Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Pet Shops and Product Reviews => Buying Tropical Fish Online => Topic started by: Kwhite on April 15, 2019, 11:23:47 AM

Title: Buying fish online
Post by: Kwhite on April 15, 2019, 11:23:47 AM
Hi guys :raspberries

Just wondering if anyone has had experience with buying fish online, and your thoughts on it

Thanks Kim
Title: Re: Buying fish online
Post by: Sue on April 15, 2019, 12:52:11 PM
There are pros and cons.

The first big con is the price of 'postage'. Royal Mail does not allow the posting of live fish - just fry and eggs - though that does not stop people doing it. Reputable sellers use a licenced courier, and they are expensive. For a couple of fish, the transport costs are often more than the fish.

The second con is that you can't see the fish before buying. You can't see if they are healthy or sick, and very often the seller won't choose males and females, you just get whichever fish they catch. This is not a problem with shoaling fish but it is for fish like gouramis. And with many cichlids, you have to try and buy a bonded pair. Just any male and any female may not get on together.

The biggest advantage is being able to buy fish that no-on locally stocks.




If you do get fish on-line, open the pack in the darkest corner you can find. The fish's eyes will be adjusted to darkness and without eyelids, sudden exposure to bright light stresses them.
Don't open the bag yet. The fish will have been excreting ammonia during transit, but they will also have been breathing out carbon dioxide. This will have dissolved in the water making it acidic, so the ammonia will all be in the less toxic ammonium form. As soon as you open the bag, the carbon dioxide gasses off, the pH rises and a lot of ammonium turns into toxic ammonia.
Float the unopened bag to equalise temperature, then open the bag and net the fish out and into the tank. Yes, the water might be quite different from the seller's water but it takes many days for fish to acclimatise to new water, and you need to get them out of the ammonia-laden water in the bag as soon as it is opened.
Title: Re: Buying fish online
Post by: Kwhite on April 19, 2019, 08:12:37 PM
Thanks for replying sue

I didn't realise how expensive it was,
It's just the ember tetra i want I can only find them in stockton and my other half will only go if we are in the area which we never are (hate not been able to drive)
So was just looking at other options

Thanks again

Kim
Title: Re: Buying fish online
Post by: Sue on April 19, 2019, 08:39:58 PM
I have just been through your posts and realise you are in Redcar. Does Tropical House not have any embers?

By Stockton do you mean Maidenhead Aquatics in the garden centre that used to be Peter Barratt? The MA at Stokesley in Strikes garden centre was always much better and they have re-opened following last year's fire. I was there a couple of months ago and they were just starting to restock so they probably have a lot more fish by now. Can you not persuade your other half that you need something for the garden; you could do a circuit of the three garden centres as well as Maidenhead Aquatics  ;D

The best shop in the area is probably a bit off the track for you, but if you ever find yourselves heading down the A168 from Northallerton to Thirsk it is worth calling in to Aquatic Finatic. But take a virtual trip there first on google maps streetview as it can be hard to spot - and the marker for it is now in the right place, at last.
Title: Re: Buying fish online
Post by: Kwhite on April 21, 2019, 09:42:19 AM
Hi sue

Tropical house doesn't stock them and they have condensed the tanks to bare minimum so it's literally just tanks as you walk in
Such a shame
I got some from pet mania near the range Stockton area, but didn't want to increase the load too many at a time.
That's been took over too :) it's really worth a look they have a great range of fish i was really impressed, and the embers i did get are all healthy stunning little fish and my honey Gouramis Mr and Mrs Jones are beautiful.

Went to strikes too a few months ago too they had the basic fish and as you said are in the process of restocking
Title: Re: Buying fish online
Post by: Kwhite on April 21, 2019, 09:50:03 AM
Mr and Mrs Jones
Title: Re: Buying fish online
Post by: Sue on April 21, 2019, 09:58:57 AM
I forgot about Pet Mania! I haven't been in there for ages, I refused to go again after seeing a tank with two, yes two, very beaten up male bettas. But I didn't know they'd been taken over, might take a look next time we are in Portrack Lane (we have to drive past to get to Wickes, B&Q, Dunelm Mill.....)

If you go to Pet Mania, there is also Teesside Koi and Aquatics next door to Tile Giant (which is opposite Asda). After they moved there they stocked less 'ordinary' fish and seemed to go in for more Rift Lake cichlids, but they might have ember tetras. It might be worth a phone call.



You gouramis are lovely  :)
Title: Re: Buying fish online
Post by: Kwhite on April 21, 2019, 12:49:58 PM
Yes all the pet mainas have been shut down but that one has been taken over u think it's called justpets now
There was an issue staff got sick off the chickens i believe then they all closed down
Bettas are kept in very small but individual tanks but the new owners were making changes
I'm just gonna have to persuade him ti take me lol
Kim