Liveaquaria Thoughts?

[Reeftanks6]

Thanks for all the responses guys! Seems like they really are a great company. I hope to be dealing with them soon. I will post pictures and everything once I get a shipment in and everything.

Breadman03 I am a couple of hours I think I live in Southampton PA

 

[kegogut]

Their customer service is the best Ive experienced. ANYWHERE. I mean out of any customer support Ive ever dealt with period, not just in the fish business.

 

[Reeftanks6]

Thanks kegogut, love hearing all the positive feedback from them.

 

[nickbuol]

You keep getting great feedback about them, and yet use words and phrases like "hope, might, think I may, might lean towards..."

Just give them a try already. :fun4:

 

[h2hiero]

I would still QT your fish but they are one of the best online stores for sure. With the 30 day warannty You just tell them your fish is dead when one of mine died a few years back they never even asked for a picture.

 

[reefpro21]

i have order live rock from them, on the page it said 70-90% coverd in coraline algae and its was more like 5-10%, i have order 2 45 pounds rock and not even close to 70-90%

 

[AJReefs]

L.A. is one of the only places I enjoy shopping online. Never encountered a DOA which I really attribute to some really healthy well packed animals.

 

[PeTe PoLyP]

I have ordered from LA two times. The first time I had one out of four acropora rtn. They refunded the cost with no questions asked. The second time I ordered I received one acropora that was not the one I ordered. I contacted customer service and they were very helpful. They shipped the original coral I purchased within days of verifying that I did receive the wrong one. I got to keep the one they sent by accident. There was no additional charge at all! They are a top notch company with very healthy livestock.

 

[oldreefer76]

I have ordered from them and divers den on various occasions and everything was well packaged and arrived in great shape including some fish that don't ship real well. I would not hesitate to order from them again

 

[Tzwizzle]

I prefer to order my stuff from Live Aquaria rather then the LFS. I've never had anything DOA and I've ordered everything from starfish/shrimp/fish/snails/crabs/corals/liverock and everything looked great on arrival. I'd avoid ordering during the super cold or super hot seasons because I've heard the planes are not temperature controlled. Make sure you are home when they deliver. I usually place large orders because the shipping is a flat rate regardless of weight.

 

[justa210]

Good info here!!

 

[reefpro21]

just wished there prices were lower =]

 

[ca1ore]

I would still QT your fish but they are one of the best online stores for sure. With the 30 day warannty You just tell them your fish is dead when one of mine died a few years back they never even asked for a picture.

Guarantee for most livestock is 14 days. It is only 30 for their captive grown corals. However, if you tell them a fish is ailing, they will often extend the guarantee. Frankly, with free shipping, I'd argue why bother with local purchases, particularly with more sensitive livestock.

I recently bought, and paid a premium for, a Leopard wrasse trio that were already eating mysis and have acclimated well so far to my tank. With some patience, I could have found the same fish locally for probably 30% less, but no guarantee and no pre treatment or acclimation. A no brainier really.

 

[ca1ore]

just wished there prices were lower =]

I agree, however, think about it this way. With DD, you are buying a fish that has been through a pretty good QT process, has been treated for parasites, and is eating. Probably has a far better chance of surviving, so even at a 2x premium, it may still be a better deal. A $40 fish you pay $20 for that dies after a week is no bargain.

 

[Im14abeer]

I have the slightest criticism, and it's not even with LA, it's really with Quality Marine. The fish come in at 1.017 sg. While I quarantine everything, it's a little bit of a pain to have to inch them up to "normal" salinity. Like I said, just the slightest criticism. Otherwise, they've been great, and when I did have a problem, they didn't make it my problem.

 

[hogfanreefer]

I have the slightest criticism, and it's not even with LA, it's really with Quality Marine. The fish come in at 1.017 sg. While I quarantine everything, it's a little bit of a pain to have to inch them up to "normal" salinity. Like I said, just the slightest criticism. Otherwise, they've been great, and when I did have a problem, they didn't make it my problem.

I'm with you on that but every other on line vendor I've ordered from were from 1.017 to 1.020. Just have to wait on your fish of choice to show up on DD.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

I prefer to order my livestock from LA or DD. I have done so many times and always received a quality product, plus they stand behind their livestock with their guarantee. They are easy and great to work with. Highly recommended.

 

[mattix]

they have video tours on youtube

 

[Snookster]

I know you specified fish in your topic. I had several issues with coral.

Every time it involved shipping to Florida in winter time. The first time, they shipped with 4 heatpacks and cooked the frags. All arrived DOA. Got a credit. Did it again a couple of weeks later, specifically discussing the heat pack issue. It was shipped with 2 heatpacks (small package) and still cooked the frags. Finally, the 3rd try some time later, they cooked the frag again and this time only gave me half credit on the $80 frag. Of course, I had to pay shipping each time.

Finally ordered once in summer time to use up my credit, got my shipment fine. Lessen learned - don't buy from cold location that ships to warm location. I won't be using them again in the winter, if ever.

 

[usmc1812]

Divers Den is the way to go. 14 day guarantee is better than any store will give you. However their prices have gone way up, but your still getting a great fish. If the fish dies they refund your money no questions asked. I would order again from them.