My access to a LFS is really limited now that I'm away at school. Is it a bad idea to order a fish online and have it shipped to my address, or should I make the full-day trek (dealing with public transportation, etc) to a LFS? Aren't fish just shipped to the LFS anyway?
Is buying fish online generally a bad idea?
- Thread starter rsanz
- Start date
Depends where your buying from. With live aquaria, I would have no problems (except they don't ship to canada...), but with some of the smaller ones, I would procede with caution. Also, if your not quarantining your fish, I would not buy from online sources at all, as you don't get to inspect the fish before buying it.
We buy our Marine fish online bc they can be $30-$60 so shipping does not add much $ when you consider the margin.
Freshy fish are cheaper so you lose once you add shipping.
That said, I have had good luck with online fish. Depending on where you live, I think it is better in the summer. We are in in MN so have to deal with VERY cold temperatures and driving fish around in the UPS truck is a prob!
Freshy fish are cheaper so you lose once you add shipping.
That said, I have had good luck with online fish. Depending on where you live, I think it is better in the summer. We are in in MN so have to deal with VERY cold temperatures and driving fish around in the UPS truck is a prob!
i looked into it but the shipping cost killed it for me. it was so much more. unless your looking for rare fish it would be better drive to a farther fish store and look around.
try Killifish!
You could also take a look at keeping killies- a great choice for "school fish".
Individual killifish keepers have been shipping fish for ages. They're small fish, so maybe that's why the shipping doesn't seem so high.
They also ship eggs, which is very inexpensive!
Look at the shipping rates and prices that the AKA members use:
http://www.aka.org/UserFiles/File/felpdfs/currAKAFEL.pdf
Typical shipping is $5 for the first pair, $0.50 each additional.
http://www.aka.org/aka/modules/content/index.php?id=2
You could also take a look at keeping killies- a great choice for "school fish".
Individual killifish keepers have been shipping fish for ages. They're small fish, so maybe that's why the shipping doesn't seem so high.
They also ship eggs, which is very inexpensive!
Look at the shipping rates and prices that the AKA members use:
http://www.aka.org/UserFiles/File/felpdfs/currAKAFEL.pdf
Typical shipping is $5 for the first pair, $0.50 each additional.
http://www.aka.org/aka/modules/content/index.php?id=2
Last edited:
I've bought a Electric Blue Jack Dempsey and a Fireouth online. Both came in fabulous condition... WAYY better then anyones I saw at the LFS.
it was thatpetplace.com in lancaster, pa.
and yes ordering during the summer/spring is the best time because of warm temperatures, but most online fish places have measures to ensure temperatures are right whether hot or cold.
it was thatpetplace.com in lancaster, pa.
and yes ordering during the summer/spring is the best time because of warm temperatures, but most online fish places have measures to ensure temperatures are right whether hot or cold.
I ordered my fish from Jeff Rapps and they came in excellent condition and are healthy, I would of liked to get them from a LFS but mine said they couldn't find all the ones I wanted.
I'm picking up a bunch of albino bn's .even with shipping they are cheaper plus the quality is better.