While we generally prefer buying aquarium fish from our local fish store, purchasing online does have some distinct advantages.
This guide at Aquarium Blueprints will list out some of these advantages, in addition to the disadvantages, of online fish shopping while also providing tips as to what to look out for.
Quick Navigation:
- Advantages of buying aquarium fish online
- Disadvantages of purchasing aquarium fish online
- How to find reviews for online fish stores
- What is a good return and refund policy for online fish stores?
- Questions to ask the online seller
Advantages of buying aquarium fish online
The main benefit of buying fish online is that your selection aren’t limited to what your local fish shop carries. Due to limited space, stores can only stock a small selection of fish you can find in the hobby. As a result, unpopular species (such as cichlids, rainbow fish and many saltwater species) often can’t be found at your local retailer. By shopping online, you naturally open yourself up to a much larger selection when it comes to buying fish.
Another positive is that your local breeder, fish shop and/or wholesaler may not have the best reputation when it comes to selling healthy fish and providing satisfying customer service. So, if you don’t think your local sources are the best, then buying aquarium fish online may be the better option.
Disadvantages of purchasing aquarium fish online
There are several risks that you should consider when it comes to buying fish online. The first of all is that the transportation will be more stressful for the fish. Chances are likely that your water parameters won’t match the those from the seller. Not to mention that the fish will have to go through the shipping process, which means they could potentially be stuck in a small bag for several days with no food, filtration and/or optimal temperature.
Another potential issue is that there is usually no way to see the fish you are buying online beforehand. Although there may be a photo in the listing, you won’t exactly know if it is the same exact fish. While you can pick the individual fish and check its health at your local fish store, you are at the mercy of an online seller. This is especially true if you are buying fry as they could grow up to look nothing like the adult fish that was advertised.
One last negative of buying fish online is the packaging and shipping costs. The seller usually use two plastic bags and potentially a oxygen tank to add oxygen when shipping fish. They will also use Styrofoam and/or other cushions to make sure the fish bag stay in place. Not to mention that a heat pack may also be included. All of these packaging materials add up.
In terms of shipping, it is best to choose the fastest shipping option to reduce the stress level of the fish. Of course, the faster the shipping, the more expensive your entire order will become.
As you can see above, we feel that buying fish online is more risky than buying at your local sources. With that said, if your local sellers have a bad reputation and/or don’t have the fish you are looking for, then we recommend buying your aquarium fish online.
How to find reviews for online fish stores
Two of the more popular websites for buying aquarium fish are Aquabid and eBay. Both sites provide a place you can buy live fish from a business or individual seller. By clicking on the number to the right of the seller’s username, you will be taken to the reviews page where you can view all the positive, neutral and negative feedbacks. We recommend reading through as much as possible. One thing that you should want to look out for is how the seller reacts to the negative feedback (i.e. whether or not they respond in a professional manner).
If you are buying aquarium fish from a dedicated website, the process is a little bit more tricky, especially if they does not have any reviews or testimonials on any of the internal pages. In this case, we suggest doing a Google search of the website name and the word “review.” If the website is popular enough, then you should find a forum thread, Reddit post, Youtube video or any other type of community discussions that contain customers talking about their experience.
What is a good return and refund policy for online fish stores?
Another factor that you should look into when buying fish online is the return and/or refund policy. The acceptable industry standard is that the seller will provide some kind of guarantee that the livestock will arrive alive within a few hours of being delivered to your house. They may also ask for a picture of the dead fish as proof.
Furthermore, some sellers, like Catfishtown, may include extra fish as a precaution. In other words, if you ordered 13 Corydoras, they will send 15. If 2 of the fry die during shipment, then this will save the seller the costs and time needed to reship. If all 15 arrive alive, then the customer get 2 additional fish at no additional costs.
Questions to ask the online seller
When buying aquarium fish online, there are a few questions we recommend asking the seller.
The first of which is the water parameters. The water, specifically the pH, should be close to the parameters of your aquarium. Unless there is a huge difference in pH, this isn’t usually that big of a problem as most fish can adjust to different pH levels over time. With that said, it is a nice little tidbit to know.
You should also ask whether or not the fish you are buying have been properly medicated. This is especially important if you are adding your new fish to an already established aquarium that house your current stock. Although it may look healthy, your new fish may be latently carrying diseases that could be spread to others in your tank.
Last but not least, you also ask about what food are being fed to the fish you are buying. Some species can be finicky when it comes to adjusting to new food. So it is best to ask the seller just in case.
Recap
When buying aquarium fish online, we recommend checking out the reputation on the seller.
The business/individual should also have a customer-friendly return/refund policy in case something goes wrong during the shipping process.
They should also be open to questions to make sure the fish you are buying will acclimate to your fish tank.
