How many of you buy corals online?

I have been lucky enough to find what I want locally either from a LFS or craigslist where I could look at the coral before taking it home. That is just my luck though lol.

 

Same here but there are a couple that I have never seen that I really want. And I never see any zoas at my lfs, they cary mostly SPS.

 

That is true. I have seen so many beautiful zoas online along with mushrooms. My two favorite corals right now. I only have softies right now anyways.

 

thats weird, almost all the fish stores in my area are overflowing with polyps, softies, and lps but barely have any sps.

 

It could just depend on the different wholesalers that they go to and what they carry.

 

yeah, well back to the point. i do often buy dry goods online i just dont want to risk recieving a sickly piece of coral or fish.

 

Why Shop Online

I like shopping online. The advantages to shopping online are information and time to make decisions. When you go to a LFS, you look at what they have and choose from that selection. Often there are corals, plants, and or fish that are unfamiliar in the mix. Sure the shop keeper can tell you about them but this information is no substitute for research for a few reasons. The shopkeeper cannot provide a complete livestock profile off the top of his/her head. Unless your name is Commander Data, you cannot remember everything the shopkeeper tells you. Sometimes the owner of the shop is not the person who gives you the info and the info isn't very high in quality or it's vague. The best online retailers are the ones that provide you with all the information you need about livestock in a way that is easy to access and reference by category. This information should include categories like, feeding, lighting, water flow, placement (for plants and coral) aggression, propagation/breeding, and any other information needed for your livestock to thrive. In addition to this information, a good online retailer will be specific about what you are getting with your purchase. Instead of terms like medium or small, terms like 2 to 3" or 5 polyps should be used. Clear pictures are a must. Although they don’t have to be of the exact item, the picture and description together should tell you what you are getting. An online store can provide you with a place to look up your livestock, should you forget some of the information about it. You can also print this information and keep it with your aquarium papers. When you shop online, you have all the time you need to digest this information and decide what you want.

Without the proper information, you could have fish that eat all of your other fish, corals that die for an unknown reason, or plants that can’t live in your tank lighting. You need to know how to select and take care of your livestock or you will have an unhappy experience.

 

I agree however, this is where patience comes in. What I do is determin what I want beforehand, if the store doesn't hav what I want I don't get anything. Or I see what the store has, go home and research them go back and purchase it.

 

maybe one day if its something I just can't get here. But otherwise no...

Few reasons;

A) Every shipment delivered to a store (TV's, fish, Cheese-its) comes in 1 big shipment in a truck. The people who sent the shipment were damn sure it was safe because if not, they lost money on it. The Truckers make damn sure it gets there fine, because if not; they lose money on it.

Anything shipped through the mail (TV's, Fish, Cheese-Its) is shipped on its own (no structural support from other product packed around it); and in addition it is subject to every bump, kick, throw, and drop along its way by people who do NOT care about your shipment; if it breaks, they don't pay for it the Post Office/Fed Ex company will...

I've known people who worked for the Post Office/Fed Ex. They tell me the horror stories or 'fun' in their terms'.

B) Coral is Live, one specimen is different than the next. I want to know exactly what I'm getting.

 

Nope

I made an experimental purchase through aquasd just to see how how it works for myself.Yes i understand that they use high end lighting and equipment but all that just makes it more diffulcult to determine what you are actually getting.When the pic is posted on the site for viewing it is so close that you can not get a reference of size.I ordered some zoas and when i recieved them they didnt open for nearly a month and the polyps where about a 1/16 of inch and some of the others still havent opened.I was very disapointed but i did this just to get the experience and first hand knowledge to know not to do it again.

I have a great lfs that i can always rely on.The owner is there all day everyday and doesnt have any one else there giving out info on his inventory so i always get the reliable information.I also have a good backup lfs that i can go to if needed.I left my number with them for a certain fish to come available aprox 2 months ago.The other day they called me and let me know that the fish were in stock.Unfortunately im broke right now and cant afford it.