JamOne1
New member
I have worked at the LFS for over 15 years and wanted to share an experience I had at the largest fish wholesaler in the Chicagoland area in order to inform people on how fish are shipped. My coworker and I had gone to the wholesaler to pick out stock for the store. This is a warehouse-sized facility and we had finished and were waiting for our stock to be bagged, boxed and billed. As we were waiting the workers started wheeling out all these 30-50 gallon garbage cans into the aisles of holding tanks (2-3 cans per aisle). Then stacks of boxes were wheeled in. The workers opened the boxes and started sorting through them. With great speed they threw the bags of dead fish in the garbage and the live ones in the tanks. Most of the bags contained so little water the fish were swimming on their sides (water is heavy and costs a lot to ship). We were shocked that they would toss powder blue tangs and emperor angels into tanks like they were little beach balls. But the really horrifying part was how many bags of fish were immediately thrown into the garbage. Well over half the fish (enough to stock a second warehouse) were DOA. By the end, the garbage cans were full with dead saltwater fish. This was clearly just part of their routine. We were not supposed to be in there when they got their shipment in and the owner was livid that we saw this. I am still horrified that I am part of the reason this happens.
What can the hobbyist do?
1. Understand that the ocean is not a limitless pot of gold.
2. Buy captive bred fish and fragged corals.
3. Quarantine your stock (especially fish).
4. Do not accept high death rates from any seller-even if your money is guaranteed. If fish or coral died during shipping on an overnight ship then there is a problem with the seller, the packaging or the shipping company.
5. Do your research and buy within your capabilities . . .
and please share your knowledge!
What can the hobbyist do?
1. Understand that the ocean is not a limitless pot of gold.
2. Buy captive bred fish and fragged corals.
3. Quarantine your stock (especially fish).
4. Do not accept high death rates from any seller-even if your money is guaranteed. If fish or coral died during shipping on an overnight ship then there is a problem with the seller, the packaging or the shipping company.
5. Do your research and buy within your capabilities . . .
and please share your knowledge!