Buying fish online vs the LFS
- Thread starter pfcbizz
- Start date
silverado61
Well-Known Member
I agree. Plus, it gives you a chance to see what condition it's in (frayed fins, lateral line, full belly and so on.), if it's eating, how active it is and how well it plays with others.
I also think there's a big difference in stress between shipping via mail (3-4 days) versus shipping from a lfs to your home (1-2 hours).
But, that's just me.
silverado61
Well-Known Member
Don't get me wrong. I've ordered live stock online. My cuc and my serpent stars for example. I just think fish are under a lot more stress than anything else during shipping and once it leaves the shippers hands and is enroute, who knows how they're handling the box's. I ordered live lock from here and the packing box was put into the shipping box upside down. Needless to say what little water was in with the rocks was gone by the time it reached me and the box was soaked.
silverado61
Well-Known Member
Again, that's just my opinion.
silverado61
Well-Known Member
Got that right. Lol. I bought some chaeto just this past weekend from a LFS and didn't find out till after it was in the sump that it had Aiptasia. I put on a pair of rubber gloves, shut off the return pump, scooped the chaeto out with a glass bowl, tossed it in the sink and ran the garbage disposal. Then I spent the next hour with my head in the sump area looking for more. I did find one very small bugger stuck to the sump wall so I boiled some water and disintegrated the little bastard. I keep checking the sump every chance I get. I look like I've got my head stuck an oven. I'll keep checking the sump and display till I get a peppermint shrimp. 
silverado61
Well-Known Member
saltwaterfish.com has a good selection.
jay0705
Well-Known Member
Agreed, its the only online site I have ordered from. The live stock is still going good. Bout 2 months later
candaceswf
Administrator
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.
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.
flower
Well-Known Member
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 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.
silverado61
Well-Known Member
I just read the link posted by candaceswf and it makes perfect sense. You cut out so many "middle men" when you purchase online as apposed to the lfs. I never realized what they go through just to get to a lfs. I'm starting to lean the other direction.