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View Full Version : where to buy clams online


tangov559
01/16/2008, 02:06 AM
where do u guys buy ur clams online..good deals ...and good shipping prices...

skinz78
01/16/2008, 09:08 AM
clams direct and fraggle reef are both great

lately I have been purchasing alot on ebay from reefempire, lately they have been selling alot of harder to find squamosa's.

Nate is an awesome seller and always bends over backwards to make things right.

dailydriven911
01/16/2008, 05:56 PM
Hey skinz I'm looking for a b+w zebra maxima I know ora carries them any other ideas?

Thanks,

Jayson

skinz78
01/16/2008, 06:02 PM
LOL get in line and get ready to spend alot of $. I got one 2 weeks ago but it was doa. They are rare, only the lucky people can find them.

mbbuna
01/16/2008, 06:42 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11616330#post11616330 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skinz78
only the lucky people can find them.

its a conspiracy :D

skinz78
01/16/2008, 07:23 PM
lol speaking of the lucky one's:D

geoxman
01/16/2008, 07:41 PM
I have looked at clamsdirect 12-15 times and they are always out of inventory? I also looked today and they are out for restocking? I will maybe give them 1 to 2 more chances or I will stick with the bay or my LFS. I know many people like his CS but to be out of inventory all of the time cant be good CS either. Maybe I just looked at the wrong time, but when I want I want to buy I do not want to wait for 15-30 days??

skinz78
01/16/2008, 08:18 PM
sign up for his email alerts and check the site every day. the good clams usually sell the first hour they are posted.

geoxman
01/16/2008, 08:29 PM
AHHH! That is the key! I was wondering how someone could run a business and always be out inventory?? Thanks

dailydriven911
01/16/2008, 08:51 PM
I found a place that sells them but they are out of stock I'll give them a call tomorrow...

Thanks!

danield
01/17/2008, 07:55 PM
If I purchase a Crocea clam advertized as 4" it should be 3 - 4" RIGHT?

What if it measures 2 1/2 " ?

Thank You
Dan

skinz78
01/17/2008, 08:19 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11625894#post11625894 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danield
If I purchase a Crocea clam advertized as 4" it should be 3 - 4" RIGHT?

What if it measures 2 1/2 " ?

Thank You
Dan

Call and complain and if they don't do anything about it then post a complaint in the vendor feedback forum. That usually gets vendor's attention. If it doesn't then take your buisness elseware.

danield
01/17/2008, 08:26 PM
thanks Skinz78,..

I will send off an e-mail to Nate in the morning, and see if he will answer, and if he does what he has to say.

I recieved the package today (shipped 2 days after I paid)
I still have 4 e-mails to him that have not been answered,..wondering if hes ignoring me.

BTW- I have family in the PNW

Dan

wjgeese
01/17/2008, 08:34 PM
Good luck hearing back from Nate...
I had the same problem....bought a 4-5" squamosa from him on ebay and 1. it was barely 3", 2. was transparent and almost dead, 3. The excurrant siphon was missing (looked ripped or bitten off) and 4. looked NOTHING like the pic in ebay. I sent an email to him describing this and heard NOTHING from him.

Be warned from buying from empire aquatics on ebay

Bill



I will send off an e-mail to Nate in the morning, and see if he will answer, and if he does what he has to say.

I recieved the package today (shipped 2 days after I paid)
I still have 4 e-mails to him that have not been answered,..wondering if hes ignoring me.

BTW- I have family in the PNW

Dan [/B][/QUOTE]

danield
01/17/2008, 10:21 PM
Bill I hear you.

The Crocea I have here is also damaged besides being over rated on its size. The intake is torn whide open, and its siphon is also partially missing.Look for yourselfs, wonder how manny others he has gotten? Maybe a mass inrush of complaints to ebays resolution center would get their attenon ? Don't know, but I am mad.

Dan

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/16331Crocea0117081011.jpg [IMG]

skinz78
01/17/2008, 10:53 PM
I have purchased many of my clams from Nate, I too recieved 2 squamosa's today from him. I paid on monday and yes I did recieve the package today. I do know he is very busy right now. Not only does he sell on ebay but he runs a store full time. And he currently is trying to get his website up and running.

I know alot of you may not think so but this all is very time consumeing.

One of the squamosa's I recieved today too has the excurrent siphon ripped and also has a hole in the mantle.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/10402IMG_1068.JPG

The clam is open and reacts normally. Granted I am going to bring this to Nate's attention and I DO know he will make good on it. I also recieved a sand sifting star that was doa.

I am not worried, I have probably orderd 6 to 8 times from Nate now.

I have done 2 of his 6 sps frag combo's and out of the 12 frags I only lost 1. Nate replaced it no pic's required.

I ordered a duncanno 1 polyp frag, it was doa. Here is a pic of the colony he replaced it with. It has 7 or 8 polyps on it.
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/10402IMG_1067.JPG

I am happy with that?

I ordered 2 crocea and although they were nice, the 2 I recieved didn't look like the 2 I ordered. I took a pic and Nate agreed.

2 clams I recieved
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/10402IMG_0866.JPG

He sent me this squamosa free to make it right
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/10402IMG_1033.JPG

I purchased a very expensive clam from him that was doa $170. He replaced it no questions asked.

I live in Port Angeles Wa and the weather is quite cold now. Freezeing or just below and I blame the doa's on this.

BTW danield and wjgeese where do your relatives live?

My advice is to be patient. Nate will do us all good. I am sure of it

One recommendation I have to you is you can usually see the egg crateing under the clams in his pic's. Each box is 1/2" Use this to gauge how big the clam you are bidding on is. You may notice all of his listings are cut and pasted, and that is why your clams are the wrong sizes.

danield
01/18/2008, 07:23 AM
SO,...that makes three people that we know of that Nate has delivered damaged goods to, items that were "substantially not as described" violation of e-b** listing rules, in fact the pictures could have been taked at a perspective to not show the defects.

Skinz I hear you about making it right,..but that should NOT be the case,..if hes all that good of a guy, . . .and trying to build his business, he needs to do it right the first time OR stay home, . . not even offer those items for sale untill properly healed,...OR list them as damaged. The FTC and states attorneys (all 50 states)would not care for these types of commerce practices AT ALL.

That being said Feburary 21 will be ten days and I fully intend to file a claim against this transaction, nuff said. He will not answer his e-mails.

I have done bus with other merchants on e-b** and their corals were great, fast ship, purchase sunday evening, and they are delivered DHL Tuesday morning before 10 am,..shipping was $20.00 just liek he said in his description,...ReefCoralStore,..Scott from Beaverton Oregon, GREAT corals, no green hair alge,...not inflated oh yes shipping here I go again,..I feel like Nate held me hostage for $5.00 extra on shipping, and I did get him to answer two e-mail with shipping questions prior to his big biding event of 88 items on 1-12-08..his description states, items after first can be combined and they are $5-$10 extra.

Clam was purchased first shipping $30.00
Frag pack purchased second shipping $35.00

so he charged $35.00 + $10.00 total $45.00

1st purchase $30.00 + $10.00 (max) for second total SHOULD have been $40.00

Stepping down from soap box,...
and BTW Skinz,..I know nate must busy like all of us are these days, I know I am as one of the five Union Safety Committee persons (electrical) at the largest single site steel producer in the United States. USW1010 If I do my job like some people do, others can and will die,...do it right or stay home.

Nate had enuff time in all his busy schedule to change his user name on e-bay,...BTW

ALso I live in North West Indiana on the southern tip of lake Michigan,...and Washington does not get as cold as it does here.
Todays weather in East Chicago Indiana 46312
Partly cloudy 16* Feels like 4*

Peace out.

wjgeese
01/18/2008, 08:44 AM
Skinz,
I dont' know why you are defending this guy so much....reading back, it seems that you've had issues with most orders you placed with him (are you related???). Also, I know what egg crate is, but the item description clearly stated 4-5". Is it my fault that he cut and pasted without making the item description accurate? No. Also, is it my fault that he is too busy to follow up on issues with items purchased from him? No again. FYI, don't feel bad about losign that 'blue' squamosa from me....it isnt blue...it must have been photoshopped--it is grey--like all other squamosas with that pattern....and no, it wasnt his lights (20K), b/c the background around the clam isnt blue (i.e. eggcrate is white). This guy is no good period.

BTW: what did he change his userid to on eb**?

jasonak
01/18/2008, 09:57 AM
Hey danield
Have you ever filed a claim with ebay before.I have and its pretty much a game of much they can frustrate you before you give up paypal is the same way.They give you this idea of we got your back but if you ever ask them to cover anything they will just keep sending you emails from adiffrent person every time until you give up.About all you can do is leave negative feedback and hope you can resolve thigns with this guy.
Good luck,hope you get things worked out.

danield
01/18/2008, 10:08 AM
Someone asked what the changes were,..well here you go.

reefempire Jan-14-08 Present
empireaquatics1 Nov-06-07 Jan-14-08

I hear you about a claim,....there is also a stop payment on the cc,..and if need be the states attorney of Indiana,..and you know what,..the other danny I work with is a state rep in Indinapols,..and they happen to be in session,..may be time to ask for the favor he always offers me.

BTW- this guy got his first negqative feed back,..so anyone that was holding back now is the time.

The last time I had a situation like this it involved a guy in cleveland, and live rock,..and he is no longer a user of that system,.. he was run off it.

Peace
Danny
The old guy :)

skinz78
01/18/2008, 06:42 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11629054#post11629054 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wjgeese
Skinz,
I dont' know why you are defending this guy so much....reading back, it seems that you've had issues with most orders you placed with him (are you related???). Also, I know what egg crate is, but the item description clearly stated 4-5". Is it my fault that he cut and pasted without making the item description accurate? No. Also, is it my fault that he is too busy to follow up on issues with items purchased from him? No again. FYI, don't feel bad about losign that 'blue' squamosa from me....it isnt blue...it must have been photoshopped--it is grey--like all other squamosas with that pattern....and no, it wasnt his lights (20K), b/c the background around the clam isnt blue (i.e. eggcrate is white). This guy is no good period.

BTW: what did he change his userid to on eb**?


First of all I am very sorry we all are having issues. NO I am not related I just feel he has done me right in the past so I support him. From what I am seeing here I am more understanding than most here. The point in my above post was that you should be hopeful of getting what you paid for and working it out before taking drastic measures as you have already done.

You both forget I am in the same boat as you. My clams are still alive at this point and I feel thankful that they are.

I on the other hand have sent him 1 email so far and plan on another tonite. I will wait until Sunday before I start to take offensive actions.

His new user name is reefempire. He changed it because somebody else was claiming copyrights on his old website.

Sorry again about this mix up, I did recommend him in the past.

wjgeese
01/19/2008, 09:49 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11633461#post11633461 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skinz78
First of all I am very sorry we all are having issues. NO I am not related I just feel he has done me right in the past so I support him. From what I am seeing here I am more understanding than most here. The point in my above post was that you should be hopeful of getting what you paid for and working it out before taking drastic measures as you have already done.

You both forget I am in the same boat as you. My clams are still alive at this point and I feel thankful that they are.

I on the other hand have sent him 1 email so far and plan on another tonite. I will wait until Sunday before I start to take offensive actions.

His new user name is reefempire. He changed it because somebody else was claiming copyrights on his old website.

Sorry again about this mix up, I did recommend him in the past.

In my case, it's not a matter of not understanding. I emailed this guy multiple times about the issues I had with the clam I received, but heard nothing at all from him. Giving a negative feedback is not drastic. The clam was misrepresented both in the picture and in the description and his "customer satisfaction guarantee" is also a load. Remember, I paid $170 for an apparent 4" blue squamosa that was on death's door and is NOT blue even in the slightest.

Let's stop the discussion about this clown and get back to the topic of the thread--"where to buy clams online"

reefscience.com has some good ones from time to time
****************** also is a good source.

rwbogard
01/19/2008, 10:19 AM
There is a company out in CA that has wholesale boxes of clams, around a dozen - sometime more - (mostly maxima and crocea, but sometimes juvenile gigas) flown in direct for $200. You must be close to an airport though as you will need to pick them up yourself at the waybill counter. Also I believe you need a business license, but not to be an actual retailer. So for those of you whom are entrepreneurs and are interested in a lot of clams for your tank, this is the way to go. I'll see if I can't find the name of the company. I'm not sure if it was FishHeads Inc. or not.

Also, I have done this before and all of the clams survived, but remember you need to be near an airport and check the weather before ordering!

rwbogard
01/19/2008, 10:24 AM
Ok, so I think it is FishHeads Inc, and they are located in Hawaii, but I believe they have a mainland office in CA. You may need to do some searching for that offices phone #, as I'm sure you wouldn't want to make that call to Hawaii!:eek:

200mfromocean
01/19/2008, 07:09 PM
There is a new guy Coralbroker.com. Bought 5 crocea's and am happy so far(more than 2 weeks). I picked up locally. They were well packed and opened up within 1 hour.

seablue82
01/20/2008, 07:29 PM
Danield,

ReefCoralStore,..Scott from Beaverton Oregon,

Do you have a link or web address for this guy? I live in Salem, Ore and he would be nice and close.
Thanks
Cheryl

danield
01/20/2008, 10:26 PM
Cheryl,

I have purchased three times from Scott, he usually runs a special on shipping, if you pick up 4 or five of his corals its only $20.00 shipping, next day delivery via DHL, and I normally get mine before 10 am.

Everything I have gotten from him has always done well, and good quality.

He's actually in Tygard south of Beaverton /Hillsbourgh, probably spelled them wrong, but you get the idea of the location. (My baby sister is in Hillsbourgh)

Scott Rostad
Reef Corals Store - Ebay
ReefCorals.com - Web Site

seablue82
01/21/2008, 06:55 AM
danield,

Thanks a bunch! Tigard is actually closer to me, only about 40 min. N. I'm gonna email him and see if he allows local pickup.
Thanks again.

Cheryl

ezcompany
01/23/2008, 01:51 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11627183#post11627183 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danield
Bill I hear you.

The Crocea I have here is also damaged besides being over rated on its size. The intake is torn whide open, and its siphon is also partially missing.Look for yourselfs, wonder how manny others he has gotten? Maybe a mass inrush of complaints to ebays resolution center would get their attenon ? Don't know, but I am mad.

Dan

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/16331Crocea0117081011.jpg [IMG]

that clam looks fine.
i also have had no problems with Nate, stand up guy and very nice to deal with. of course it helps I'm local :)

danield
01/23/2008, 02:33 PM
Everyone is entiled to their own opinion, what is fine for you may not meet someone else's expectations, requirements.

The major fact is that this was misrepesented as ultra grade, 4", and 2 3/4" damaged goods is no where near that description.

Would you think a fish with 2 fins missing was ok?

How about a Pepermint shrimp with 3 legs gone?

ezcompany
01/23/2008, 03:25 PM
like i said, that clam looks fine. nothing i can say about the size as there is no reference, however unless you can post a better picture, that clam is not damaged.

danield
01/23/2008, 05:13 PM
look again,..you can not see the gaping hole on its intake, that torn opening covers half of the length of the mantle covering??

It should be a nice elongated opening and forgive me i do not know the proper termanoligy for the body parts the small hair like projections pointing at each other on the long sides of the opening,..and where did they go to??

they just disapeared??

Maybe you are fine with damaged goods, thats your option,..but I am not, I have higher requirements and expectations. I did not bid on second, or third rate products,..the description said Ultra grade.

As I said before I wouldn't have I job if I worked like that, period!

skinz78
01/23/2008, 06:18 PM
In that pic the clam looks fine to me also, can you post a little clearer pic?

ezcompany
01/23/2008, 06:30 PM
It is not uncommon for croceas to have their incurrent siphon open wide like that. you should also know that your clam has just been through shipping from Southern California all the way over to you at Indiana. it is my assumption that what you are used to seeing is the incurrent siphon of a maxima, which is elongated, and is lined with hairy cilia, like so:

http://www.picsbase.com/james/max/images/17015.jpg

Croceas also have this hairy cilia, just not as prominent, while some croceas don't have much at all.
here is a pic with a perfectly fine crocea but with his incurrent siphon stretching wide.

http://www.picsbase.com/james/crocea1/images/IMG_3655.jpg

here is a pic with another perfectly healthy crocea without much cilia

http://www.resifbolgesi.com/clam11.jpg

its opinion not option, and no normal individual is fine with damaged goods. i never said your clam was not damaged, all i said was your picture does not show anything clearly. you are the first party. you know what your clam looks like first hand, therefore that blurry picture of yours may be crystal clear to your eyes. i am the third party, i see only what i see from the picture, so a thousand apologies for not being able to get into your mind and see what you saw.
get things straight before sounding verbally offensive, i understand you are stressed because the clam did not meet your expectations, and i would of course like to remedy the situation. but simply speaking from facts, though your clam may be smaller than the stated size, from that picture it does not look damaged. post a better picture for everyone to see and believe your words, instead of getting worked up and insinuating me and my standard of quality for clams. you have absolutely NO idea of how high my standards are.

skinz78
01/23/2008, 07:20 PM
ez has some of the nicest clams out there. His standards definatly are not low. He has seen the shop at question first hand and tells me it is very nice. I will buy from the shop again.

danield
01/24/2008, 05:55 AM
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/16331Crocea0123080.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/16331cl-med.jpg

wjgeese
01/24/2008, 07:20 PM
sorry, but I have to chime back in about 'good guy nate'

here are pictures of the squamosa I got from him off ebay...

His pic...to sell the thing..

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/2576empireaquaticspic.jpg

and here is the same clam in my tank taken by me...


http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/2576mypic.jpg

glad I shelled out $170 for this bugger. And yet, he gives ME negative feedback. go figure.

ezcompany
01/25/2008, 05:09 PM
danield, thats definitely a big hole. if your mantle extension is fine, it should heal eventually under good conditions.

odstar
01/25/2008, 09:01 PM
Show him your black and white EZ!!!!!

mbbuna
01/25/2008, 09:53 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11680217#post11680217 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wjgeese
sorry, but I have to chime back in about 'good guy nate'

here are pictures of the squamosa I got from him off ebay...

His pic...to sell the thing..

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/2576empireaquaticspic.jpg

and here is the same clam in my tank taken by me...


http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/2576mypic.jpg

glad I shelled out $170 for this bugger. And yet, he gives ME negative feedback. go figure.

ive been keeping my mouth shut on this thread but seeing this side by side i can do it any more.

i saw this clam for sale on-line, and looked at it a few times. unfortunately (or fortunately as it turns out) i didnt have the money to bid. if i were to receive that clam as one billed as a "blue squamosa" i'd be pretty ticked.

ive looked at the pattern markings and thats the same clam from the ebay photo. IMO the only way he got it to look blue was with photoshop

Texsun
01/26/2008, 12:10 PM
So who picked up the black and white from Sedar?

Texsun
01/26/2008, 12:47 PM
As for the blue squamosa, sucks that it didn't turn out as you had hoped but the end price pretty much tells it. There was enough doubt amongst potential bidders (me included, though I have to admit trying to snipe it at the end :) ) that it ended well under the market value of a "true" blue squamosa. Anyone hoping to steal a true blue for under $500 is setting themselves up for disappointment. The bluish-green squamy's are pretty common and can look like that under the right lighting so I don't think you can definitively say that it was photoshopped.

skinz78
01/26/2008, 12:47 PM
$499 LOL someone with way too much money on thier hands. I purchased this one from http://totallyexoticcorals.com/ for $49 though. :D


http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/10402IMG_7192.jpg

Big load
01/26/2008, 05:13 PM
That serdar at Phishy buisiness pulls that all the time. The black and white he had a day ago went for 500 bucks in 2 minutes. I have had a verbal argument with him several times the greedy !~&!!!~~!!~!~!~ thinks all the shops should follow that practice.Just think back when Pay per view started, if everybody in the country said NO!! we would not have garbage like the NFL network or the BIG TEN network. Jokers like this guy are doing the same thing in this hobby and it only takes a couple of people with big wallet's to put the nail in the coffin for the rest!

ViPeR_930
01/26/2008, 11:29 PM
I don't think there's enough black/white maximas for "the rest" to have anyways. lol :D

DirtySouth056
01/27/2008, 05:37 PM
http://www.reefhotspot.com/store/index.php?cPath=51_52

danield
02/15/2008, 10:47 AM
Hay EZ,...just wanted to let you konw the Crocea has started healing and looking better by the day.

Dan