VERY SERIOUS QUESTION! buying fish online?

[saltyfish dude]

I have been all over the web looking over the different sites that import and sell marine fish and other aquarium specimans, and the services they provide. I've looked at this very saltwaterfish.com, (obviously) and according to them, they send you only healthy fish that have already been eating and possibly captive bred, and have at least some what established themselves in captivity. Also they only have a 9.99 "processing" fee and pay for shipping. Either way, if they are legit, this is a great deal. However, I have no experience with this and I thought that here would be a great place to see what experience people could share with me.
Please posts some of your opinions here, if I get good responses and referrals, I'll give it a chance. If you all mostly disagree, I'll stay away from that for everyone's sake, me and the fish.
and please don't be bias just because we are on this particular message board.

 

[hot883]

yes the shipping is free if the order is over $79 I believe and there might be a fuel surcharge of $9.
NOW to answer the question. You will look long and hard to find better specimens that are sent or healthier fish and corals. They have one of the best garranty's out there and certainly Local fish stores do not warranty their fish for 15 days.
Alot of people on here have found that the pictures on the site does no justice to the caliber of fish or corals that get deleivered.
I am a VERY happy customer.

 

[richarl5]

I personally think Saltwaterfish.com is great to deal with.
1. The packaging was great
2. Each specimen looked great when it arrived (they didn't even look messed up from the shipment)
-I ordered 2 fish, a feather duster, 2 mushroom corals, and a shrimp
3. I just placed my second order/many people have ordered from this site more than once (why purchase more if it isn't sent in good condition the first time??

)
Don't know what else you need to know...what are you planning on purchasing?

 

[wbilton]

I've ordered several times, I have an order being delivered tomorrow, I've never had a problem.

 

[joncat24]

i have also ordered several fish, crabs, and corals from this site and all were packaged great shipped fast,,,,and most important

[hr]
they are all still alive today

 

[shortblondern]

I am so glad you asked this question because I was wondering the same thing. I went to a local store tonight and all their specimens looked AWFUL! the majority of the fish had ich or other funguses, so I will purchase my first shipment of fish from this website. I would love to see more people's comments. Is it a bad idea to order the fish now because it's so cold?

 

[flpriest]

I have also bought from this sight as well. Everytime, great packaging, great product (fish and live rock), Fast shipping! Minimum order for me, inc. FSC, S&H, and price of stock= $93
Also, just to add, every order you place puts you in for some free stuff, that you can pick out your self from their list. Very cool!
Satisfied customer!!!

 

[xnikki118x]

The only problem I have with this site is the $79 minimum, because I don't like to add too much livestock at once. A friend and I split an order from here once though and everything was perfect for both of us.

 

[fbm]

I have ordered from here before as well. With great results. However I feel there customer service absolutely sucks. They take way too long to respond to emails, sometimes. Other times they just simply won't respond. I know that I am not the only person that has had this trouble. As long as you don't want to request anything special and just order through the computer this is a good site. If you want something special or in a certain coloration then this site is not the site to use.

 

[flabeano]

Online purchases are great - eliminates the holding tank at the LFS (as he gets the fish from somewhere too). The key is always aclimation! Do not rush the process and do not add the shipping water to your tank. ALWAYS net your fish, etc. - when shipping most add supliments to help buffer the fish that are better left outside of your tank.
Eliminate the LFS - NO. I buy local when I can - hand picking that fish is always a good thing. Get to know when the LFS gets fish in and from who. Watch the process and you know who is legit and who is not.
Stocking tanks cost money - saving money without quality compromise is where it is at. IMO

 

[rookum]

i purchased fish from this site and i have mixed feelings. the packaging was great shipping great but lack of contact not so great i put on my special instructions that i wanted to be contacted before shipping and i explained why, no contact they just shipped. thank god i work for fedex and went to ohare and pulled them of the plane myself. went home did four hours in the bucket on a drip[ line with a heater and one of the fish the clown tang didn't make it. the others trigger and shrimp are looking great. i just sent them back so i will let you know if i have any issues. all in all we are all told dont buy fish online i believe that the stores dont want you to get a good deal, i still would buy from these guys again because they do know what they are doing the packaging was great and you know how good fedex is. good luck

 

[cdangel0]

I can't speak highly enough about this site, their prices are better then anywhere else on the web, the packaging is phenominal, I wouldn't hesitate to order now in Feb with it being 12 degrees outside, I think the customer service and guaruntee is great, everything I purchased months ago is still alive (minus some snails), when the hermit crabs killed my snails on day 2 IO sent the empty shells back with an explanation that the hermits killed and ate them, and they still agreed to replace them for me.
You're never goning to find customer service like that at your LFS.

 

[saltyfish dude]

It sounds like all of you have good things to say. Besides a few with complaints about the customer service, which I have to say, I am in the restaurant business and I understand the importance of customer service. However, it is the quality and adaptiveness of the livestock that is the most important to me. I'm not looking for any special species or colors, just the standard stuff.
If I am to purchase online here, I would be interested in a pair of clowns, possibly a copperrband butterfly, some soft coral frags, and maybe a couple of other "everyday" aquarium species. I am interested in getting a copperband from online because everytime I see one in a store they are never eating and supposedly with saltwaterfish.com they wont send you fish that has not been eating or are not in good health. As most of you may already know, copperbands, are a "questionable species". Yet they are extremely beautiful and I think housing one with a pair of clown fish in my new 50 gal saltwater tank would look amazing! However I need to be assured that the speciman is "top notch".
Anymore opinions for me since I've given a little more info on my expectations and wants...................
You've all been great so far.........

 

[armandoc]

I've had the privledge of ordering from this site twice, and both experiences have been very good. In reading above, my experience with SWF's customer service has been great.
On my second order, they shipped it to an incorrect address in another city 60 + miles away. I contacted Fedex and got the delivery address and then wrote to SWF.com with the information. They promptly responded back saying that THEY had made a mistake with the address and then promptly shipped me another package the same day. IMO, that is what customer service is supposed to be like, owning your mistake and then delivering on your promise. I'll always be a SWF.com "shopper".

 

[dperna]

An add on to this question, just because i will soon be making my first order too... how is the shipping date determined. i'm going to be worried on what day it will come because i dont want my box to just be standing outside in the negative 10 degree weather. is there an instant tracker or will it say when you purchase the order what day its expeting?

 

[candwill]

I ordered from this site for the first time a few weeks ago. It was awesome! The fish were in excellent condition. I went to the lfs a few days later and was amazed at how sad and sickly their fish looked compared to mine. About shipping, I cant say how fast it was, but I got exactly what I wanted. I ordered early in the week but asked for Saturday delivery so I could be home all day with them. Sure enough, about 2 pm Friday I got an email saying they had been shipped and they were at my door by 9 am the next morning. I Love SWF.com.

 

[armandoc]

The two times I placed my orders, they were usually done before 12:00 noon CST and I always got my packages the following day (minus the 1 wrong address delivery).
SWF.com then usually sends me an email anywhere between 2-5 pm with a FedEx tracking number that way I can monitor where my package is at at all times.
Hope this helps!

 

[1knight164]

I've ordered fish, corals, and reef packages with no problems. I've only bought 2 fish from an LFS, but they can't match the guarantee SWF.com gives! Love the quick delivery.

 

[ninjamini]

I do not think I would order anything live online.
i just wont ever add $80 worth at one time. Also I dont like to pay a box charge. Just tell me its a shipping charge.