Would you buy fish mail-order/online?

[Deja Q]

Poll question: Would you buy fish mail-order/online?

All the pet stores in my area have only male Electric Blue Cichlids.

Females are either silver or brown, and as such are ugly and therefore consumers won't buy them. :eyes: (just like female Betta splendons, although I once saw a bunch of those in a pet store that were as vibrant as the males... but they don't sell 'em anymore, :cry: A pity, I'd rather have them over aggressive African cichlids, but oh well. The Electric Blues are gorgeous though...)

Here's a pic, I'll put up mine soon:

[1a2b3c]

1. I vote yes

Sometimes you cant find the fish you want anywhere close. They overnight ship you the fish.

[Lefta Dissenter]

2. apparently hamsters and tigers as well, 123?

How bout doing some reading on some of the message boards, to see if any particular companies have a great reputation for shipping? I would think that the survival rate would be heavily dependent on the packing/shipping methods, and whether they start with healthy fish to begin with, of course. You should be able to read some reviews online.

[jburton]

3. Sure!

I ordered steaks through the mail once, and they made it fine. They were packed with dry ice so they didn't spoil. Fish should be OK too.

:crazy:

[Blue-Jay]

4. Why not?

If you can find a place that ships from a relatively close proximity, go ahead and do it. They're usually well packed and heat-controlled to prevent excess stress. Cichlids are pretty tough anyway. Most companies will replace a dead one or refund your money if you're not satisfied.