Online Ordering........HONESTLY now....

[justnu]

I don't want to here from ONLY those that are biast to online ordering. HONESTLY how many are more satisfied with their online fish purchases, rather than from the LFS.
Always reading about avoiding the skiddish ones, and obviously the ones sitting on the bottom :>)etc... But if I have them sent to me I don't get my "pick of the litter".
BTW I'm in Winnipeg, Canada so they have a LONG way to travel, that's where my concern is coming from. And I don't know how well a return would go, should a fish arrive ..dead....?Or even pick-up,for that matter. Do you receive your order at the airport?
Any info is appreciated, I am new to salt and have never ordered online. Thanks in advance.

 

[luvluv]

i prefere to order on line myself , due to its hard for me to find time to drive 60 miles one way to the nearest lfs, and find out they dont have what i want . it may be diffrent if i had a close lfs.

 

[rockster]

I am not biased, I purchased both from lfs and on-line. My on-line experience has been pleasant, so far. I have purchased from FFE (many times), anchofish(a couple of times). I was amazed at achofish, they gave me free 9 red-banded snails that are far better that mexican turbos and the fish they gave me were big. At FFE, the corals are nice specimens and everytime I email them about a loss (or possible loss) they give me store credit all the time without any question. I have yet to order from aquacon,I hear good things about them.

 

[drummerboy]

The only online ordering experience has been from this site, but so far so good. One of the shrimp they sent me was dead in the bag (then two others died shortly after), but they've taken good care of me, honestly I've been very impressed. They're going to refund them, and they've been very quick at responding. I still do perfer going to the lfs, just so I can see what I'm getting before I get it, and because I trust them (well, one of them). But I have had a good experience with this site. I really wouldn't try ordering from a site that hasn't had an established name yet though. I've had some friends that have been really burned by them.

 

[justnu]

Thank you , so far, everyone. And especially Sammystingray for your complete honesty. This is my BIG concern as well. Perfect example, I saw 3 foxface at LFS , two of them I wouldn't have taken for FREE, and the other was perfect. As for coloration, will saltwater fish (color) not improve with high quality food? My koi are absolutely STRIKING since I X-ed the wardley's. (oops, sorry Wardley's.)...:>)
Any other honest replies.....????

 

[heavenly damsel]

So far I have ordered LR and inverts online. The LR at the LFS is really dead rock, no coraline at all and $6/lb. I have ordered from SWF.com and Premium aquatics.com for LR. My inverts came from SWF.com and I was more than pleased. Just placed a second order for inverts from here..did the u-pick this time.
Will be ordering fish from here in about 3 weeks. Tne LFS has little variety in their stock and prices are outrageous with no guarantee once you are out the door. From here, all comments are good that I have read, prices are great and they have a guarantee for 7 days.
Have bought all dry goods and one of my aquariums from the LFS, also mushrooms and anemones from them...prices were okay and specimens were good.
I believe you should support the LFS to some extent, if they offered the guarantee I would probably buy from them.

 

[starfishjackedme]

online stores - LR and dry supplies, some fish
LFS - Corals, some fish, and salt mix.

 

[flamehawk]

NO Fish...ordered great L/R w/ little die of from Aquacon....critter packages ok..havn't ordered corals on line. All in all ...mixed bag.

 

[moby da goby]

JustNU, I found that ordering thru the US is just as expensive if not more as ordering through my LFS or from Vancouver (J&L Auqatics). I've had ***********.com tell me they won't ship livestock to Canada due to shipping regulations (which I personally believe to be a bunch of bulls**t). I've been nailed with not only a nasty exhange rate but customs had to get their two cents out of me as well with duty.
I've had great luck with J&L for inverts/dry goods but like someone said before, I want to see the fish first as well. One LFS will hold a fish for me for a week so I can see it feed and I have had great success with the fish from that particular store.

 

[jodilynn]

I ordered 4 fish from saltwaterfish and they are doing great. I was nervous as I waited their arrival that Thursday morning but they were packaged very well and the water was still plenty warm. No need to worry. I also like the fact that not only are they ALOT cheaper than the LFS but they have a guarantee whereas the LFS does not.
As for clean up crews, I am trying to figure out what and where to buy online myself. I did buy 20 hermits and 2 mexican snails and that cost $44.00. I know that I can do ALOT better online and that is what I plan on doing. Good Luck!