Problems with Liveaquaria.com and FedEx

That's still how it works. The jobbers at the transhippers bag up the fish whose only been in America for less than a couple of hours, give it fresh water and some pure Oxygen and out the door it goes. Their goal is high volume and pay for the DOA's rather than trying to keep each animal alive.

 

It doesn't have to be that drastic. This is the busy time of year for the industry. All your vendors are ordering livestock and theirs are being shipped as well so they are bearing a bigger risk than the people who spend a hundred or so on their order. Many of my suppliers even use fedex themselves to send my stuff.

All you need is a little extra planning when ordering this time of year. Storms like the one that affected this shipment rarely just pop out of the sky without some advanced warning. I have a customer waiting on a sizeable order. He didn't get it this week because I knew that the storm would affect things nationwide. I too need to place an order, but I didn't this week again because of the storm. I am already planning my shipments for next week. However I saw this morning on the forecasts a potential storm that shoud be arriving here mid week. That means it will be west of me the few days before that. It's early to be counting on a storm predicted so early in advance but it doesn't stop me from planning accordingly.

Vendors that have been around a while know how to properly ship. It's in their best interests to have it nailed down or they lose all around. People don't have to stop ordering altogether like I said....just plan accordingly.

 

Yeah I didn't want to comment too much cause like I said I haven't been following their practices too closely anymore. I also know some wholesalers do hold onto their stock for a little while at least but most don't. The livestock is a liability while they have it. It's much better to push it through and get it out asap. No feeding, no real estate being tied up forever, etc etc.

 

I prefer the companies that do this. I had a buddy with a resale license and I used to be able to order from him directly from a good wholesaler. Unfortunately, that wholesaler has left the industry.

Now I just pay more at the LFS where I can see if the fish looks healthy and is eating.

 

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. As I sit here 10:30AM Thursday, still nothing from FedEx. I've read all the replys and understand the view points on all. Especially self responsibillity when ordering from JT. In any case, I'm thinking prop. corals might be where I'm gonna stick from now on and I'll leave the fish be unless their bred. Either way you live you learn and hopefully we can all keep others from experiencing the same mistakes and horrors we have. Thanks again everyone. I'll be talking to you all again soon no doubt.

-Todd

 

I wish you well but I don't hold out much hope at this point.

 

Good luck Todd.
I feel for you.
A good note for everyone may be to stick to corals only when ordering live stock and only get fish / inverts when they can't get it from the LFS being that they have no other choice.

 

Just like JTREEF says some of us are stuck with no good outlet.....we have one Fish store in our area and they are almost 3 time what you can buy them online including the shipping. I had this same instance happen a couple of months ago and I called the vendor (Vivid Aquariums) and told them to hold my shipment until I called them back due to bad weather forcast for our area and areas between them and me (They are in California I am in North Carolina). I have had great success with them and part of the reason is that they will work with you....which means I have to be proactive too! Sorry to hear all of the horror stories.....Personally I am almost through if not done with my livestock and now will be concentrating on my corals so hopefully there will be a better Fish store in our area when I need it......

 

I dont like to order from them for that reason and any other online store cause shipping is extreme in my oppinion, and a poor fish is in the size of a chineese container for atleast a day.

 

nice coral and fish shop

Hey Detroit Kidd, i'm in Michigan as well. Tropicorium in Romulus, Michigan is where I do my business. Nice fish and the corals are out of this world compared to any pet shop here in Michigan. They are on inkster road and sibley. Thier number is 734-782-2622, trust me it's worth the trip.