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Delayed shipment survival chances


darkcirca

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I ordered several fish (foxface, dartfish, clown goby), as well as shrimp (cleaner and peppermint), crabs, and some other cleaners from LA on Wednesday. It shipped yesterday with deliver today. All was well until this morning when Louisville had tons of rain which caused UPS delays. My package never made it there until 10:30AM... and it is still sitting there as of right now.

 

I've  been on the phone with UPS on and off for the day trying to get an update. I've also spoken with LA today to let them know what is going on. My plan is to call back around 5 to get them to request UPS hold for pickup, in hopes of being able to pick it up tomorrow. I had it shipped to my office, so if they were to offer Saturday delivery they wouldn't even attempt it with it being a business address.

 

Any opinions on chances of survival until tomorrow morning (if it even makes it)? I'm so frustrated, more so because these poor fish are going to be stuck in bags..

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Any chance you can get then sent back to LA? Might be quicker with a better survival rate?

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ive had fish delayed by more than 1 day ...came looking near dead upside down/sideways...and make a full recovery and turn out very healthy

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Any chance you can get then sent back to LA? Might be quicker with a better survival rate?

 

I thought about that, and will likely ask LA when I call them later today. I've been refreshing the UPS website every 5-10mins in hopes of an update.

 

If they do slow, anything specific you all would recommend - slower acclimation? Depending on how they came in, I may end up QTing because of this. I'm a risk taker and usually don't (I know, bad bad me). I also don't have a big enough spare tank for the Foxface.

 

Keeping my hopes up it'll come tomorrow. My reefcleaners order showed up tonight missing a portion of my order as well. I think I'm running a bad luck streak. I hope all my equipment shows up fine next week. I told my husband that I'm going to get a black and white AI light in, instead of 2 blacks.

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I would have some ammonia lock or something on hand but truly not 'acclimate' as the water the fish will be in will be an ammonia bomb nice you open the bag, I'd just have tank water ready to put them in...

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ive had fish delayed by more than 1 day ...came looking near dead upside down/sideways...and make a full recovery and turn out very healthy

Wow you got lucky! Usually when fish get ammonia bombed and show first symptoms it's too late already. Burnt gills. Could have been hypoxia who knows

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I had a fish delivered a day late and when it was delivered it was after 5pm. Water was cold (it was in the fall) opened the box and the fish was fine. Acclimated her and she is doing great months later.

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get the fish out of the bagged water asap.  So don't worry about an acclimation, your best bet is to get them into clean water.

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(edited)

When the fish get there I would open the bags up and let fresh oxygen in, add some Seachem prime and then float them to bring up their water temp run a nice acclimation on them.

Edited by Mattiejay6
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Thanks everyone. Still sitting in Louisville. I've requested UPS hold for pickup. Really hoping it makes it here tomorrow... I've got a bad feeling it isn't coming until Monday though. I feel so bad for the poor fish.

 

I've got about 10 gallons of saltwater premade and ready to go. Now I wait...

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Looks like bad news. It made it to Richmond but doesn't look like it will make it to chantilly from there today

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I would see if you could go and pick it up.  I have had to do that in the past.

 

The Richmond service center isn't open on Saturdays for pickup. I've already been on the phone with UPS trying to get them to locate the package and hold it there for me to get. I explained over and over again that this is a living animal and they are killing it by holding it.

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Oh my. It JUST left Richmond, 6:42AM.

 

I HOPE it makes it here and I can pickup by noon. I'll be watching the tracking number like a hawk until then. Thank god I'm 10 minutes from the service center.

 

Lesson of the week: Don't ever have livestock delivered on a Friday. Seriously, why didn't I think about this one before?!

 

Positive: John (ReefCleaners) is shipping out my missing items on Monday. Everything in the first shipment is doing well. And my new lights come Tuesday!

 

7AM and now I'm wide awake. I'm going to be regretting this later.

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I had a similar experience with an order coming through Louisville. That place must be cursed! Mine was shipped on a Wednesday, and didn't show up until Friday evening. The bag water was at 61 degrees!

 

While I agree with what others have said about skipping an acclimation, I would advise you check the temp first, then make your decision at that point. Mine came through just fine with a normal acclimation. Good luck and I hope you get them today!!

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Temp acclimate in shipping bag.

Pour half of shipping water out and put equal amount of new water in.

Swirl gently.

After 5 mins, pour all contents of bag into bucket of new water and observe.

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Temp acclimate in shipping bag.

Pour half of shipping water out and put equal amount of new water in.

Swirl gently.

After 5 mins, pour all contents of bag into bucket of new water and observe.

+1

 

That's exactly what I did with my delayed delivery fish

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(edited)

At UPS now..she's looking for the box. I'll post back once I get them home.

 

I just heard a "I don't know where it is" from the back. Oh man.

 

 

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Edited by darkcirca
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Currently doing a quick acclimation. Foxface and a peppermint didn't make it :/

 

Guess I'm on the hunt for a foxface locally.

 

 

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Isn't it covered under the LA garuntee?

It is, but they won't ship another out. I got a refund. Figured id just go local as shipping for just it kills.

 

 

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Sorry to hear!

Based on my experience, LA has the best customer service! They usually do a one time re-shipment under guarantee. 

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