Buying fish online vs the LFS

[jay0705]

Here's an article explaining how the fish get to Saltwaterfish.com and how the LFS's get them https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/c/index.php/articles/content/buying-marine-life-online.120
Although there is a risk with shipping the marine life, most everything does perfectly fine, and like Honu said, we offer a guarantee. Personally I like to see what I'm getting as well. That's part of the joy for me, going to the store and seeing what they have to offer, and how the marine life looks and acts.

Do u folks special acclimate the fish food wise? I ask bc the alage blenny I purchased from swf.com is a fat ole boy that loves mysis, but another I got at a lfs wouldn't touch any frozen.

 

[candaceswf]

We feed the fish a variety of foods such as macroalgae, frozen mysis, live brine, and pellets.

 

[jay0705]

Ah very good

 

[2014FishKiller]

I brought 15 fish from here, the quality in here is very good, if the bag doesn't broke. However I only have one fish left out of 15. The last time it was about one month ago, three of bags are half fill when I get it. two of the fish die right away or disappear, and made a complaint with no result. and decided I am not going buy any fish from here. But again, I like the price and quality, it could be me that kill the fish.

 

[jay0705]

My stuff was all packaged well. The hermits and snails honestly idk if they made it or not lol. The 1 fish and 3 shrimp however did

 

[honu808]

Don't know the specifics in your tank size, filtration, acclimation practices and how many fish added at once etc., but I can say that EVERYTHING I have ever bought from swf.com is not only still alive but is the strongest specimens I have ever cared for.

 

[2014FishKiller]

Don't know the specifics in your tank size, filtration, acclimation practices and how many fish added at once etc., but I can say that EVERYTHING I have ever bought from swf.com is not only still alive but is the strongest specimens I have ever cared for.

I need to find a better way to change water, I have two times and total of 9 fish gone after next day.

 

[flower]

I brought 15 fish from here, the quality in here is very good, if the bag doesn't broke. However I only have one fish left out of 15. The last time it was about one month ago, three of bags are half fill when I get it. two of the fish die right away or disappear, and made a complaint with no result. and decided I am not going buy any fish from here. But again, I like the price and quality, it could be me that kill the fish.

LOL...You call yourself a fish killer... I very seldom have a fish die on me, and I have ordered plenty from on-line. I think you may be living up to your name....15 fish you have lost so far??? Oh my!

Questions:

• Are you home to receive your fish the moment they arrive at your door?
• Are from an area where the fish are not delivered within 24 hours?
• How are you acclimating them?
• How many fish do you add at one time?
• What do you have in the tank already? maybe you over stock (too much too soon) or perhaps have a territorial critter killing your new fish.

 

[honu808]

How are you changing water? Are you mixing your RO/DI water/saltmix and letting it mix/ aerate with a powerhead and heater overnight?

 

[2014FishKiller]

LOL...You call yourself a fish killer... I very seldom have a fish die on me, and I have ordered plenty from on-line. I think you may be living up to your name....15 fish you have lost so far??? Oh my!

Questions:

• Are you home to receive your fish the moment they arrive at your door?
• Are from an area where the fish are not delivered within 24 hours?
• How are you acclimating them?
• How many fish do you add at one time?
• What do you have in the tank already? maybe you over stock (too much too soon) or perhaps have a territorial critter killing your new fish.

When I get the fish health, I don't have problem, I acclimated 3 hour except the last one (2 hours), I saw the water damaged from the top of the box, and three bags of water are half empty, i was rush to do the acclimate, the Goby and mama cap did not make it. My problem is changing water, I have two time changing, the next morning 4-5 fish are die. I used order between 7-8 fish to get best value,

 

[2014FishKiller]

How are you changing water? Are you mixing your RO/DI water/saltmix and letting it mix/ aerate with a powerhead and heater overnight?

Yes, I learn my lesson.

 

[mauler]

When I get the fish health, I don't have problem, I acclimated 3 hour except the last one (2 hours), I saw the water damaged from the top of the box, and three bags of water are half empty, i was rush to do the acclimate, the Goby and mama cap did not make it. My problem is changing water, I have two time changing, the next morning 4-5 fish are die. I used order between 7-8 fish to get best value,

I think when you buy online fish a faster acclamation time is better since when you open the bag the ph rises and the ammonia becomes toxic so I always just float the bag and throw them in.
Also it seems you were trying to add way to many fish at one time

 

[2014FishKiller]

I think when you buy online fish a faster acclamation time is better since when you open the bag the ph rises and the ammonia becomes toxic so I always just float the bag and throw them in.
Also it seems you were trying to add way to many fish at one time

My problem is CHANGING water, not acclimated, If I brought fish from *****, I did same way you did - put the bags on top of water for 15 minutes, if I brought from here, it requires 3 hours to do the acclimates, I always follows the instruction where I get the fish from.

 

[mauler]

I'm just saying I don't think it takes 3 hours to acclimate a fish I've never done anything but float and dump. And like I said when a fish is shipped the ammonia builds up but since it's in a bag the ph drops making it less toxic but as soon as you open the bag to drip acclimate the ph spikes and the ammonia becomes toxic again which is why I say it's better to get shipped fish into the tank as fast as possible.
Why would water changes kill your fish? I'm pretty sure it was just to many fish added at once and because of a long unnecessary acclamation.

 

[2014FishKiller]

I have used tap water and did not wait 24 hours, does not use heater.

All the fish I brought from here, it live more than a month, except three with bad shipment. When you brought fish from here, it quarantine 15 days, but it requires acclimate their way.

 

[honu808]

Temp and salinity have to be matched perfect or it shocks fish and puts them in a lot of stress. Because of this, many if all wont live.

 

[honu808]

Also, places like ***** have their fish in hyposalinity usually @ 1.008 or so to keep ick away. If you then place those fish in your display tank and you keep it at 1.024 thats a big shock to them unless you properly acclimate them.

 

[pfcbizz]

I prefer on-line, I like the guarantee. Also there is a better selection. The biggest plus...The fish are not shipped, then dumped into a tank for me to see and purchase, stressing it out more by netting and bagging it yet again to take it home to me. I have a book (with pictures, all the same species look the same if they are healthy), and there are lots of articles on the web to tell me how to care for any critter.

I do believe in supporting our LFSs... I do check to see what they have, and if they have something I like, I will buy it. Mostly I purchase stuff like food at the LFS, I would be lost without them and I want them to stay open for business.

I only have a ***** near me and the LFS I used to go to is very far away and the selection is limited and very costly so I want to have another alternitive and online is it for now and I still like ***** and my LFS.

 

[pfcbizz]

Also, places like ***** have their fish in hyposalinity usually @ 1.008 or so to keep ick away. If you then place those fish in your display tank and you keep it at 1.024 thats a big shock to them unless you properly acclimate them.

I bought my Keyhole Angel from ***** and he's fine but the slection is little and the cost is high.

 

[2014FishKiller]

Also, places like ***** have their fish in hyposalinity usually @ 1.008 or so to keep ick away. If you then place those fish in your display tank and you keep it at 1.024 thats a big shock to them unless you properly acclimate them.

When I mention hypo-salinity or setup my tank at 1.008 salinity, the ***** guy look at me like are you sick, and told me put it back up to 1.021-1.022 since I have fish only tank.