Best quality fish online

Talon33

Talon33

Active Member
Hey all, I am in the midst of starting up my 125 gallon FOWLR butterfly fish tank. I am really wanting to find a good site that sells top quality fish since butterflyfish are generally finicky anyways. This tank will house around 6 or so butterfly fish. My LFS gets some common ones like longnose, Orange, Pyramid, sometimes auriga and sometimes heniochus. Honestly though these fish always look in poor conditions a lot of the times. Another LFS has great quality fish but hardly ever get in shipments and when they do they never order butterflies. So what is the best place to order from. I have looked at BZ, haven't heard a ton about them. Diver's den is my top option right now. Seems they treat for flukes and some other diseases, they feed butterflies prepared foods, and I just like seeing what i am purchasing with a size. Doing a couple of orders and making them over $225 so free shippings sounds nice too. Also a 14 guarantee sounds like something I need for butterflies.
 
Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Snelly40 said:
i love divers den... i have a blue spot jawfish coming tomorrow from them. My last fish from liveaquaria came in a huge cooler with heating packs and was very well packed
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http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/CatDisplay.cfm?c=2733+3

I'm going to second diver's den. I've had many great experiences with them as have many others here. Also, they seem to take great care of their livestock before selling...so greatly reducing you get a problem fish/coral from them.

Top notch facilities and livestock handling procedures:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/general.cfm?general_pagesid=377

BTW, I don't speak as highly about liveaquaria in general. I've never bought fish from their California facility, but I've bought corals from there and sometimes they are great and sometimes so-so. I'm a big believer in WYSISYG.
 
Talon33

Talon33

Active Member
Yeah I don't think I would order from the CA store. Honestly the prices on the Diver's Den fish are very reasonable. They have a Raccoon Butterfly that is 4 1/4 inches (perfect) for $79.99. If you were to order this fish from the CA store it would be $69.99. So $10 dollars more to order a fish that I know is adjusting to captivity well and eating well, that is a no-brainer. I am about to breakdown and order the raccoon but I have no where to put it right now :duh:
 
Talon33

Talon33

Active Member
My one LFS that orders fish weekly seem to come in poor condition anyways, I wouldn't want any fish from their supplier. The one has superb fish but I swear that order a decent sized order every 1-1 /12 months and always forget to order what I ask
 
D

DaveK

Well-Known Member
Talon33 said:
... I am really wanting to find a good site that sells top quality fish since butterflyfish are generally finicky anyways. ...
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Except for the very easy ones to keep, I don't think I'd want to purchase a butterfly from an online store. Find a good LFS within a day trip range, and see the fish you want. As usual, make sure you see it eat, and that the body shape isn't think, and the colors are not too bright or too faded.
 
Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Oxylebius said:
Diver's Den. The fish are housed and shipped from Wisconsin.
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I was an idiot and bought my Bangaii Cardinalfish from Divers Den during the height of the winter storms. They not only tracked the shipping routes and delayed the order a day because of shipping delays, but also packaged them great and still delivered in completely crappy weather the next day very safely.

Plus, the two times someone has posted here recently with a problem, they rectified the issue with a very reasonable solution.

Dealing in mail order livestock must be a giant PITA, but they are top notch. Way above expectations.
 
DianaKay

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
I've only ordered one fish from on-line & I was very happy with my purchase.
I probably stressed out more during it's shipping than it did. :D
I got my Midas Blenny a couple of years from Blue Zoo Aquatics and it has proven to be a happy healthy fish. :thumbup:
 
Talon33

Talon33

Active Member
Glad to see a lot of positive reviews from DD. I may try to check out some stores within a couple of hours away from the house also. I think I will definitely give DD an order sometime and see what happens.
 
Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
StirCrayzy said:
You have to be quick on the draw with DD, because certain things don't last very long once posted. That's the only drawback.
I've been nearly through the checkout process a few times, and animals drop right out of my order :(
Click to expand...

This is true!
 
mtsully71

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
Cannot argue with DD, as I have purchased from them before. I do use Blue Zoo more frequently when I do need something, shipped and packed very nice and when a fish has arrived DOA, they have had excellent customer service in crediting me towards a future purchase. Fish are usually on the larger end and when acclimated correctly do very well :thumbup:. I will be placing and order with them again in May
 
StirCrayzy

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
The last two fish I bought appeared to be dying upon arrival, and I see that scenario quite a bit. You must not lose heart too early, as careful acclimation can bring them around eventually. Those two fish are now happily almost 2 years in my tank, and I'm very glad I didn't flush them (which was the first thought I had when I opened the box).
Trying to find the video of them still in the package, both looked really bad.

This is after 45 minutes of drip acclimation. The tang had started swimming straight already.
 
mtsully71

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
Yep, StirCrayzy is spot on, I have seen this myself as I am sure many others have. Laying on the side, playing dead :drool: praying for a one way ride in the thunder box! I hit em with a defibrillator and apply oxygen in the form of an airstone. Almost always they snapback.
 
Nascar99

Nascar99

Member
I've ordered fish from liveaquarua over 10 times. Always top notch, never a dead fish.

However... My last order I had a doa. I waited 2 months for that fish to get in stock. Arrived dead. Sure I got a credit, but it's disappointing. They also take 3+ days to email me back about stuff so I usually have to call however the operators are nice.

I'd say LA is my preferred fish source. I live in PA so from cali to here is a hard ship
 
Nascar99

Nascar99

Member
Pacific east aquaculture has the highest quality fish imo. Net caught and treated.

Not a huge selection tho. They do however keep in constant contact with you, and work with you to determine a shipping date. They really care about the fish.

If they would expand their fish I'd only shop there tbh
 
blazend

blazend

Member
I have ordered from at least 6 different sites. My 1st choice is bluezoo because of the lower price you must meet for free shipping. Live Aquaria gets my number 2 spot.
 
Talon33

Talon33

Active Member
Bluezoo seems to offer a lot more in butterfly species. They seem kinda hard to come by on DD and when they are on their I would like to be able to get a few to qualify for free shipping but this might be hard to do. I also like the $140 to get free shipping on bluezoo
 
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