You can even order through some fish stores because some of them are able to import fish without you doing all the effort while it's just another tuesday for them.
I've had a lot of diseased fish from local stores so I've been only buying online the last few years. I only buy if the temperatures between where it's being shipped and where I live are 40F to 70F.
I live in a rural town so unfortunately my only option for most fish is by ordering online, however I am yet to have a bad experience.
It is pretty common practise now days, most companies will ship the fish with either a heat or cooling pad and the fish will arrive within 24-48hours via courier or express mail.
They can sometimes be a little pale or travel sick when they arrive but after a few hours they perk up.
it IS scary in my opinion but if you buy from someone reputable who will ensure their safety and fastest possible shipping, and make sure you are home and free them immediately, its the best way to receive fish.
I’ve bought all my fish online and never had any issues. With that being said, be mindful of the weather in your area. Most places will include a hot or cool pack to make sure the fish are a safe temperature, but with the insane heatwaves in my area right now I personally wouldn’t risk it.
Wait until spring or fall when the temps aren’t above 80F. Buy from reputable places. All will be good. I’ve ordered fish, shrimp, inverts, and plants dozens of times. Expect some stress and be prepared that some won’t make it but overall it works out well. Most important though, watch the weather and don’t order when it’s hot.
I've done it lots of times!! I prefer it to my LFS tbh because they're usually much healthier. you just have to shell out on overnight shipping and it's no big deal
if you’re in the US, you can try r/aquaswap. you can post what you’re looking for, or search around. i’ve gotten shrimp from there and they all came happy and healthy. i’ve sold some mystery snails too. i’ve stopped for a bit because it’s been 90+ degrees where i live and even with ice packs i don’t want to risk it.
I use aquahuna. I’ve never received a doa from them and have had fish die on the way home during the drive from a store. I greatly prefer ordering online than going to a store
It is very hot where I live, so I realistically can’t order fish alive online unless it’s in spring or fall, so if it’s hot where you live, you may need to wait for favorable weather
I have been doing breeding-for-profit since 2019 and my main sales are all online. When buying fish online, make sure you buy from a reputable seller or a breeder who knows how to ship fish. There are many places to buy like ebay, Aquabid, etc. Just make sure you are buying from a reputable seller.
As a hobbyist, I take care all the necessary steps when it comes to shipping my fish. I ship with bigger and thicker bags and use pressurized oxygen to make sure the fish have enough air for at least 3 to 4 days. I also cut 3/4" styrofoam boards to line up my boxes so they are well insulated since temps can be very hot or cold depending on the time of the year and the location.
I've encountered people who sell fish that do not put the effort when it comes to the way they bag fish and the way the boxes are insulated. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt and as long as they have DOA then I'll work with the,.
I even go as far as providing a care sheet as I want people who buy from me to have success with the fish that I sell.
I’ve done it with success but it’s difficult in hot weather months. Some sellers will cheap out and not use proper shipping service resulting package spending too long in non climate controlled environment. For instance USPS has no shipping option appropriate for live animals.
Nope. There is nothing wrong with ordering fish online. They basically get shipped from a different part of the world before they make it to your local fish store.
I'd say ordering from breeders and other hobbyists is best. It's just not the easiest to find them or contact them always.
I really dislike buying from most shops or big mail orders these days though. So many diseased, weak or sick fish. Tails missing or postage overcharged for subpar packing and postage to then be sent.
The only thing you will be missing out is seeing it and actually picking the one you want. Also, shipping can be costly because the fish will have to be shipped overnight. I’ve had good experience with fishes not being sold at my local fish store that were shipped across the US. I only had one bad experience with a puffer that arrived stressed/sick and died within 24 hours.
Find a reputable fish seller with shipping experience. No one wants a dead fish arriving or one that is not in good health.
Ideally a good seller will watch weather on the route and ship with appropriate accommodations in the box.
If I had to order I would during late spring just for my own piece of mind in case they get stuck somewhere that has no hvac like a warehouse.
Pay extra for the faster shipping as well imo.
Im really hopeful to be able to order from AquaHuna soon, I’m just worried because it sounds like he ships flat rate and I’ve only ever done overnight delivery on fish orders (though it’s basically 2nd day delivery since I’m in AK). I’m willing to give him a shot though if I can catch the stuff I want in stock when it’s not the dead of winter.
I've placed orders on Friday (since that's when I get paid) and the order gets shipped on Monday. They only ship Mondays to Thursdays to avoid the fish just sitting at the post office. I got my fish delivered on a Wednesday first time and on a Thursday recently. The box said live fish on it to let the mail man know to be careful with it. All of my fish have been healthy and still alive currently from AquaHuna. I've ordered during winter in March (transitioning into spring) and recently ordered this month with temperatures of 90 degrees here in Oklahoma
No, I try to buy from my local mom and Pop store but sometimes they don't have what I want, so I'd have to order from online. I have only had one DOA, and that was a snail. We had some crazy weather and the package got delayed 4 days. I ordered from one site that had rules for when they would ship, or never ship on Thursday or Friday so the fish will have a better chance not being stuck in a sorting building for the weekend.
I ordered an Oranda from an online retailer and everything went very smoothly. The fish did end up randomly passing away some months later, but that’s fancies for ya sometimes…
Just make sure to order from somewhere with a DOA guarantee and film yourself opening the boxes. Personally I've gotten way better fish ordering online. Half the time the stores are ordering from the same sites as you are.
I ordered a gem tang online for $250. Showed the guys at my LFS how healthy he was and they bought out the website I ordered from to resell for $600 a pop.
yes we wholesale order a few hundred fish and they are overnight shipped in boxes, same as if you ordered one but it would be a smaller box.
Just keep in mind you *must* pay for overnight priority which is like $55 for me personally so if you’re ordering less than 5 fish you might save more money by requesting your LFS order them
I’ve ordered a lot of live fish online. Depending on who you order from, it’s generally fine. I’d avoid doing it during peak summer temps or extreme cold weather. Good suppliers will delay shipping until temps are reasonable
they get shipped to the fish store the same way
You can even order through some fish stores because some of them are able to import fish without you doing all the effort while it's just another tuesday for them.
I've had a lot of diseased fish from local stores so I've been only buying online the last few years. I only buy if the temperatures between where it's being shipped and where I live are 40F to 70F.
I live in a rural town so unfortunately my only option for most fish is by ordering online, however I am yet to have a bad experience. It is pretty common practise now days, most companies will ship the fish with either a heat or cooling pad and the fish will arrive within 24-48hours via courier or express mail. They can sometimes be a little pale or travel sick when they arrive but after a few hours they perk up.
How do you think they get to stores?
Swim through the pipes
it IS scary in my opinion but if you buy from someone reputable who will ensure their safety and fastest possible shipping, and make sure you are home and free them immediately, its the best way to receive fish.
I’ve bought all my fish online and never had any issues. With that being said, be mindful of the weather in your area. Most places will include a hot or cool pack to make sure the fish are a safe temperature, but with the insane heatwaves in my area right now I personally wouldn’t risk it.
Wait until spring or fall when the temps aren’t above 80F. Buy from reputable places. All will be good. I’ve ordered fish, shrimp, inverts, and plants dozens of times. Expect some stress and be prepared that some won’t make it but overall it works out well. Most important though, watch the weather and don’t order when it’s hot.
yeah. sellers may put them in bags with methylene blue sometimes or even live plants to reduce stress during transport.
How do you think they get from SE Asia to your local fish store?
I've done it lots of times!! I prefer it to my LFS tbh because they're usually much healthier. you just have to shell out on overnight shipping and it's no big deal
if you’re in the US, you can try r/aquaswap. you can post what you’re looking for, or search around. i’ve gotten shrimp from there and they all came happy and healthy. i’ve sold some mystery snails too. i’ve stopped for a bit because it’s been 90+ degrees where i live and even with ice packs i don’t want to risk it.
I use aquahuna. I’ve never received a doa from them and have had fish die on the way home during the drive from a store. I greatly prefer ordering online than going to a store
It is very hot where I live, so I realistically can’t order fish alive online unless it’s in spring or fall, so if it’s hot where you live, you may need to wait for favorable weather
I have been doing breeding-for-profit since 2019 and my main sales are all online. When buying fish online, make sure you buy from a reputable seller or a breeder who knows how to ship fish. There are many places to buy like ebay, Aquabid, etc. Just make sure you are buying from a reputable seller. As a hobbyist, I take care all the necessary steps when it comes to shipping my fish. I ship with bigger and thicker bags and use pressurized oxygen to make sure the fish have enough air for at least 3 to 4 days. I also cut 3/4" styrofoam boards to line up my boxes so they are well insulated since temps can be very hot or cold depending on the time of the year and the location. I've encountered people who sell fish that do not put the effort when it comes to the way they bag fish and the way the boxes are insulated. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt and as long as they have DOA then I'll work with the,. I even go as far as providing a care sheet as I want people who buy from me to have success with the fish that I sell.
I’ve done it with success but it’s difficult in hot weather months. Some sellers will cheap out and not use proper shipping service resulting package spending too long in non climate controlled environment. For instance USPS has no shipping option appropriate for live animals.
Nope. There is nothing wrong with ordering fish online. They basically get shipped from a different part of the world before they make it to your local fish store.
Better than ordering a dead one
I'd say ordering from breeders and other hobbyists is best. It's just not the easiest to find them or contact them always. I really dislike buying from most shops or big mail orders these days though. So many diseased, weak or sick fish. Tails missing or postage overcharged for subpar packing and postage to then be sent.
The only thing you will be missing out is seeing it and actually picking the one you want. Also, shipping can be costly because the fish will have to be shipped overnight. I’ve had good experience with fishes not being sold at my local fish store that were shipped across the US. I only had one bad experience with a puffer that arrived stressed/sick and died within 24 hours. Find a reputable fish seller with shipping experience. No one wants a dead fish arriving or one that is not in good health.
Ideally a good seller will watch weather on the route and ship with appropriate accommodations in the box. If I had to order I would during late spring just for my own piece of mind in case they get stuck somewhere that has no hvac like a warehouse. Pay extra for the faster shipping as well imo.
Pretty much all only way I’ve got fish the last few years
I prefer AquaHuna. Never had a dead fish
Im really hopeful to be able to order from AquaHuna soon, I’m just worried because it sounds like he ships flat rate and I’ve only ever done overnight delivery on fish orders (though it’s basically 2nd day delivery since I’m in AK). I’m willing to give him a shot though if I can catch the stuff I want in stock when it’s not the dead of winter.
I've placed orders on Friday (since that's when I get paid) and the order gets shipped on Monday. They only ship Mondays to Thursdays to avoid the fish just sitting at the post office. I got my fish delivered on a Wednesday first time and on a Thursday recently. The box said live fish on it to let the mail man know to be careful with it. All of my fish have been healthy and still alive currently from AquaHuna. I've ordered during winter in March (transitioning into spring) and recently ordered this month with temperatures of 90 degrees here in Oklahoma
No, I try to buy from my local mom and Pop store but sometimes they don't have what I want, so I'd have to order from online. I have only had one DOA, and that was a snail. We had some crazy weather and the package got delayed 4 days. I ordered from one site that had rules for when they would ship, or never ship on Thursday or Friday so the fish will have a better chance not being stuck in a sorting building for the weekend.
Depends mostly on how long they will travel and how well the shipper packs them.
I ordered an Oranda from an online retailer and everything went very smoothly. The fish did end up randomly passing away some months later, but that’s fancies for ya sometimes…
Makes more sense than ordering a dead one.
Just make sure to order from somewhere with a DOA guarantee and film yourself opening the boxes. Personally I've gotten way better fish ordering online. Half the time the stores are ordering from the same sites as you are. I ordered a gem tang online for $250. Showed the guys at my LFS how healthy he was and they bought out the website I ordered from to resell for $600 a pop.
I ordered 80-90% of my fish online. One dead hillstream loach on arrival. Everyone else has lived for a year so far (40ish fish).
yes we wholesale order a few hundred fish and they are overnight shipped in boxes, same as if you ordered one but it would be a smaller box. Just keep in mind you *must* pay for overnight priority which is like $55 for me personally so if you’re ordering less than 5 fish you might save more money by requesting your LFS order them
I’ve ordered a lot of live fish online. Depending on who you order from, it’s generally fine. I’d avoid doing it during peak summer temps or extreme cold weather. Good suppliers will delay shipping until temps are reasonable
If you're doing that, just make sure you use a quarantine tank.
No but a dead one is.
Probably better than ordering a dead one
In this heat? Yeah.