Live fish ordering questions!

[Sevaede]

1) HOW do they manage to ship feeshies alive (and get them to stay that way!)?

2) Has anyone ordered any feesh from Foster and Smith?

[Roxyluvsme13]

1) HOW do they manage to ship feeshies alive (and get them to stay that way!)?

2) Has anyone ordered any feesh from Foster and Smith?

1) I believe they use 24 hour heaters, and ship them overnight in the colder months, and 1-2ish days in the warmer months.
2)No, but I wouldnt really order any since you honestly dont know what you're getting. (Color-wise I mean)

[IRescue452]

Shipping depends on the species of fish. Most is overnight shipping. I've heard liveaquaria is a great site, which is where you get your fish from foster and smith. I actually learned about liveaquaria.com as an info site from somebody who gets fish from them.

[Sevaede]

1) I believe they use 24 hour heaters, and ship them overnight in the colder months, and 1-2ish days in the warmer months.
2)No, but I wouldnt really order any since you honestly dont know what you're getting. (Color-wise I mean)

1) Ah, okay. So are they in a special tank that prevents spillage? Do the people who are handling them know that they are fish (to prevent them from moving the package around too much)?

2) Are there any places that let you choose colour? Or is that even possible?

[Sevaede]

Shipping depends on the species of fish. Most is overnight shipping. I've heard liveaquaria is a great site, which is where you get your fish from foster and smith. I actually learned about liveaquaria.com as an info site from somebody who gets fish from them.

Oh wow, so I should just order through them the next time I want fish? I don't think there are any specifically fishy places here in town and I *know* that I do not want to go to Wal Mart and get a feesh. The last time I went in there, just to browse, they had bettas floating in their cup. They had obviously been dead for days because the water was pretty dark and their bodies had started to decompose.

[binka_nugget]

1) Ah, okay. So are they in a special tank that prevents spillage? Do the people who are handling them know that they are fish (to prevent them from moving the package around too much)?

2) Are there any places that let you choose colour? Or is that even possible?

It probably varies depending on the type of fish and the size, but I know for bettas, most people ship overnight or 1-2 days (sometimes 2-3). Sometimes a heatpack is required and is added inside the box to keep them warm.

I haven't shipped fish yet but when I do, I plan on double bagging the fish (so the first bag will be tied, then the second bag will be flipped upside down and tied). Then they'll be put into a sturdy box with styrofoam lining to keep heat in (and keep them from moving around too much).

I've heard that we're not supposed to ship fish.. but breeders still do it anyways. Apparently customs allows some species of fish over the border (I think I read that Koi are the only common pet fishes that are hard to get over the border) but the couriers that bring them over the border, don't accept fishes.. pretty pointless, isn't it? Some people just label the box with "fragile" or "temperature sensitive".

[IRescue452]

I didn't know that you couldn't bring fish in from over the border. I know tons of goldie people that get their fish from Thailand. I guess you learn something everyday.

[Jessika]

Yes, the people shipping know not necessarily that they are fish but that the box contains live animals. When we got our fish when I worked at PetCo they were all shipped 1 - 2 day shipping (or less in winter months and with a heat pack as previously stated) and on all the boxes they have LIVE plastered on it. We hardly lost any fish in transport, maybe a few due to the stress of everything, but they were kept in a dark container so as not to stress out AS easily.