Livestock via Internet

[BBell]

Does anyone have experience ordering livestock (fish, inverts, coral) from internet suppliers? I've looked into MarineDepotLive.com and Seacrop.com.

Thanks

[Craig Manoukian]

I like www.MarineDepotLive.com and www.liveaquaria.com Good results with both companies.

HTH

[karlas]

i never orderd fish off the internet but i have gotten lr, shrimp, snails, and a detrivore kit and have had no problems with any of them

[eweldon]

Mega dittos to Craig's suggestion plus I have had good luck with Dr. Foster and Smith aka Flying Fish Express. If you do go with the internet route, make sure you can take deliver personally. The clock starts ticking as soon as the fish are packaged and depending on where you buy and where you live, it could take 24 to 36 hours to get your package. Also make sure you follow the acclimation procedures carefully. Your new critters will have been in the dark, with decreasing water quality, and shaken quite a bit. Take your time and give 'em a chance to adapt. I think that I have only lost one or two critters out of 50+.

Good Luck,
E

[CG]

saltwaterfish.com is good too. they'll give you free shipping on orders over $75, a great deal.

[Gresham]

Ahhh, fish via the net, please no. If your going to do it, at least do it thru a company that actually tanks their animals (hint: none listed above other then seacrop and marinedepotlive tank livestock). If your going to do it, do it thru Mary's site, secrop.com. She makes no claims about NOT being a wholesale company selling to the public. Many companies claim to have vets on staff and have the "best facilities the world", sorry no vets, no facility other then the amazing ones in Los Angeles where all of them aquire their fish to be drop shipped to you, the consumer.

As usual, the above statements are the strict person opinion of Gresham Hendee and do not reflect those of 3reef.com, cortezmarine.com and futureaquatics.com.

[inwall75]

Gresham,

I put high stock in the things that you say because of how long you have been collecting.

I was following a thread on a different board regarding MAC certification. Unfortunately, this other board is a little on the mean side so I don't know if the questions that were raised are legitimate questions regarding the certification issue or if it was just because people were mean.

When I went to the IMAC this spring, I spoke with some members of the MAC organization http://www.aquariumcouncil.org/subpage.asp?section=13 and I was impressed with their intelligence and thoughtfullness. However, I'm not sure that there are enough "audits" in place to ensure compliance. (I'm an accountant).

3reef is so much nicer than the other board I'm talking about. If Matt will allow it, I truly would like to hear your opinions on Mac certification and collecting methods, etc. BTW----I'm 100% anti-cyanide so we are on the same page to some degree.

[Craig Manoukian]

[quote author=Gresham link=board=Fish;num=1061314849;start=0#5 date=01/02/04 at 21:24:54]do it thru a company that actually tanks their animals...Many companies claim to have vets on staff and have the "best facilities the world", sorry no vets, no facility other then the amazing ones in Los Angeles where all of them aquire their fish to be drop shipped to you, the consumer.[/quote]

Gresham,

Good to see you bud!

Can you expand on why it is important for companies to tank their fish. In addition, how would one go about verifying whether an on-line company has a vet on staff.

Why did I have such good luck with my delivery from liveaquaria/Drs. Foster & Smith/Flying Fish Express if they don't tank their fish?

I know the answers to these questions will really be helpful to me and others. TIA

PS

I'm ready for those Ricordia yumas !

[Gresham]

I'll put it like this:
1: fish collected on reef
2: fish gets held by collector (no food) until either,
3a: middleman picks up fish for trip to exporter (no food)
3b: collector makes the trip himself to the exporter (no food)
4: fish sits at exporters until sold to importer (no food)
5: fish makes a journey half way around the world in a bag of water shoved into a styro box. (no food)
6: exporter tanks fish (usually not fed ---some do feed, like us)
7a: The Doctors send they're guy to pick thru thousands of fish to send to you (with out being able to acclimate to captivity via LFS protocals) (no food)
7b: fish is shoved into another bag/box and sent across the US.
8a: You recieve the fish from The Doctors direct from the wholesaler - no quarantine, no food for almost a month, zero acclimation to captivity
8b: your LFS quaratines the fish/ medicates it and feeds it. *This assures the fish will get the most attention when needed as that the LFS employees full time job (keeping they're product alive). *Most people don't have the time required to nurse a fish back from a near death experience.

A fish that spends almost a month with out eating is a nearly dead fish. Many can't make it thru due to they're intestines not being able to process food any longer (same thing with cyandide caught fish). The attention that the fish recieve at the point of arival is crucial.

Source is also another good point. seacrop.com is the ONLY source I can vouch for. Her fish ARE collected ethicaly, sustainbly and entirely with out drugs (net caught only). 99% of the etailers are selling fish from tainted sources (cyanide caught/mixed in with net caught).

I'll make a more coherant post when I'm a little more awake. I just popped in to see what was new after spending several hours behind the wheel avoiding all the drunks on I880.

Craig - Yumas yours --- how we gonna do this? Fedex? PM or better yet, email me.

[CowboyUp]

I made a purchase online at about a month ago. Excellent shipping, packaging, and selection! Better fish than I could have picked myself. I would recommend to anyone.

CowboyUp [smiley=cowboy.gif]