Ordering livestock in extreme weather

fishysteve · 01/29/2014, 02:04 PM

With this never ending cold spell the north east has been going through, has anyone ordered livestock and had it arrive at a reasonable temp lately? I just can't think of how they would be ok. I would like to order some inverts, but I don't want to risk losing them.

BlueFyre · 01/29/2014, 02:13 PM

I'm in Wisconsin. I've ordered a few corals without issue. I wouldn't risk fish unless it was from a good company(divers den) For inverts, I would wait until it's warmer. I'm in desperate need of emerald crabs but I'm gonna have to wait it out.

suzig · 01/29/2014, 02:21 PM

i would order if the temp is going to be consistently over 30*F. if its in the teens or lower id say just hold off.

Whisperer · 01/29/2014, 02:46 PM

It is hard on the livestock. I received a shipment recently from DD, the water was too cold even with heat packs. One coral died, the others are doing fine. I felt bad for making them unnecessarily go through that.

apexkeeper · 01/29/2014, 03:10 PM

In my opinion I just don't feel the need to order livestock something that can't wait for more ideal conditions. Not to get all PETA.. but they are living creatures, why risk it?

McGarnicle · 01/29/2014, 03:13 PM

I was wondering this too, its been well below 0 here the past few days and was curious if people are still ordering fish in this weather

justa210 · 01/29/2014, 03:56 PM

My LFS canceled there weekly order due to the conditions this week.

suzig · 01/29/2014, 04:08 PM

same here.. lfs have been low due to temps in the teens and twenties.

james30ct · 01/29/2014, 05:01 PM

I placed an order and the guy wont ship it until the cold breaks. I guess thats a good thing.

snorvich · 01/29/2014, 05:38 PM

I wait until reasonable weather is forecast.

goldmaniac · 01/30/2014, 10:48 AM

I ordered from LiveAquaria this week, i had fish & inverts come in yesterday. all fish initially looked good but a couple crabs didn't make it.
by the end of the night i had more fatalities.

Arrow crab was DOA
1 blue hermit crab was DOA
another blue hermit died last night
Rainford's goby disappeared before the night was over
McCosker's fairy wrass died soon after opening the bag.

I think it's just too cold to order. I am in PA.

Potsy · 01/30/2014, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldmaniac

I ordered from LiveAquaria this week, i had fish & inverts come in yesterday. all fish initially looked good but a couple crabs didn't make it.
by the end of the night i had more fatalities.

Arrow crab was DOA
1 blue hermit crab was DOA
another blue hermit died last night
Rainford's goby disappeared before the night was over
McCosker's fairy wrass died soon after opening the bag.

I think it's just too cold to order. I am in PA.

Did you have it shipped to your residence or held for pickup at a Fedex facility? At least with Liveaquaria's customer service you'll likely get refunded. By the way, I grew up in Yardley, PA (Centennial Village off of Oxford Valley Rd.)

goldmaniac · 01/30/2014, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Potsy

Did you have it shipped to your residence or held for pickup at a Fedex facility? At least with Liveaquaria's customer service you'll likely get refunded. By the way, I grew up in Yardley, PA (Centennial Village off of Oxford Valley Rd.)

Potsy, that's where I live! Small world. we're 2 minutes from Yardley Main Street.

I had the shipment sent to my work address, where I signed for it directly at about 10:00 am. It was sent overnight to be delivered by 10:30 am by UPS. good delivery, although the (outside of the) boxes were pretty cold.

I went home at 1:00 pm and started a slow drip line into multiple buckets, as it was a pretty big order (about 10 fish and about 15 inverts, including hermits).

it was a little cold in those styrofoam containers that they come in.

LiveAquaria is very good at replacements. I plan on waiting until Spring for any more shipments, however, for good temperatures.

JOEYRM7 · 01/30/2014, 11:52 AM

I ordered 3 acro's from DD. Ups did me a "favor" by opening and delaying shipment for 10 hours. I acclimated for 3 hours according to DD's instructions. Ever smell what 3 dying acros do to a tank? Received an immediate credit from DD but wont order again during extreme temos

ravi197699 · 01/30/2014, 11:59 AM

I order my live stock, (fish and corals) in warm temp. It does not matter how many heat pads they use it is still cold out and trucks are not temperature controlled....

usmc121581 · 01/30/2014, 12:01 PM

Just recieved a LA/DD shipment on Sat during the cold snap and was very good and warm inside the bags.

icechimpee · 01/30/2014, 12:22 PM

I'm holding off until it get above 45/50 degrees. I'm in no rush and if I really need something I'll support my good LFS's

fishysteve · 01/30/2014, 01:22 PM

I think I'll wait until spring. Don't need to put them through any unnecessary stress because I'm impatient. The tank isn't gong anywhere.

thegrun · 01/30/2014, 02:13 PM

Yeah, it's been in the low 80's here in SoCal and I worry about the livestock overheating!

DopeCantWin · 01/30/2014, 02:49 PM

I ordered a pair of Achilles and two other smaller fish. All were okay on delivery, but one of the Achilles died a day later in quarantine. The other is doing well after 3 weeks. Remember, you can stop your items at the post office and pick them up from there. I'm nearby Chicago.

usmc121581 · 02/01/2014, 06:08 AM

Not to mention I received another order from DD and all fish/ corals made it again.

01/29/2014, 02:04 PM	#1
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	Ordering livestock in extreme weather With this never ending cold spell the north east has been going through, has anyone ordered livestock and had it arrive at a reasonable temp lately? I just can't think of how they would be ok. I would like to order some inverts, but I don't want to risk losing them. __________________ On a break

01/29/2014, 02:21 PM	#3
suzig Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: long island Posts: 176	i would order if the temp is going to be consistently over 30*F. if its in the teens or lower id say just hold off. __________________ ... Current Tank Info: 45 cube, Custom King sump, 250w Halide, 2x T5s, G4 Radion, ATO, Reef Octopus skimmer, mp40/10

01/29/2014, 02:46 PM	#4
Whisperer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Punta Gorda, FL Posts: 4,020	It is hard on the livestock. I received a shipment recently from DD, the water was too cold even with heat packs. One coral died, the others are doing fine. I felt bad for making them unnecessarily go through that. __________________ The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. --------- No one is born with intellect and age guarantees wisdom to no one. Current Tank Info: 120G reef, 30G sump, 10G QT tank

01/29/2014, 04:08 PM	#8
suzig Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: long island Posts: 176	same here.. lfs have been low due to temps in the teens and twenties. __________________ ... Current Tank Info: 45 cube, Custom King sump, 250w Halide, 2x T5s, G4 Radion, ATO, Reef Octopus skimmer, mp40/10

01/29/2014, 05:38 PM	#10
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	I wait until reasonable weather is forecast. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

01/29/2014, 02:13 PM	#2
BlueFyre Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 587	I'm in Wisconsin. I've ordered a few corals without issue. I wouldn't risk fish unless it was from a good company(divers den) For inverts, I would wait until it's warmer. I'm in desperate need of emerald crabs but I'm gonna have to wait it out.

01/29/2014, 03:10 PM	#5
apexkeeper Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Central, NJ Posts: 297	In my opinion I just don't feel the need to order livestock something that can't wait for more ideal conditions. Not to get all PETA.. but they are living creatures, why risk it?

01/29/2014, 03:13 PM	#6
McGarnicle Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Chicago IL Posts: 106	I was wondering this too, its been well below 0 here the past few days and was curious if people are still ordering fish in this weather

01/29/2014, 03:56 PM	#7
justa210 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 126	My LFS canceled there weekly order due to the conditions this week.

01/29/2014, 05:01 PM	#9
james30ct Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Groton, Ct Posts: 1,218	I placed an order and the guy wont ship it until the cold breaks. I guess thats a good thing.

01/30/2014, 10:48 AM	#11
goldmaniac Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 1,567	I ordered from LiveAquaria this week, i had fish & inverts come in yesterday. all fish initially looked good but a couple crabs didn't make it. by the end of the night i had more fatalities. Arrow crab was DOA 1 blue hermit crab was DOA another blue hermit died last night Rainford's goby disappeared before the night was over McCosker's fairy wrass died soon after opening the bag. I think it's just too cold to order. I am in PA.

01/30/2014, 11:52 AM	#14
JOEYRM7 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: NEW YORK Posts: 335	I ordered 3 acro's from DD. Ups did me a "favor" by opening and delaying shipment for 10 hours. I acclimated for 3 hours according to DD's instructions. Ever smell what 3 dying acros do to a tank? Received an immediate credit from DD but wont order again during extreme temos

01/30/2014, 11:59 AM	#15
ravi197699 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 567	I order my live stock, (fish and corals) in warm temp. It does not matter how many heat pads they use it is still cold out and trucks are not temperature controlled....

01/30/2014, 12:01 PM	#16
usmc121581 Where am I? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Abingdon, maryland Posts: 1,671 Blog Entries: 1	Just recieved a LA/DD shipment on Sat during the cold snap and was very good and warm inside the bags. __________________ I prefer not to think before I speak, I like to be just as surprised as everyone else by what comes out of my mouth. Current Tank Info: I have a 180 gal mostly LPS corals, it contains 1 Val. Tang, 1 yellow striped clown fish, 3 percula clownfish, a blood shrimp, cleaner shrimp and a sand shifting goby, 5 pajama cardinals, 1 green chromis. Also a 75 gal. sump/fug.

01/30/2014, 12:22 PM	#17
icechimpee Time is Money Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 246	I'm holding off until it get above 45/50 degrees. I'm in no rush and if I really need something I'll support my good LFS's __________________ 93 Gallon "Cube" 30x30x24...in the works

01/30/2014, 01:22 PM	#18
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	I think I'll wait until spring. Don't need to put them through any unnecessary stress because I'm impatient. The tank isn't gong anywhere. __________________ On a break

01/30/2014, 02:13 PM	#19
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Yeah, it's been in the low 80's here in SoCal and I worry about the livestock overheating!

01/30/2014, 02:49 PM	#20
DopeCantWin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Buffalo Grove Posts: 2,193	I ordered a pair of Achilles and two other smaller fish. All were okay on delivery, but one of the Achilles died a day later in quarantine. The other is doing well after 3 weeks. Remember, you can stop your items at the post office and pick them up from there. I'm nearby Chicago.

02/01/2014, 06:08 AM	#21
usmc121581 Where am I? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Abingdon, maryland Posts: 1,671 Blog Entries: 1	Not to mention I received another order from DD and all fish/ corals made it again. __________________ I prefer not to think before I speak, I like to be just as surprised as everyone else by what comes out of my mouth. Current Tank Info: I have a 180 gal mostly LPS corals, it contains 1 Val. Tang, 1 yellow striped clown fish, 3 percula clownfish, a blood shrimp, cleaner shrimp and a sand shifting goby, 5 pajama cardinals, 1 green chromis. Also a 75 gal. sump/fug.