Fish triage... planning ahead...

[Magnum Man]

So, the seller refunded the cost of both the fish, and the shipping, so it didn't cost me anything to try ( except 10 pretty rare in the trade, fish had to die )... maybe I'll try again in the summer months??? I'm supposed to have one of these fish ( Crenuchus spilurus ) coming from another supplier ( it was their last one ) hoping it'll be OK by itself, until I can order more...

 

[Innesfan]

So, the seller refunded the cost of both the fish, and the shipping, so it didn't cost me anything to try ( except 10 pretty rare in the trade, fish had to die )... maybe I'll try again in the summer months??? I'm supposed to have one of these fish ( Crenuchus spilurus ) coming from another supplier ( it was their last one ) hoping it'll be OK by itself, until I can order more...

As I mentioned in your first thread about these fish, I've ordered from Hawaii twice and though there were no losses, both experiences were white knuckle with substantial delays. Neither was in winter, though.

Glad you got a full refund. Truly a pity about the fish.

 

[GaryE]

It is a shame about the fish.

I am of 2 minds about ordering fish at this time of year. I've always avoided it, but may pay for 'ultra express, same day"' this week, because several things things I've wanted to see live and in action are at a supplier's now. I've watched for them for 20 years, with no luck, so waiting doesn't seen an option.

I have a local airport 20 minutes from here, so my chances are good. Regular shipping to it is impossible, because they don't handle live animals. But the big courriers have their own rules, resources and facilities.

It is January though. If it stays very mild, as it has so far....

 

[Magnum Man]

I had 11 degrees below zero this morning... Friday a high of 40 degrees... it's a rollercoaster here...

 

[GaryE]

We've locked in just below or around freezing, with cold nights. Any day now we should have a dive way down, for a week or two. The sea creates a roller coaster for us, and moderates the temps. Travel 20km inland, and it's colder.

The shipper is taking his sweet time though, and it may not happen. He's never shipped out of province before, and he seems nervous. We don't have the level of online fish buying the US does. Our climate stops that. There are dealers around major centres, but where I am ain't major.

My QTs are ready. But I may not be able to use them.

 

[kiko]

that's why I don't bother shipping fish. specially in the winter
even if your box is labelled live fish..same day delivery
a city like Toronto being -16c.
The driver goes into a building putting packages into boxes like Luxer..spends 30mins in 1 building
unless your fish are on the 1st or maybe 2nd building...they'll be dead right after so it's a big risk shipping in these temperatures

 

[GaryE]

If my guy offers to ship at -5c (20ish fahrenheit), I'm out. Between -5c and freezing, I'd risk it in special circumstances. But otherwise, chances drop exponentially. And that is with the most expensive shipping.

I don't get Toronto temperatures here - I'm in a much milder micro-climate. When I lived in Montreal, I wouldn't have had fish shipped to the house between November and late April. Here, it's been hovering around zero celsius, 32 F (how 32 becomes freezing in fahrenheit makes you wonder). We've had intermittent cold days around that. But next week is taking a predictable dive, so I think these interesting rarities are going to elude me yet again.

Saturday is my last chance of success until probably March.

 

[Magnum Man]

normal shipping in the continental US... usually is not a problem... the fires around LA, greatly effected the shipping time, coming from Hawaii ( my 1st ever order from Hawaii ) but I've ordered fish from both coasts, in the past, with no issues, if the seller understands shipping in the cold ( I suspect Hawaii didn't have a concept of the cold, & the vast expanse of the mainland ) we have several airports, that Fed Ex, & UPS use, within a half hour drive, and I typically receive fish at my work, in town, in an industrial park, with heavy shipping activity, rather than bouncing around for hours on a rural delivery truck, that would be required to receive, at the farm... the fish received from Dan's yesterday, arrived in just under 20 hours, from the time they were picked up... the OP are the 1st fish I've lost related to shipping