old school guy wonders how online fish purchases work

[DOOB]

hey all. I am now seasoning a tank after 12yrs of no aquariums. lol I am just wondering and investigating while my tank cycles a few weeks, how one orders and receives tropical fish online? do they deliver rite to your door?? does the postman stuff the parcel in ur mailbox and walk away? fedex and meet them at ur house? what about the border customs process?? etc. who's a reputable online dealer for pianhas to Canada?? any help and advice would greatly be appreciated from this outta date hippie!!!!

 

[Ozip]

So basically you order the fish. They ship it to you in a box usually next day or same day shipping bring up the cost a lot fyi. I box it in a box with heating pads to keep the fish warm. Fedex of ups whoever delivers right to your door I recommend being home when you expect it to be deliver so you can get the fish in a tank asap. As far as across border usually extra shipping cost and they just make sure you did not order anything your not suppose to have if you do then sometimes you pay a restock fee. Most places also have a doa (dead on arrival policy) which you want to read just encase.

 

[Ozip]

O usually they drop in at your door. But honestly when I get fish in I am always standing by the door or close waiting.

 

[Kris P Bacon]

I have wondered, how do they areate the water? Just hope it ships quick enough?

 

[Ozip]

I have wondered, how do they areate the water? Just hope it ships quick enough?

Yea pretty much. That's why they require quick shipping. For example I got shipped some fish they left fish store in California around 7pm Pacific. My fish arrived to me around 7am eastern. I wish there was a way to add battery powered air pumps but batteries and planes usually don't work.

 

[Ozip]

I have wondered, how do they areate the water? Just hope it ships quick enough?

Also, usually why they don't ship full grown fish. Just babies in most cases.

 

[Hendre]

I have wondered, how do they areate the water? Just hope it ships quick enough?

Usually permeable bags and lots of air shipped within the bag too.

DOOB you want to add prime or other ammonia neutralising agent, when the bag is exposed to air and all the co2 leaves the water ammonia can quickly become toxic. Just a tip

 

[Jexnell]

They can ship most any fish. It just cost more for bigger fish cause they need a bigger water/air bag to make the trip.
It's normally overnight at you door before 10AM. When they pack the fish, first they fast it for 2 days or more to get most if not all the waste out if it before the flight. Then pack in pure oxygen so there is enough for the 14 hours or so it will be in the bag. Also bag and water/air size is all fish dependant.

I ordered 2 Oscars from a breeder in California. I had to wait the two fasting days. Night of the 3rd day it shipped, morning of the 4th day it was at my door at 9AM. Was 2 three inch Oscars, in as 6x6x6 inch box. Each had about a sandwich baggy of water. Was in the summer so didn't need the heat pads. They showed up fine and alive. Half an hour after going in the tank were fine and begging for food.

 

[krichardson]

......and,the great registered vendors of this site/forum can probably get what you want and are your best bet as far as being reputable....to choose from you have,Aquascape,Tangledupincichlids,Rarefish,MonsterAquarium,Discus Origins and Predatory Fins among others.
I have dealt with the above mentioned vendors on several occasions

 

[DOOB]

hey ya ll thanx for replying. sounds cool enough. gee, when I worked partime in an aquarium store back in the early 90"s the boss would drag me to the airport to help carry big square Styrofoam boxes filled with large plastic bags full of fish in tranquallized water LOL. I will check out those sites krichardson. have lots o time research. woke up this morning to cloudy new tank syndrome. still waiting for the tank to seed itself. been 5 days and everything was new so it needs time yet before I order anything.