What should I do with poor quality of fish ordered.

[stark6935]

I don't want to drag anyones name through the mud but I ordered some fish from a fairly well known supplier online, and the fish came in looking really, really bad. The one is supposed to be a mloto large male, and it has no color at all. It is about 4" long. Does it look male or female? I'm honestly not sure but I know what the picture of the male looked like. The one fish looks bloated, and others have fins that are torn and tattered. The one that looks really bad I'm pretty sure is going to die soon. He is just sort of floating around with the current. I emailed the seller but beyond that I really don't know what is normal, fair, or proper etiquette on this sort of thing is which is why I'm not giving the name of the seller. I feel the fish are not what I paid for at best, and borderline knowingly sent fish that should not have ever been sent in the first place. Thanks for any input.

 

[joe jaskot]

Yes, the fish are in pretty bad shape (torn fins, bacterial infection). I would send the seller pictures and ask for a solution. The fish in the first picture is a female, and therefore no color.

 

[tlindsey]

Yes, the fish are in pretty bad shape (torn fins, bacterial infection). I would send the seller pictures and ask for a solution. The fish in the first picture is a female, and therefore no color.

I personally wouldn't order from that vendor anymore.

 

[stark6935]

What bacterial infection would you say they have?? Wow... This is insane! Do I need to get some sort of antibiotic, or something of that sort? What should I do?

The fish in the bottom photo is now dead. I knew he wouldn't survive the night.

 

[joe jaskot]

What bacterial infection would you say they have?? Wow... This is insane! Do I need to get some sort of antibiotic, or something of that sort? What should I do?

The fish in the bottom photo is now dead. I knew he wouldn't survive the night.

The fish in the bottom picture was the one with the bacterial infection. The others just have torn fins which should heal with good water quality.

 

[stark6935]

The fish in the bottom picture was the one with the bacterial infection. The others just have torn fins which should heal with good water quality.

Thank you for the help. This is really frustrating. I spent over $270 on these fish, and I feel as if I was ripped off knowingly.

 

[Gourami Swami]

The issue you're probably going to run into in dealing with the vendor, is that these pics are after the fish were already put into your tank. Usually their policies are that for DOA or sick fish you need pics in the bag; this is to protect them from joe shmoe ordering fish, putting them into his aggressive tank, them getting their butts kicked, and joe wanting a refund for things that were his own fault. Same could be said about the bloat; mr. shmoe feeds the wrong foods, fish gets sick, he wants refund.
Not saying that's what happened in your case, at all, just what the vendor may say in my experience. Maybe they won't, and will be helpful, who knows. I would definitely reach out about it. The second fish looks bloated to me, the others look like they lost fights.
If he isn't helpful, yeah I would find another vendor for sure.

 

[stark6935]

The issue you're probably going to run into in dealing with the vendor, is that these pics are after the fish were already put into your tank. Usually their policies are that for DOA or sick fish you need pics in the bag; this is to protect them from joe shmoe ordering fish, putting them into his aggressive tank, them getting their butts kicked, and joe wanting a refund for things that were his own fault. Same could be said about the bloat; mr. shmoe feeds the wrong foods, fish gets sick, he wants refund.
Not saying that's what happened in your case, at all, just what the vendor may say in my experience. Maybe they won't, and will be helpful, who knows. I would definitely reach out about it. The second fish looks bloated to me, the others look like they lost fights.
If he isn't helpful, yeah I would find another vendor for sure.

You are right about the 2nd fish. His belly is very bloated looking. I'm watching them very closely. You don't think the last fish had a bacterial infection? He ended up not making it. The problem with those bags is it isn't the easiest to take a photo of the fish, or even see exactly the condition of them for me. Also, that one fish was supposed to be a male. Now I realize you can't always find a male, but the fact is they said that if they did not have the fish you wanted they would not substitute another fish for it. The fish was clearly not a male but they still sent it as if it might have even been borderline. I know its hard to tell, but the fish is around 4 inches long. I just feel they were being really shady.

 

[duanes]

The one in your 2nd photo looks male to me.
One question, were they 24 hour shipping?, or airport to airport?
Many times a vendor will only guarantee fish shipped in one of those 2 ways, but anything longer and the time in the bag, is too much of a gamble to br guaranteed, because it can be lethal. (especially more than 1 fish to a bag.) Of course more bags, more shipping cost.

 

[stark6935]

The one in your 2nd photo looks male to me.
One question, were they 24 hour shipping?, or airport to airport?
Many times a vendor will only guarantee fish shipped in one of those 2 ways, but anything longer and the time in the bag, is too much of a gamble to br guaranteed, because it can be lethal. (especially more than 1 fish to a bag.) Of course more bags, more shipping cost.

Again, thank you to people who have put in their views on this. I hope I'm not coming off as entitled.

It was overnight shipping by 10:30am. The one in the second photo is a male, and was what I ordered. He is just bloated looking. When I got the fish there was quite a bit of feces in with them as well. The one fish is supposed to be a "male likoma island mloto Large size"

They say that " If for whatever reason we do not have the specific fish you ordered, we will not substitute out fish for you, we contact you with your other options. " In my eyes, it was blatantly obvious they didn't have the large mloto, but just sent me a female instead. It would be one thing if the fish was 2" long. They said they normally can vent fish over the size of medium (this was large 3-4"). Rather than contacting me with another option they sent a female. Couple that with multiple sick looking fish and I feel this was more than ignorant negligence. This company had good rep, but the last few reviews I can find people speak of similar situations. I just wish I saw them before I ordered.