First Blue Zoo Aquatics Purchase... Thoughts so far.

fearyaks · 10/25/2014, 12:38 PM

Hi all, I noticed a lot of people asking about Blue Zoo Aquatics so I figured I’d share my experience ordering from them this week. I usually order from LA but BZA had the items I wanted and the ‘right’ shipping price. I picked Saturday delivery and had it delivered promptly and without issue.

Notes:
1. I live very close to BZA. This may affect the condition your livestock arrives in.
2. Upon initial inspection the fish were packed well. I ordered X3 Zebra barred dartfish, X1 Tanaka Pygmy Wrasse and X1 Purple Firefish.
3. Fish were triple bagged (did not have the LA type of blackout bag).
4. Fish were the size I ordered. I did notice a lot of complaints that the fish ordered from BZA were of different sizes.. I did not notice this.
5. There was no heating pack included with my order. Not that it really matters though as it’s silly hot in Los Angeles at this time of year.
6. This was my first order with them and I did not receive any ‘freebies’. I did notice that if you spent over a certain dollar amount (I believe $200) they would throw in some Zoas or a Blenny. My dollar amount was less than $200.

The fish are currently in my QT. I will update periodically this thread periodically until the fish are in the DT.

Remember - As always, this was my experience with Blue Zoo Aquatics. I know some people have had other experiences. YMMV and no, I’ve not been paid, nor was I asked by BZA to write this up. My fish could die tomorrow for all I know (but for now, things seem good).

I have included a link to an imgur album which has pictures so far.

BlueZooAquatics · 11/07/2014, 02:04 PM

Thanks for the update. I think your experience is very typical of what to expect. We ship hundreds of orders and thousands of animals a week and have a very low percentage of losses or general problems with these orders. It is our experience that the vast majority of people never have a problem with any of their animals.

Thank you again for your business. We greatly appreciate it.

kizanne · 11/12/2014, 12:17 AM

I too ordered in the last week. I ordered a male and female pair of mandarins, 2 aquacultured cardinals and a green bubble tip anemone. The package was well pack and I received it on time. The mandarins were in better shape than most I've seen, they were emaciated. They were splotchy in color, I think from shipping not disease or anything. They are eating live foods readily. The cardinals were in great shape and are eating some prepared foods (pickier than expected for aquaculture but not BZ fault). The anemone didn't look good in the bag but not too bad. I acclimated everything normally. The BTA didn't make it but everything else seems to be in fine order. They also include a nice acclimation kit to insure you have what you need. Overall I think it was a good transaction. I wish the BTA had made it but I don't really think it was BZA.

BlueZooAquatics · 11/12/2014, 11:29 AM

Thanks for the update. We are sorry to hear about the BTA, they usually ship really well. We will of course take care of that for you.

If you notice, you two are on the extreme opposite side of the country from each other which just shows we are highly successful shipping to all corners of the US. We even ship to Puerto Rico almost every day as well as Alaska and Hawaii (with proper permits of course).

Take care.

kizanne · 11/12/2014, 12:04 PM

Wow I can't figure out how to edit my original post.

That should have said the Mandarins are NOT emaciated like many I've seen. They are in good shape and currently taking live brine, amphipods and copepods.

BlueZooAquatics · 11/12/2014, 12:12 PM

That's OK. We knew what you were trying to say.

fearyaks · 11/12/2014, 08:42 PM

Quick question for you BZA - do you still do local pickups?
Thanks!

BlueZooAquatics · 11/13/2014, 10:10 AM

Thanks for the question. We offer a will call service for all local customers. Simply place your order online or over the phone using a Credit Card and request a will call in the comments section. You will be contacted by the locals manager to arrange a time to pick your order up. The will call hours are Tues-Thurs 3PM-6PM and Fri 1PM-3PM.

Hope that helps.

fearyaks · 11/13/2014, 06:42 PM

Yep perfect, thanks!

fearyaks · 11/16/2014, 05:21 PM

Quick update - placed a 2nd order and received the fish in fine healthy condition. They are currently in quarantine. Will update this thread in a few weeks (first batch is still doing well).

I wonder if the fact that I live close to them if it helps the survival rates?

30g · 02/07/2015, 07:49 PM

I ordered a skunk cleaner shrimp that arrived DOA. They gave me livestock credit but said I should have ordered more than one item and I would have had better luck. About ten days later I got my credit and used it to get a red fromia starfish. I set a specific date for delivery and sat waiting for FedEx. After they didn't show I logged into their site and saw that they changed my delivery date because they had a problem with the livestock. They tried to call me but of course I didn't get the call. I then had to receive my order on a different day and the a-hole FedEx driver left my package outside in the cold without knocking as I was sitting ten feet from the door with no tv on or anything. Luckily it did survive but I won't order from them again. One DOA I can look past but once there is a problem two out of two times you can forget it.

BlueZooAquatics · 02/09/2015, 12:39 PM

Thanks for the update. Sorry you had an issue with FedEx on your last order. Hopefully everything does well for you but if you have any issues at all, just let us know, Take care and good luck with your aquarium.

iowathode · 02/24/2015, 04:59 AM

Figured I might as well throw my experience out there as well.

Several local guys did a group buy from Blue Zoo this past week. We received our order promptly Saturday morning, and everything was alive and well. I recently got back into the hobby and have two little aquarium enthusiasts (my 6 and 3 yr old daughters) joining along with me. They’ve been pumped about getting a flame angel so that’s what I ordered. I brought the little guy home, acclimated and introduced him to the tank. Other than being skittish and hiding in the rockwork everything seemed good to go. Sunday morning I was up early and couldn’t find him; figured he was hiding in the rocks again before the lights came on. An hour or so later the kiddos and I were searching for him to no avail. Finally in a last ditch effort I look upward and what do I find? A tinny flame angel stuck to my return box. Uh oh! My oldest had tears instantly. After about a month of waiting to finally get our flame angel the little guy was dead within a day. We were all pretty crushed. At first I thought to myself: man what did I do wrong? Well a day later I discovered that three of the group’s fish didn’t make it.

I emailed Blue Zoo with the dead fish picture Saturday, and received a reply Monday. It appears they will be giving me a fish credit. So far the customer service has been pretty good, but I still have to deal with the hassle of getting another flame angel. And there’s also the issue of dealing with shipping costs again. I’ve never had a fish die on me like that before so I’m a little concerned about going through this process a second time. I guess we’ll give it another go around. Hopefully it works this time.

BlueZooAquatics · 02/24/2015, 11:23 AM

Thank you for the update and sorry to hear about your loss.

We will of course take care of the entire group and finalize any claims you guys have as quickly as possible. Take care and have a wonderful day.

monkeysee1 · 03/09/2015, 06:12 PM

Hi!
I'm here because I've been told by my neighbor that Blue Zoo is very good, a reputable place because he's ordered lots of CORALS and hardware from Blue Zoo, but NOT fish. He's NEVER had ANY LICK of problems with ANY of his corals, however. They're thriving. I've seen them.
I would like to order one MORE fish, a butterfly fish, to complete my 90 gallon tank ( I have 9 others: a coral beauty, a scopas tang, two ocelleris clowns, a chromis, a royal gramma, a dotty back, an aipatasia eater and a wrasse).
I am particularly interested in the Black and White Heinochros Butterfly (NOT the Moorish Idol), because I hear it's GREAT for beginners and it's (relatively) reef safe.
Couple questions:
Anyone know anything about Blue Zoo's quarantine practices?
(I.e.: how long, what do they use to medicate, what their husbandry practices are, etc.)
I DON'T want ich in my tank ( Had THAT experience a few years ago, what a nightmare THAT was, all fish died, went fallow for three months, - to this day I'm STILL shudder from it). Worked hard to get my tank to where it is now; my nine fish are doing GREAT.
Also, I'm sort of nervous because I live in New Hampshire and it's quite a shipping distance from Blue ZOO, worried that my fish won't make it.
Maybe I should start with a Bird's Nest coral of something like that before a fish?
Any insights from anyone would be appreciated.

BlueZooAquatics · 03/10/2015, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkeysee1

Hi!
I'm here because I've been told by my neighbor that Blue Zoo is very good, a reputable place because he's ordered lots of CORALS and hardware from Blue Zoo, but NOT fish. He's NEVER had ANY LICK of problems with ANY of his corals, however. They're thriving. I've seen them.
I would like to order one MORE fish, a butterfly fish, to complete my 90 gallon tank ( I have 9 others: a coral beauty, a scopas tang, two ocelleris clowns, a chromis, a royal gramma, a dotty back, an aipatasia eater and a wrasse).
I am particularly interested in the Black and White Heinochros Butterfly (NOT the Moorish Idol), because I hear it's GREAT for beginners and it's (relatively) reef safe.
Couple questions:
Anyone know anything about Blue Zoo's quarantine practices?
(I.e.: how long, what do they use to medicate, what their husbandry practices are, etc.)
I DON'T want ich in my tank ( Had THAT experience a few years ago, what a nightmare THAT was, all fish died, went fallow for three months, - to this day I'm STILL shudder from it). Worked hard to get my tank to where it is now; my nine fish are doing GREAT.
Also, I'm sort of nervous because I live in New Hampshire and it's quite a shipping distance from Blue ZOO, worried that my fish won't make it.
Maybe I should start with a Bird's Nest coral of something like that before a fish?
Any insights from anyone would be appreciated.

Welcome to the forum

We actually sell way more fish than coral or inverts so we are known for the overall quality of fish shipped. We would be more than happy to answer all of your questions so please give us a call when you can at 888-479-2583

Talk to you soon.

monkeysee1 · 03/10/2015, 07:10 PM

Thank you for the reply and the customer service number.

I will be calling soon to find out more about your livestock!
Look forward to speaking with you as well.
Regards,
CB

BlueZooAquatics · 03/11/2015, 10:14 AM

Not a problem at all. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

asudavew · 03/12/2015, 11:00 PM

I got my first order from BZ this week. I meant to call and thank you guys/gals but I've been busy at work.

I got a spotted mandarin, a male green mandarin, and 2 BTAs. The packing was superb, heat packs were included, and the fish were top notch. ! I was very impressed and I've ordered from many online vendors. Wish I would have ordered from BZA earlier.

The acclimation kit and well done instructions was really nice and helpful.

Thanks!

BlueZooAquatics · 03/13/2015, 05:18 PM

Awesome!!

Thanks for the feedback. We live to see animals find good homes.

Take care.

strout · 03/15/2015, 09:38 AM

I guess I feel pretty safe in placing my order

BlueZooAquatics · 03/16/2015, 04:50 PM

I am sure we will take very good care of you Strout. Thanks

Sky04444 · 01/14/2016, 12:33 PM

I got my shipment from BZA yesterday for my zebra lionfish. Thing was super skinny and I was worried, found out he died over night. I contacted them directly but haven't heard response

BlueZooAquatics · 01/14/2016, 01:34 PM

Thanks for letting us know and sorry to hear about the loss. It looks like one of our livestock experts is already working on your case.

jmc1024 · 09/16/2016, 12:17 PM

I ordered 3 Bartlett Anthiases from BZA. I have to say everything was packaged well however one died within two days. BZA gave me a credit. I was very surprised to find out that the credit would not count towards the $140.00 for free shipping. I was told that if I decided to place another order it would have to total $140.00 after the credit to receive free shipping. I left a message for the credit department at BZA to see if anything could be done. However nobody returned my call. Additionally, I attempted to find this policy on their website but couldn't find it. I"m not saying it's not there somewhere but it certainly isn't easy to find. I find myself a little torn. I must admit that the fish that did survive seem very healthy, everything was well packaged. Having said that, it would have been nice if someone would have returned my phone call. Lastly, I would have liked to have known that a credited fish doesn't count towards shipping costs.

10/25/2014, 12:38 PM	#1
fearyaks Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 374	First Blue Zoo Aquatics Purchase... Thoughts so far. Hi all, I noticed a lot of people asking about Blue Zoo Aquatics so I figured I’d share my experience ordering from them this week. I usually order from LA but BZA had the items I wanted and the ‘right’ shipping price. I picked Saturday delivery and had it delivered promptly and without issue. Notes: 1. I live very close to BZA. This may affect the condition your livestock arrives in. 2. Upon initial inspection the fish were packed well. I ordered X3 Zebra barred dartfish, X1 Tanaka Pygmy Wrasse and X1 Purple Firefish. 3. Fish were triple bagged (did not have the LA type of blackout bag). 4. Fish were the size I ordered. I did notice a lot of complaints that the fish ordered from BZA were of different sizes.. I did not notice this. 5. There was no heating pack included with my order. Not that it really matters though as it’s silly hot in Los Angeles at this time of year. 6. This was my first order with them and I did not receive any ‘freebies’. I did notice that if you spent over a certain dollar amount (I believe $200) they would throw in some Zoas or a Blenny. My dollar amount was less than $200. The fish are currently in my QT. I will update periodically this thread periodically until the fish are in the DT. Remember - As always, this was my experience with Blue Zoo Aquatics. I know some people have had other experiences. YMMV and no, I’ve not been paid, nor was I asked by BZA to write this up. My fish could die tomorrow for all I know (but for now, things seem good). I have included a link to an imgur album which has pictures so far.

11/12/2014, 12:17 AM	#3
kizanne Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: North Florida Posts: 646	I too ordered in the last week. I ordered a male and female pair of mandarins, 2 aquacultured cardinals and a green bubble tip anemone. The package was well pack and I received it on time. The mandarins were in better shape than most I've seen, they were emaciated. They were splotchy in color, I think from shipping not disease or anything. They are eating live foods readily. The cardinals were in great shape and are eating some prepared foods (pickier than expected for aquaculture but not BZ fault). The anemone didn't look good in the bag but not too bad. I acclimated everything normally. The BTA didn't make it but everything else seems to be in fine order. They also include a nice acclimation kit to insure you have what you need. Overall I think it was a good transaction. I wish the BTA had made it but I don't really think it was BZA. __________________ Successfully bred: Banggai, Lined Seahorse, Saltwater Mollies, from egg dwarf cuttlefish, peppermint shrimp, Opae Shrimp. Saltbabies.com Algae Barn Discount Code: saltbabies15 Current Tank Info: 120 gallon seahorse/flame angel/sharknose/pipefish tank. 30 gallon grow out, misc. other tanks

11/12/2014, 12:04 PM	#5
kizanne Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: North Florida Posts: 646	Wow I can't figure out how to edit my original post. That should have said the Mandarins are NOT emaciated like many I've seen. They are in good shape and currently taking live brine, amphipods and copepods. __________________ Successfully bred: Banggai, Lined Seahorse, Saltwater Mollies, from egg dwarf cuttlefish, peppermint shrimp, Opae Shrimp. Saltbabies.com Algae Barn Discount Code: saltbabies15 Current Tank Info: 120 gallon seahorse/flame angel/sharknose/pipefish tank. 30 gallon grow out, misc. other tanks

02/24/2015, 04:59 AM	#13
iowathode Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 26	Figured I might as well throw my experience out there as well. Several local guys did a group buy from Blue Zoo this past week. We received our order promptly Saturday morning, and everything was alive and well. I recently got back into the hobby and have two little aquarium enthusiasts (my 6 and 3 yr old daughters) joining along with me. They’ve been pumped about getting a flame angel so that’s what I ordered. I brought the little guy home, acclimated and introduced him to the tank. Other than being skittish and hiding in the rockwork everything seemed good to go. Sunday morning I was up early and couldn’t find him; figured he was hiding in the rocks again before the lights came on. An hour or so later the kiddos and I were searching for him to no avail. Finally in a last ditch effort I look upward and what do I find? A tinny flame angel stuck to my return box. Uh oh! My oldest had tears instantly. After about a month of waiting to finally get our flame angel the little guy was dead within a day. We were all pretty crushed. At first I thought to myself: man what did I do wrong? Well a day later I discovered that three of the group’s fish didn’t make it. I emailed Blue Zoo with the dead fish picture Saturday, and received a reply Monday. It appears they will be giving me a fish credit. So far the customer service has been pretty good, but I still have to deal with the hassle of getting another flame angel. And there’s also the issue of dealing with shipping costs again. I’ve never had a fish die on me like that before so I’m a little concerned about going through this process a second time. I guess we’ll give it another go around. Hopefully it works this time. __________________ 75 gal mixed reef in progress

03/12/2015, 11:00 PM	#19
asudavew Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Angelo, Texas Posts: 1,010	I got my first order from BZ this week. I meant to call and thank you guys/gals but I've been busy at work. I got a spotted mandarin, a male green mandarin, and 2 BTAs. The packing was superb, heat packs were included, and the fish were top notch. ! I was very impressed and I've ordered from many online vendors. Wish I would have ordered from BZA earlier. The acclimation kit and well done instructions was really nice and helpful. Thanks! __________________ Be nice. Current Tank Info: 180, 125, 75

11/07/2014, 02:04 PM	#2
BlueZooAquatics RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Carson, Calif. Posts: 545	Thanks for the update. I think your experience is very typical of what to expect. We ship hundreds of orders and thousands of animals a week and have a very low percentage of losses or general problems with these orders. It is our experience that the vast majority of people never have a problem with any of their animals. Thank you again for your business. We greatly appreciate it.

11/12/2014, 11:29 AM	#4
BlueZooAquatics RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Carson, Calif. Posts: 545	Thanks for the update. We are sorry to hear about the BTA, they usually ship really well. We will of course take care of that for you. If you notice, you two are on the extreme opposite side of the country from each other which just shows we are highly successful shipping to all corners of the US. We even ship to Puerto Rico almost every day as well as Alaska and Hawaii (with proper permits of course). Take care.

11/12/2014, 12:12 PM	#6
BlueZooAquatics RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Carson, Calif. Posts: 545	That's OK. We knew what you were trying to say.

11/12/2014, 08:42 PM	#7
fearyaks Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 374	Quick question for you BZA - do you still do local pickups? Thanks!

11/13/2014, 10:10 AM	#8
BlueZooAquatics RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Carson, Calif. Posts: 545	Thanks for the question. We offer a will call service for all local customers. Simply place your order online or over the phone using a Credit Card and request a will call in the comments section. You will be contacted by the locals manager to arrange a time to pick your order up. The will call hours are Tues-Thurs 3PM-6PM and Fri 1PM-3PM. Hope that helps.

11/13/2014, 06:42 PM	#9
fearyaks Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 374	Yep perfect, thanks!

11/16/2014, 05:21 PM	#10
fearyaks Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 374	Quick update - placed a 2nd order and received the fish in fine healthy condition. They are currently in quarantine. Will update this thread in a few weeks (first batch is still doing well). I wonder if the fact that I live close to them if it helps the survival rates?

02/07/2015, 07:49 PM	#11
30g Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 121	I ordered a skunk cleaner shrimp that arrived DOA. They gave me livestock credit but said I should have ordered more than one item and I would have had better luck. About ten days later I got my credit and used it to get a red fromia starfish. I set a specific date for delivery and sat waiting for FedEx. After they didn't show I logged into their site and saw that they changed my delivery date because they had a problem with the livestock. They tried to call me but of course I didn't get the call. I then had to receive my order on a different day and the a-hole FedEx driver left my package outside in the cold without knocking as I was sitting ten feet from the door with no tv on or anything. Luckily it did survive but I won't order from them again. One DOA I can look past but once there is a problem two out of two times you can forget it.

02/09/2015, 12:39 PM	#12
BlueZooAquatics RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Carson, Calif. Posts: 545	Thanks for the update. Sorry you had an issue with FedEx on your last order. Hopefully everything does well for you but if you have any issues at all, just let us know, Take care and good luck with your aquarium.

02/24/2015, 11:23 AM	#14
BlueZooAquatics RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Carson, Calif. Posts: 545	Thank you for the update and sorry to hear about your loss. We will of course take care of the entire group and finalize any claims you guys have as quickly as possible. Take care and have a wonderful day.

03/09/2015, 06:12 PM	#15
monkeysee1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: MERRIMACK NH Posts: 423	Hi! I'm here because I've been told by my neighbor that Blue Zoo is very good, a reputable place because he's ordered lots of CORALS and hardware from Blue Zoo, but NOT fish. He's NEVER had ANY LICK of problems with ANY of his corals, however. They're thriving. I've seen them. I would like to order one MORE fish, a butterfly fish, to complete my 90 gallon tank ( I have 9 others: a coral beauty, a scopas tang, two ocelleris clowns, a chromis, a royal gramma, a dotty back, an aipatasia eater and a wrasse). I am particularly interested in the Black and White Heinochros Butterfly (NOT the Moorish Idol), because I hear it's GREAT for beginners and it's (relatively) reef safe. Couple questions: Anyone know anything about Blue Zoo's quarantine practices? (I.e.: how long, what do they use to medicate, what their husbandry practices are, etc.) I DON'T want ich in my tank ( Had THAT experience a few years ago, what a nightmare THAT was, all fish died, went fallow for three months, - to this day I'm STILL shudder from it). Worked hard to get my tank to where it is now; my nine fish are doing GREAT. Also, I'm sort of nervous because I live in New Hampshire and it's quite a shipping distance from Blue ZOO, worried that my fish won't make it. Maybe I should start with a Bird's Nest coral of something like that before a fish? Any insights from anyone would be appreciated.

03/10/2015, 07:10 PM	#17
monkeysee1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: MERRIMACK NH Posts: 423	Thank you for the reply and the customer service number. I will be calling soon to find out more about your livestock! Look forward to speaking with you as well. Regards, CB

03/11/2015, 10:14 AM	#18
BlueZooAquatics RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Carson, Calif. Posts: 545	Not a problem at all. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

03/13/2015, 05:18 PM	#20
BlueZooAquatics RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Carson, Calif. Posts: 545	Awesome!! Thanks for the feedback. We live to see animals find good homes. Take care.

03/15/2015, 09:38 AM	#21
strout Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Biloxi Mississippi Posts: 767	I guess I feel pretty safe in placing my order

03/16/2015, 04:50 PM	#22
BlueZooAquatics RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Carson, Calif. Posts: 545	I am sure we will take very good care of you Strout. Thanks

01/14/2016, 12:33 PM	#23
Sky04444 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 21	I got my shipment from BZA yesterday for my zebra lionfish. Thing was super skinny and I was worried, found out he died over night. I contacted them directly but haven't heard response

01/14/2016, 01:34 PM	#24
BlueZooAquatics RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Carson, Calif. Posts: 545	Thanks for letting us know and sorry to hear about the loss. It looks like one of our livestock experts is already working on your case.

09/16/2016, 12:17 PM	#25
jmc1024 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 87	Blue Zoo Order I ordered 3 Bartlett Anthiases from BZA. I have to say everything was packaged well however one died within two days. BZA gave me a credit. I was very surprised to find out that the credit would not count towards the $140.00 for free shipping. I was told that if I decided to place another order it would have to total $140.00 after the credit to receive free shipping. I left a message for the credit department at BZA to see if anything could be done. However nobody returned my call. Additionally, I attempted to find this policy on their website but couldn't find it. I"m not saying it's not there somewhere but it certainly isn't easy to find. I find myself a little torn. I must admit that the fish that did survive seem very healthy, everything was well packaged. Having said that, it would have been nice if someone would have returned my phone call. Lastly, I would have liked to have known that a credited fish doesn't count towards shipping costs.