Group Buy on Inverts

[carb850]

Anyone interested in trying to put together a group order for inverts in the next week or two? I'd like to compare prices of local to online but what I'm looking for is mostly snails but might also pick up some shrimp, hermits, and emerald crabs if money allows.

 

[cdbias2]

Just made an order today from Live Aquaria. "Build your own" Clean up crews. Anything over $60 is free shipping.
This smokes the compitition if your in that $60 range.
However, they didn't include scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp in this deal.

 

[LtPiper]

I was going to head to the LFS for crabs and snails tomorrow so yeah I'd go for it and can host the deliver since I work from home.

 

[carb850]

How big of an order were you wanting to make? If it is just the two of us and your not getting a lot then the deal cdbias2 mentioned might be our best bet. However, if we looking at a larger order then we might be able to do better elsewhere.

I was looking at $40-$60.

(edit to add)
I just checked Reeftopia and DFS is beating them on many of the items I have in my selection.

 

[LtPiper]

I've got some other sites we have ordered from before and depending on what your looking for we may be able to beat that deal.

 

[spinnerbayt]

I might want a couple things if you figure out where your going to order from.

 

[carb850]

Were do you guys suggest looking? I'm open to any suggestion. I only looked at Fosters&Smith and Reeftopia. DFS has better prices right now on Peppermint Shrimp, Emeralds, Scarlet Hermits, and several of the snails.

 

[wvcleaner]

Count me in, I need some shrimp though. Could take anything but would really like to get some more shrimp of some kind. A few crabs to. let me know a price and I will tell you what I can get. I have a friend that will get a few things for clean up to. just shoot me a e-mail.

 

[carb850]

DFS (aka. Live Aquaria) has significantly different pricing on the inverts from the regular catagory when compare to the 'Build Your Own Clean-up Crew'. In this other section, it has a much reduced selection but the prices are a lot cheaper on the items listed.

I did one sample order including
Peppermint Shrimp
Emerald Crabs
Scarlet Leg Hermits
Cerith Snails
Turbo Snails

The price came out almost identical between DFS and Bluezooaquatics. DFS is cheaper on the Emeralds & Peppermints, but more expensive on the Scarlet Hermits & Snails. DFS you only need $60 for free shipping while you need $225 for BlueZoo but Bluezoo has a much larger selection since your not stuck with that very narrow group which DFS has in the build your own selction. When you look outside of the 'Build Your Own' of DFS it appears BlueZoo has better pricing.

I don't know how much you guys plan to order but I think we can achieve the $225 pretty easily of BlueZoo so that might be better because of the increased selection.

Any other places you guys suggest pricing?

(edit to add)
Another advantage with BlueZoo is that corals and fish can all be added into the total. DFS has it broke up so that if you wanted to add a Fish or Coral that they had completely separate shipping cost. So we could be eligible for free invert shipping but might still own $40 in other items. I mainly plan on inverts but still nice to have the option.

 

[LtPiper]

Others to consider
http://www.keyscritters.com/
http://tomscaribbean.com

 

[solareclisped]

there is also a guy on ebay that sells all of the stuff you are looking at at good prices. May want to check it out. I think it is pieceofthereef or something is his user name.

 

[carb850]

PM sent to those replied to this thread with pricing. If anyone else is interested PM me or post here.

Thanks,

 

[solareclisped]

I sent you a pm just let me know what is going on.

 

[carb850]

Got it. Thanks.

 

[carb850]

Interesting thread on Hermit's.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=14941133#post14941133

When I had my little 30 setup I stocked only Blue Leg Hermits. I was under the impression they were the safest with their tiny size being a big reason for it. I noticed I lost all my snails but I only saw the hermits on those shells one or two times. I thought I just had something odd going on with my tank which didn't like snails. I now believe the dwarf Blue Legs were the cuplrit.

That is why I'm pricing the Scarlet Leg Hermits for my order. Even though they are larger, most report they are less invasive.

 

[cdbias2]

There are some threads about that ebay dude. It was mainly about the nassarius snails. There is a huge difference between a Tonga nassarius that you see in stores and the nassarius (mud whelks) that he sells.

 

[carb850]

Bump. Anyone else interest in this let me know. Plan on getting the order in the first of next week.