Ordering from Marine Center

[BTTRFLYGRL]

Has anyone ordered fish from Marine Center? If so, What did you order and what was your experience?

[RichK]

I've ordered a few times from them. From Angels to Anthias and wrasses. Every fish ate right from the bag. Shipping was great. Overall a very good experience. They are not the cheapest, but they are among the best. Highly recomended.

[BTTRFLYGRL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6226540#post6226540 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RichK
I've ordered a few times from them. From Angels to Anthias and wrasses. Every fish ate right from the bag. Shipping was great. Overall a very good experience. They are not the cheapest, but they are among the best. Highly recomended.



Thanks! I have seen them recommended by a few well known hobbyist but I haven't heard of any real experiences with them...always makes me nervous to have fish sent UPS;)

[Tremelle]

Also keep in mind this is the Christmas shipping season. Pachages tend to sit alittle longer and get lost more due to the volume of packages. Do you want that fish sitting in a cold environment for maybe an extended period of time? If you can wait, wait til after the first of the year. I know it is easier said than done.

[jda]

A lot of "pros" won't ship fex ex or UPS this time of year. They will only do airline to airport. Your risk of getting your package delayed is very high with the increased volume.

[Bluetangclan]

I would wait until next month. There are going to be delays out the ying yang and with that weather up north who knows. As for the Marine Center, I have ordered from them as well with excellent results. Good company to order from even if they are slightly more expensive and their website drives me up the wall heheh.

[BTTRFLYGRL]

Thanks everyone..I think I'll either look at some stores around here or wait. Its to cold and I don't want to risk a poor fish getting frozen:(

[jda]

Some places will ship on airplanes to a local airport. If you live close to a major airport, then this is a good option. Check it out.

[BTTRFLYGRL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6230468#post6230468 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jda
Some places will ship on airplanes to a local airport. If you live close to a major airport, then this is a good option. Check it out.




Thanks! Thats a good idea!

[El Langostino]

How about liveaquaria.com and marinedepotlive.com? Are they equally as reliable as marinecenter?

[CeeGee]

I have heard really good things about liveaquaria.

I tried ordering from them and my order never shipped as the fish they said they had was not in stock (or died in their care) I cancelled the order and ordered from saltycritter.com with excellent results.

Liveaquaria may be a really good outfit it just didn't work out for me that particular time.

[BTTRFLYGRL]

I have a beautiful Raccoon Butterfly from liveaquaria.
I ordered 2 fish, the Raccoon and a Maculosus [sp?] Angel. It was Feb and cold and there was one, ONE heat pack and it wasn't even warm. The Raccoon was healthy and ate on arrival but the Angel hid, I thought he was going to die. He never looked or acted right and unfortunatly he died within a couple weeks. other people swear by them and I would possibly order from them again , but if it was winter I'd make sure to tell them to add more heating pads, I was not impressed with their packing

[Apparition]

I'm not biased or anything as I've ordered from both LiveAquaria and Marine Depot with excellent results, but they are sort of in a different league than the Marine Center.

All fish that the Marine Center sells have been quarantined, conditioned, and eating prepared foods. No other online retailer even begins to make that claim. That guarantees that the fish you get will be healthy and already eating. This is a must if you want to order fish that are notoriously bad shippers like powder blue tangs or certain species of anthias. Every customer of theirs that I've read reviews for always state that the specimen eats right out of the bag. The problem is, you definitely do pay for this kind of care. They are more expensive and so for your average clownfish or chromis I wouldn't use them for, but for the touchier or hard to find species, they are definitely worth their extra dollars.

[BTTRFLYGRL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6236566#post6236566 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Apparition
I'm not biased or anything as I've ordered from both LiveAquaria and Marine Depot with excellent results, but they are sort of in a different league than the Marine Center.

All fish that the Marine Center sells have been quarantined, conditioned, and eating prepared foods. No other online retailer even begins to make that claim. That guarantees that the fish you get will be healthy and already eating. This is a must if you want to order fish that are notoriously bad shippers like powder blue tangs or certain species of anthias. Every customer of theirs that I've read reviews for always state that the specimen eats right out of the bag. The problem is, you definitely do pay for this kind of care. They are more expensive and so for your average clownfish or chromis I wouldn't use them for, but for the touchier or hard to find species, they are definitely worth their extra dollars.


Thanks for the info...The only problems that I have heard people having with Marine Center is w/ the customer service..not being able to get a hold of them

[d4a2n0k]

I didnt have a good experience with Marine Center. I ordered a few fish from them and they only had 1 in stock. They never called and told me and just sent 1 fish. I paid $50 shipping on a $40 fish. Not exactly what I wanted to do.

It took me quite a few phone calls to get anybody and when I did he was a little obnoxious. I asked If they would at least cut me a deal on shipping when the other 2 fish arrive and they refused. I wasnt asking them to eat the entire cost but maybe half. I told them to cancel the rest of the order and that was that.

The fish I did receive is still alive after 2 years and have to admit that they get a lot of fish that no other vendor can but I wont be ordering from them again.

[Apparition]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6236723#post6236723 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KIMHARDIE
Thanks for the info...The only problems that I have heard people having with Marine Center is w/ the customer service..not being able to get a hold of them

Yeah, I've heard this too. From what I understand, they have a really small staff and so aren't proficient in this area. LiveAquaria I think has great customer service. Marine Depot's is good too, but I'd rank LA first in this area.

[modernsavage]

have you tried that abyss systems up on the north side of indy?
i have been there and they have some great fish and inverts.
i havent been in a while but i believe they are still there.

[BTTRFLYGRL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6237632#post6237632 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by modernsavage
have you tried that abyss systems up on the north side of indy?
i have been there and they have some great fish and inverts.
i havent been in a while but i believe they are still there.



Actually I was just there last week. I was looking at a Kole Tang. I like that they keep the fish for 2 weeks before they sell them. Their fish usually look real good....although I did see a few Yellow Tangs with black ich in their store once.


Liveaquaria has AWESOME customer service!

I recently traded a Yellow Tang that I had moved from my 125 to my 90 for a Coral Beauty. I feel the Tang needed a 6' tank and he and my Raccon Butterfly could not get along.
I really love Tangs though and started getting the fever for a fishy. I LOVE Powder Blues. to me one the most beautiful fish, but I hear they are difficult. So I looked at Koles, cute but not as colorful...now I am thinking Dori:confused: But I have a fear of ich and Hippo's are ich magnets:rolleyes: ...so I don't know, I thought I would settle for a Kole but I really want a PB or A Hippo....any advise anyone?

[modernsavage]

i'd have to look in my research books to make sure this is correct when i get home, but i think you'd be just fine with a powder blue. i am almost definate.
i would get it either close to home or with really fast shipping cuz they dont travel well.
i do love the regals but my passion is with naso tangs.

[BTTRFLYGRL]

Thanks for the info Modernsavage

But I got my new fish, I got a Powder Brown...not quite as pretty as the P Blue's but it is a beautiful fish! They are supposed to be hardier than the PBlues. Kinda reminds mr of the Naso's but they only get around 8"..They had a couple of Hippo Tangs but they wanted $111.00 for them:eek: No thanks! This P.Brown was $50..The place I got them is a little pricey but they have a great selection....ahhhh I feel better now, I got my Tang:rollface:

[BTTRFLYGRL]

ooopppss! Sorry, I got the White Faced Tang, which is hardier than the Powder Brown....so confusing:confused:
Its a Acanthurus Japonicus....they did have it labled as a Powder brown but when we looked it up in their book and matched it w/ the Japonicus, I knew it was the hardier of the two