make good anything that doesn't arrive alive and well, and they will do so no questions asked, no pictures required, no argument.. but I would still rather just have live healthy fish. Also with AZGARDENS I find it helps to call them to make the order.. this way you can ask how big a fish is shipping at. Sometimes they send incredible speciimens, sometimes smaller, younger fish. If you care, ask ahead of time. They are good honest people and will tell you just what you are buying. It also helps to let them know if you ONLY want the fish if everything you order is in stock. Shipping at any of these places is high... and you don't want in two orders what you can get in one. I have recieved the most remarkable apisto cacatoides from AZGARDENS. beautiful big Farolowella cat fish.. Very "handsome" large bristlenose plecos, and beautiful and active feather fin rainbows.They will also send you females where a lot of fish stores for the rainbows don't even stock them. Their plants are always fantastic, no questions needed. Oh. the other nice thing about www.azgardens.com is that their prices are so much lower than the [acronym:45df0cb431="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:45df0cb431], that it takes the sting out of some of the shipping. but expect the shipping to be between 40 and 60 bucks. they dont' make any money on it.. .but they do use fedex overnight to ensure that your fish have teh best possible chance of getting to you in good shape. It helps to split an order with a friend.. Or to order when you have a bunch of demand... It is never worth it to order just one or two fish. Az gardens also has a great variety of shrimp and they sell my favortie snails.. olive nerites. they completely keep my glass algae free and they DON"T reproduce in fresh water.. which I love since my red ramshorns reproduce far too much.