Ordering Fish Online

[mata]

Hi all, at the moment I am looking at some stocking ideas to complete my tank. However my LFS is quite poor in stocking fish (its really a garden center) and I was thinking of ordering online, how safe is it for the fish to be delivered by post? especially where I live (western isles) it maybe take an extra day or two to get here.

Also which places can you recommend/used before?

Im thinking Corys (Sterbia) and either platies or mollies to go along with my betta.

Thanks

 

[Smurf]

I wouldn't.... but if someone else on here has had good experience with mail order fish and can recommend a company, then that's different.

If you ask nicely, the garden centre might be able to source you exactly what you're looking for...?

Daisy x

 

[waterdrop]

Ordering fish online is quite popular among experienced hobbyists. Of course its not as nice has seeing and choosing your individual fish, but sometimes the fish you want are simply not available in your area. Timing and temperature are a factor. The techniques of guarding the fish from temperature shocks has improved but of course can still be difficult. Spring and Fall are usually easier than summer or winter.

The best places to try depend on what continent/country you are in. The information under our little forum IDs and avatars used to contain some helpful country info but that has never come back since the forum software changed. Let the members know where you are and someone in your area can probably recommend a company with a decent delivery record. In the USA I believe a fair number of people have been successful with the Dr. Fosters site (can't remember the actual name but they are a big one.)

~~waterdrop~~

 

[JMcQueen]

God I wouldnt trust any of the couriers or postal service here in the UK. The poor fish would be chucked around like you cant imagine - fragile stickers dont mean much to the typical van driver or postie here.

 

[BethK]

depends, what size tank do you have, if the footprint is big enough, then corys yes, also have to think about levels in the tank, with a betta.

If you can give us a ltr/gal size, I am sure we can help with advising good online stores or breeders. I know a fair few that have posted out in very suitable conditions, never had an issue with it.

 

[Tolak]

The fish you see in your lfs usually get shipped in, often from outside the country. If they are lucky it's a 24 hour experience, 48-72 hours is fairly normal. Any shipper is going to move boxes by tossing, shoving, and they will get shaken up quite a bit. That being said fish are more resilient than you think, coming through this ordeal with little to no long term effect.

As long as they are fasted before shipping, packed properly with temperature control being taken into account there is no issue.

 

[OldMan47]

I have ordered lots of fish on line in the past Mata, but I would not call it safe. Sometimes it is the only way that I can get the fish that I want for my tanks, since the LFS do not carry an assortment like you can find on places like Aquabid. I have a bid in right now for a very hard to find species of Betta but am not encouraged by the seller's reputation. One of the things you should always c=heck is the ratings provided by other people who have bought fish from the same vendor. Some are very reliable and do a great job, the one I am bidding on right now has a spotty reputation at best. Many of my fish have arrived in the mail and are now among my favorite fish but I cannot call such ordering safe by any means. If you get a good vendor, I keep track of them, the fish will arrive in good condition and be ready to house in your tanks. All of the fish at the LFS have come in through various shipping methods and arrived in big shipping bags so shipping itself is not the problem. The problems often boil down to people who are not careful enough with their shipments.

 

[mata]

Thanks all for the valuable information you have given. Some more info to help...

I live on an island off the north west of Scotland (Isle of Lewis) so would be looking for a UK vendor.

My tank is a Juwel Rekord 70 (however the dimentions of the tank on the calculator rate it at 87 liters or 23US galons)

I will have to check if the LFS here will order stuff in because that would be really good, don't know why I didnt ask that before! But if it comes to it I will probably order fish instead.

Thanks

 

[BethK]

can you get into the chat room?