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not sure if it would be a safe bet or not, I would think it would be a little risky

A this time of year(pending where u are) is bloody cold out i would trust it in the summer time but not the winter time, but generally speaken the fish have to be shipped at 1 point of time so i would say no personally b/c of winter, but they do put heat packs in with them as well so it could be alright though.

I'd be hesitant, especially during winter. I don't like to buy things I can't see first. Plus, shipping is so expensive. Maybe your LFS would be willing to order something for you?

"I am a believer in punctuality, though it makes me very lonely" EV Lucas

I've ordered fish online several times, always with good results. I agree about the timing, however. Depending on where they're shipping to/ from, it could be very cold in transit and, though I would guess the fish would be fine, it's a lot of hassle/ money to go through to wind up with overly stressed or dead fish. If going the online route, if you're the pensive type, wait until march and keep an eye on the weater maps. If they're shipping from a nursery in FL and youre in the north east, as long as the 24hr forecast shows temps that dont dip too much you'll be OK... but if you're ordering from someplace out in the Dakotas...

Anyway, some good LFSs can order certain fish for you. That may or may not work for you, depending on your availability to spend some time letting the fish get acclimated.

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Back in the saddle!

All I know is it is way cheaper to go to a local shop then to order online.

Inky

If the shipper knows what there doing then Its good to order anytime. How do you think that LFS get there fish. I just ordered a big black piranha a week ago and it turned out fine, the weather was about freezing too. It all depends on what you want to order. If its your common types of fish then the lfs is your best bet. Although for a lot of cichlids especially for Africans online is cheaper and better. I will admit though that going online is a hassle a lot of times. Its a lot easier going to the LFS and picking something up then doing a big order that may save 20$ overall.

I think ordering fish online is fine as long as it's from a reputable dealer with live arrive guarantees. I've ordered from a fish dealer on Aquabid and exocticfinds.net and had good experiences with both.

As for relying on the LFS....in some areas (mine included) you can rarely find anything that you want, and yes, they will order it for you ....sometimes, but I haven't had much luck with that either since they are also limited by what their dealer carries.

I wanted a tiny pleco, that would stay tiny. I researched several that were available at exoticfinds.net and ordered a beautiful L-129 Hypancistrus....which actually turned out to be a rarer L-318. It worked out great....the fish is doing fine, and all I would have been able to get by going through my LFS is, if I had been lucky, is a regular bristlenose.

IMO, if you want something very special and very specific look around at different sites, especially Aquabid. It usually works out pretty well....just be sure they have a live arrive guarantee of some sort.

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~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

I order almost all the fish that I don't get locally from online sources. If the shippers know what they're doing, no problems should ensue.

I've gotten fish online and never had a problem. I've never ordered in the dead of winter because I think thats just pushing it a little around here, but have gotten them in late fall/early spring with no prolems. The Fed Ex delivery guy even keeps the box in the front of the truck with him so it will stay warm.

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

sounds like a pretty safe, I'm going to check out the ones you recomended... thanks!!

I've actually bought almost all of my fish online, and had very good results, even in winter. If you're looking at Arizona Aquatic gardens, I'd be hesitant, though. That was the one bad experience I had with shipped fish, with 80% death rate among fish and shrimp. Their plants are great, though. Ask the shipper if they use styrofoam insulation and heat packs. If the answer is yes, then I'd go for it. Also, don't be put off by high overnight shipping prices, especially if it is a delicate or unusual fish, or if the shipper lives far away from you. From neighboring areas, priority mail is usually fine, but for long distances, splurge on express overnight, or an independant shipper (UPS, FedEx, etc.)

Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...