What's the deal with quality marine?

[Andreas' Reef]

Is quality marine a wholesale site? It shows fish that I have never seen in the aquarium trade and fish that I can't find in any aquarium store across the web. So do they just display all fish that have ever been found in the trade? Thanks

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

Quality Marine is a Livestock Wholesaler. They are one of the major players in the LA livestock wholesale game. If you see something you want chances are your LFS has an account with them. As a former LFS employee just because you can get things sometimes doesn't mean you can all of the time or very often. There is a strong chance that Your LFS can get what you are looking for if you ask.

Just curious. Which fish are you looking for?

 

[reeferguy3303]

Quality marine is a whole sale company. They display fish that are available to buy from them

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Quality Marine is a Livestock Wholesaler. They are one of the major players in the LA livestock wholesale game. If you see something you want chances are your LFS has an account with them. As a former LFS employee just because you can get things sometimes doesn't mean you can all of the time or very often. There is a strong chance that Your LFS can get what you are looking for if you ask.

Just curious. Which fish are you looking for?

I‘m not really looking for anything but I’m super interested in this multicolour cleaner… never ever seen it before

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

I used to sell these when I worked at the LFS. They are difficult to care for like all cleaners and not as popular as the more common Blue Streak Cleaners but their care is pretty much the same.

 

[ninjamyst]

Is it true quality marine fish are already quarantined? I have a LFS that brags about how QM fish are always healthy and no need to qt.

 

[exnisstech]

As stated they are a wholesaler. I recently had my lfs order 6 disbar anthias. They arrived healthy and are doing well in QT

Is it true quality marine fish are already quarantined? I have a LFS that brags about how QM fish are always healthy and no need to qt.

While my anthias did arrive healthy I still QT all fish healthy or not. I introduced a healthy looking fish about a year ago bypassing QT and lost all but a few fish to velvet. Not sure where that one was shipped from. It was the only new addition. I now QT pretty much all new fish. I I have no heard anything about QM fish being QTd.

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

I will not bash anyone but I will say that there is not a single wholesaler that sells fish that I would call (quarantined) but there are some that are better than others. Quality Marine offers good fish but if you are someone who wants absolutely no ich then you should QT yourself or be willing to pay a premium to have the fish professionally QTd.

My favorite sources for healthy fish are US based collectors. (Florida and Hawaii) The fish I purchased direct from divers were always better than anything from a wholesaler because of the short supply chain and minimal chance for cross-contamination. Not all fish come from these areas but I would encourage any aquarium store to support local US based collection where it is possible.

I personally do not QT but I also don't freak out if I see some ich on my fish so to each his own.

 

[Steve and his Animals]

As someone who regularly orders from QM, their quality isn't what it used to be. Years ago, they actually did have a QT process for all their fish, but their prices were significantly higher than other LA wholesalers. Now, since they don't, they can keep their prices somewhat more in line with others, but they often send emaciated or sick fish like any other wholesaler. They're better than others on the disease front, but at the end of the day, wholesale is still wholesale.

Only plus side to QM over other wholesalers is their variety, but the things you see on their website are things they've had in the past, not what they currently have. Recently, their week to week has been relatively unchanged in terms of variety.

I‘m not really looking for anything but I’m super interested in this multicolour cleaner… never ever seen it before

Only place I've seen actually offer these recently was Underwater World, another wholesaler, and surprising nobody, it didn't last very long in the shop.

 

[nereefpat]

I have a LFS that brags about how QM fish are always healthy and no need to qt.

Nonsense, unfortunately.

As mentioned, they are 'just' a wholesale company. Until fairly recently, if you ordered from Live Aquaria, your fish actually got shipped directly to you from QM. That may still be the case, but I don't know for sure.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Back when Phil Shane ran the show Quality was part of the experience! I have not ordered from them in more than 20 years so I have no current experience. They always have a menu of fish on the site but when you order it is fish of the day! The pictures just allow those in the industry to know what common name matches the scientific name. Like how all the coral names work in the frag world. Tha older central fi.tration was better in my opinion. The current one is based on sand filters on each row instead if trickle towers. Lower oxygen levels I suspect.

Fish used to be held in the system for an extended period to monitor for disease and get them conditioned and ready to ship. Don't know there current practices.