Buying fish online?

OpenOcean33

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Hey guys, I am currently looking for a blue star leopard wrasse, none of my LFS, have had much luck finding any. Im not sure what the season is with them either. However, I have been looking online and found Fishybuisness and NY aquatics has anyone had experience buy from these companies or online fish shopping at all. I live in south Florida, so the 60ish dollar fish after shipping would cost me about 85 an extra 25 if it came from the NY store. Any good online shops you guys have had great luck with or suggest or even some stores in south Florida I would be willing to drive and make a nice fish store day trip? ;)
Thanks
 
Check out the vendor feedback forum to learn more about both. What fish are you looking to acquire? Some places specialize in captive bred fish and generally have a very good track record:

I’ve had mixed results with Liveaquaria.com - the divers den being the safer choice; their fish at least eat most of the time.

Whichever option you choose it’s prudent to quarantine and observe; also helps if they offer DOA or other guarantees l.
 
Hey guys, I am currently looking for a blue star leopard wrasse, none of my LFS, have had much luck finding any. Im not sure what the season is with them either. However, I have been looking online and found Fishybuisness and NY aquatics has anyone had experience buy from these companies or online fish shopping at all. I live in south Florida, so the 60ish dollar fish after shipping would cost me about 85 an extra 25 if it came from the NY store. Any good online shops you guys have had great luck with or suggest or even some stores in south Florida I would be willing to drive and make a nice fish store day trip? ;)
Thanks

I would strongly advise AGAINST ordering a Leopard Wrasse of any kind online. Leopard Wrasses are notoriously difficult/delicate shippers AND by nature picky food eaters and it is crucial to literally pick the right fish if you want to have a real shot at a fish that will last for some time as only the hardier/more adaptable specimens do well long term in captivity. With online ordering you get a mystery bag and no idea as to the condition/health of the fish, with the LFS you can observe the individual for a couple of weeks to see it eating and healthy/active before you buy it or bring it home. As an example I will give you my experience. My LFS did a an order of 6 Leopard Wrasses last summer. 2 of them were dead within a week, 2 of them were sold by the second week and I have no idea what happened to them and then there were 2 left, one was a Blue Star that was very active and eating and the other was a regular Leopard Wrasse that was very lethargic. Went back the following week and the Blue Star was still active and eating and the other Leopard clearly not moving much and breathing hard (on it's deathbed). Bought the Blue Star Leopard Wrasse and it has adapted to whatever I feed my tank (even dried seaweed) within a couple of days, it's very active and eats like a pig. Nearly a year later and it's still doing great and it has required ZERO special care and eats what I feed my other fish. I get that you don't have an ideal situation for buying one due to lack of availability, but I would say it's better to pass on ordering one online and to hold out for an opportunity to pick a healthy and adaptable individual from a fish store. I waited for nearly a year for the circumstances to line up for me to get a Leopard Wrasse and I can say give the mixed bag of people's experiences with them (ordering multiples only to have them all die despite the best of care), that it was well worth it to get the circumstances to allow me to get a hardy specimen for a very reasonable price (I only paid $35 for mine from my LFS).
 
I ordered mine online as I never get to observe fish at the LFS here. Most everything desirable sells within days and no guarantee. I am jelouse of anyone who gets to observe fish for weeks.

I ordered 3 small to medium female blue stars from Live Aquaria knowing that they are poor shippers hoping one would work out. One was DOA. One looked in rough shape and I had to turn off the pumps and help it into the rocks (didn't bury). The other looked great.

I put them into a conditioning tank with live rock and a sandbox (no other fish) where I could feed as much as I wanted.

The one that looked rough recovered over the next few days. I started them on live brine so they could get the idea of me=food. Three days later they were eating anything I added.

I rehomed the smallest one that arrived in great shape and kept the 'rough' looking one (it had made a full recovery).

I dewormed and defluked her as she was scratching and later added her to the DT by lifing out her sandbox when she was asleep and placing it in the DT.

That was awhile ago and she has done wonderful. I believe the conditioning tank helped greatly get them eating tons of anything without worrying about polluting the tank.

Here they are from Oct 2018:

 
i don't know any stores in FL, but i'd call around. i can think of a couple LFS around me in CA that almost always have them in stock, they're not overly rare
 
Thanks guys, maybe I can make a day trip if needed to Miami or Tampa are if I call around first I'm thinking this may be my best bet. My local fish stores sell out usually the day after getting stocked of anything that's not a firefish or midas blenny lol
 
I would strongly advise AGAINST ordering a Leopard Wrasse of any kind online. Leopard Wrasses are notoriously difficult/delicate shippers AND by nature picky food eaters and it is crucial to literally pick the right fish if you want to have a real shot at a fish that will last for some time as only the hardier/more adaptable specimens do well long term in captivity. With online ordering you get a mystery bag and no idea as to the condition/health of the fish, with the LFS you can observe the individual for a couple of weeks to see it eating and healthy/active before you buy it or bring it home. As an example I will give you my experience. My LFS did a an order of 6 Leopard Wrasses last summer. 2 of them were dead within a week, 2 of them were sold by the second week and I have no idea what happened to them and then there were 2 left, one was a Blue Star that was very active and eating and the other was a regular Leopard Wrasse that was very lethargic. Went back the following week and the Blue Star was still active and eating and the other Leopard clearly not moving much and breathing hard (on it's deathbed). Bought the Blue Star Leopard Wrasse and it has adapted to whatever I feed my tank (even dried seaweed) within a couple of days, it's very active and eats like a pig. Nearly a year later and it's still doing great and it has required ZERO special care and eats what I feed my other fish. I get that you don't have an ideal situation for buying one due to lack of availability, but I would say it's better to pass on ordering one online and to hold out for an opportunity to pick a healthy and adaptable individual from a fish store. I waited for nearly a year for the circumstances to line up for me to get a Leopard Wrasse and I can say give the mixed bag of people's experiences with them (ordering multiples only to have them all die despite the best of care), that it was well worth it to get the circumstances to allow me to get a hardy specimen for a very reasonable price (I only paid $35 for mine from my LFS).
Thank you, will keep hunting locally
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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