I used to dread it. I despised it. I said it was cursed. Then I did it more and learned what box to use in what weather and how to deal with heat packs when the temps are inbetweenish (thanks for that, Mug) and now I actually kind of enjoy shipping. I know that at some point something bad will happen, and I know that I'll learn how to refine my methods more, but from previous mistakes, I've also found out how tough the fish are. I think I've developed my own way that works from where I live to south of here and also to the frozen North. Just wait...I'll have a disaster and not feel so optimistic about the whole thing.
I love my ladies at my local post office. They are the greatest. They go out of their way to help me. They never bend rules, or course, but they go out of their way to help people as much as they can. I've seen it a few times when they've gone beyond the line of duty. These ladies have good hearts.
Yeppers, we all learn from each one that we ship.....and receive too ;D
I have rarely had a shipping go well, receiving or sending. Maybe someday I will.
Barbī
I learned a lesson from shipping your's Barb They are arrived alive and well, though. Isn't that the important thing?
Yes, but my nerves were damaged for awhile though. Fish are fine now though. Expect them to spawn any day. ;D
Barb
sorry 'bout that :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ I should have sent you two of the smaller ones ::) Perhaps one day you'll decide to let them raise a spawn :P
Quote from: LizStreithorst on December 01, 2014, 08:29:21 PM
sorry 'bout that :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ I should have sent you two of the smaller ones ::) Perhaps one day you'll decide to let them raise a spawn :P
...or have no choice....he he ;D
They can do as they please, they just don't get a tank of their own, they will have to raise their young in the community angel tank. In this tank I believe there are now 6 females and one male. The only other fish in there is my 17 yr old clown pleco who is about 2" long.
Quote from: Barb on December 01, 2014, 08:39:33 PM
They can do as they please, they just don't get a tank of their own, they will have to raise their young in the community angel tank. In this tank I believe there are now 6 females and one male. The only other fish in there is my 17 yr old clown pleco who is about 2" long.
A ha !!...the lucky guy has a harem !!!.....I've had trio's and quads raise fry....one male/two-three females.....and yep, all the girls spawned and the 'King' serviced them all... ;D ;D
OMG, what a sight that would have been. I'd have had to pulled the cone if that ever happened to me. Barb has all sorts of variety of strains, but I don't know what they are.
Barb, what strains of Angels do you have?
how do you sex clown pleco?? i have a very old one and have never know if she is a he or he is a she
Quote from: greydragon on December 01, 2014, 10:12:38 PM
how do you sex clown pleco?? i have a very old one and have never know if she is a he or he is a she
Sorry, I have no idea.
Quote from: LizStreithorst on December 01, 2014, 08:58:31 PM
OMG, what a sight that would have been. I'd have had to pulled the cone if that ever happened to me. Barb has all sorts of variety of strains, but I don't know what they are.
Barb, what strains of Angels do you have?
Well, I have your two Koi, on veil tail koi, one almost solid red koi with a few black spots, one solid black veil tail who is huge, and two black marble with lots of red on their crowns, all very pretty fish. And all quite large, all in a 75 gal with the one little pleco, plants and wood, on sand.
Barb
2 shipments out of 3 are at least one day late. This is when shipping gets stressful. The rude lady in Fla. acts like it's my fault!
Quote from: LizStreithorst on December 03, 2014, 04:19:38 PM
2 shipments out of 3 are at least one day late. This is when shipping gets stressful. The rude lady in Fla. acts like it's my fault!
.....LOL......don't they always???.....she's looking at the same tracking info that you have too ;D......Dec's shot as far as any shipping is concerned....holiday mail/package/etc traffic is too much now to chance a box of fish...
I thought it would be OK up until the 15th. Another lesson learned.
Quote from: LizStreithorst on December 03, 2014, 04:29:33 PM
I thought it would be OK up until the 15th. Another lesson learned.
It should be ok....after today tho, you can just about plan on 7 day, 2 day shipping... ;D
You answered the question that I PM'd you. Tell me when it will be safe to ship again. I need to get with the sweet guy in IL I was to ship to Monday and offer him choices. Thank God this was a private sale rather than an Aquabid sale.
Quote from: Mugwump on December 03, 2014, 04:27:00 PM
....holiday mail/package/etc traffic is too much now to chance a box of fish...
My thoughts as well. I usually give it up a week or two before Thanksgiving and then pick-up again towards the end of February or early March depending on the weather.
Dennis
With good packing and plenty of heat packs, I've shipped in winter...albeit not too often...I ship in January...sparsely......February's usually's not bad....Mar/April is about perfect....it makes a big difference where to tho.....
The guy still wants the pair. How long after Jan first does shipping get back to normal? The guy wants to pick them up at his local post office. That buys more time because the fish will not have to be driven around in a cold truck for a day so even if it takes the box 3 days to arrive, they will be in a temperature controlled room rather that in a cold truck for most of the day.
Fedex overnight might work....costly tho......UPS next day??....USPS Priority Express...about $40 for next day ( 2 day).....It's near Peoria so a good chance at it...all 72 hr heat packs....30's days/20's nights.....you might want to even send it to the PO itself....with Call xxx xxx xxxx, name, for pickup....just to make sure it doesn't go on a delivery truck....?????????...just ideas...
It needs to go USPS Priority. I need to know how long after the 1st of January shipping schedules get back to normal. I ship late in the afternoon and he's picking up. It buys time on both ends.
After the first week, things get back to normal pretty much...6th or 7th ???
Bless you my hero :-* :-* :-*
The other pair was delivered to the front door of the lady in FL who has been worrying me to death. You'd think that if she was so worried she'd have at least been home to receive the shipment. I told her that tracking said that they would be delivered today ::) Her fish should be fine, unless the box was kicked in like happened to My Captain. She has an hour and 15 minutes to contact me about any any DOA's. I'm generally not a hard ass, but in this case I might become a hard ass.
With my incoming blue marbles from IL, it's another story...His box left Campaign IL yesterday morning and there has been no update since except that expected delivery is Sat. He shipped Tues morning, priority. A 72 hr heat pack will run out tomorrow morning. If they make it down south by then, they should be fine because it's unseasonably warm here. If they're stuck in limbo in up north they won't stand a chance.
Quote from: LizStreithorst on December 04, 2014, 03:52:44 PM
The other pair was delivered to the front door of the lady in FL who has been worrying me to death. You'd think that if she was so worried she'd have at least been home to receive the shipment. I told her that tracking said that they would be delivered today ::) Her fish should be fine, unless the box was kicked in like happened to My Captain. She has an hour and 15 minutes to contact me about any any DOA's. I'm generally not a hard ass, but in this case I might become a hard ass.
With my incoming blue marbles from IL, it's another story...His box left Campaign IL yesterday morning and there has been no update since except that expected delivery is Sat. He shipped Tues morning, priority. A 72 hr heat pack will run out tomorrow morning. If they make it down south by then, they should be fine because it's unseasonably warm here. If they're stuck in limbo in up north they won't stand a chance.
Good luck...... ;D
STILL no word from the FL lady.
I contacted the guy in IL who sent me the BM's. I didn't bitch I just wanted to keep him up to date. He's just a kid and he doesn't know to watch his shipments like a hawk. He did say that he uses 72 hr heat packs. That's a relief.
Well, rude the lady in FL is no longer a worry. It's past time for her to contact me about any DOA's. I am a hard ass on this one. Thank God it was an Aquabid sale so I could put my terms of sale down in black and white (thanks for that advice, Mug).
It could be that this lady is so rude that the fish arrived just fine and she didn't take the trouble to let me know. She'll get neutral feedback from me with a short to the point comment as long as she doesn't try to pull something on me.
I had a bad feeling about this one from the get go. But she came from nowhere, without even asking me a question and won from my nice guy. That's OK her pair eat their eggs. The pair I'm sending to the nice guy in IL will parent raise ;)
Hope the ones you are waiting for arrive fine. I know what that wait is like.
Barb
Me too, but the seller knows what's up. Our communications have been good.