Divers Den or General Live Aquaria

[Bubblebass]

I am having a hard time figuring out which is better - to buy a fish off the Divers Den area of Live Aquaria or the general website for the same kind of fish. What's the difference?

To make matters worse, I live in California and the divers den stuff looks like it ships form Wisconsin while a lot of the regular stock ships to me from CA.

 

[steelheader.262]

I believe the Divers Den is more of your premium fish/coral/inverts.

 

[schlitz]

I know this doesn't entirely answer your question but I have had success buying off the general website. I have never bought off Divers Den..

 

[Mike in CT]

If it's available, I go with divers den because they actually have a quarantine protocol, although they say you should still do your own. Plus for the most part, I have found the prices are pretty much the same, and you can actually see what your buying.

 

[Opus]

My understanding is as others have stated, the Diver's Den are at their Wisconsin facility and go thru a quarantine process that includes making sure they are eating. The general website comes straight from the wholesaler. They go pick out your fish and then ship it to you. I'm not sure if they bag it at the wholesaler and ship it from their or if they have a warehouse that they do their own bagging.

 

[vedros74]

Divers den is the exact fish in the picture your getting the general site is just out of the population

 

[Humblefish]

Live Aquaria = Fish shipped directly from a wholesaler (Quality Marine) with F&S serving as the middleman. It would be the same as you walking into your LFS and buying a fish straight out of the bag before they put it in their tanks.

Diver's Den = Fish which are observed for a period of time, are eating, and get some prophylactic treatment (medication).

If there's not too much difference in price, I always go with the DD specimen.

 

[JakeK]

I bought my McCosker Flasher Wrasse from Live Aquaria, not Divers Den. Not bad for buying sight unseen. I also bought my Ora Percula Clown and Sharknose Goby from the regular Live Aquaria. I did buy my Helfrichi from DD. All were healthy and started eating right away. I wouldn't hesitate ordering from either.