How many of these have you had? It's got to be at least one...right?

[revhtree]

I recently received a couple livestock orders this past week and I was left with the shipping boxes and wondering what to do with them. I hear you....KEEP THEM right? Well that was me too about 1000 orders ago! Ok maybe not that many but it's been a lot and I have too many boxes now.

It did get me thinking though, not about boxes, but about online livestock orders and how many I have had over the years. I don't know exactly but I'll take a guess and say since 2004 it's been around 200 or so. 170 is a conservative bet I would think. So what about you? Let's make this a two fold question of the day.

1. How long have you been in the hobby and how many online livestock orders have you had?

2. What do you do with the empty styrofoam shipping boxes?

 

[windemerejack]

Never have and never would buy livestock online, prefer to see what i am buying first.

 

[BlennyTime]

I’ve been in the hobby 5 years, but didn’t start ordering online until the pandemic started. I’ve ordered 10ish times from Liveaquaria, unique corals, eBay and a few LFS operations. Opens up a whole new world of interesting stuff!!

I usually break up the boxes into smaller pieces with a hammer and throw them away.

 

[725196]

1. How long have you been in the hobby and how many online livestock orders have you had?

I have been in the hobby for a grand total of 19 years with an eight year break in between at one point. I have only ordered live stock once and it all came dead so I never did again. I have toyed with the idea of doing so but once bitten twice shy.

2. What do you do with the empty styrofoam shipping boxes?

Although I don’t get these from live stock orders I do collect them for a mobile food pantry I run. They are great for frozen and refrigerated foods. If you are in the Tampa Florida area we will take any you have to offer.

 

[revhtree]

WOW three very different perspectives here!

Never have and never would buy livestock online, prefer to see what i am buying first.

Do you have really good local fish stores?

I’ve been in the hobby 5 years, but didn’t start ordering online until the pandemic started. I’ve ordered 10ish times from Liveaquaria, unique corals, eBay and a few LFS operations. Opens up a whole new world of interesting stuff!!

I usually break up the boxes into smaller pieces with a hammer and throw them away.

This is something I hadn't thought about happening. Very cool!

1. How long have you been in the hobby and how many online livestock orders have you had?

I have been in the hobby for a grand total of 19 years with an eight year break in between at one point. I have only ordered live stock once and it all came dead so I never did again. I have toyed with the idea of doing so but once bitten twice shy.

2. What do you do with the empty styrofoam shipping boxes?

Although I don’t get these from live stock orders I do collect them for a mobile food pantry I run. They are great for frozen and refrigerated foods. If you are in the Tampa Florida area we will take any you have to offer.

Very understandable and it happens for sure. I have had it happen too but mostly over the years has been good. If I were to grade it I would give it an 80% B-. This gives me an idea for a new thread!

 

[Dbichler]

Been in the hobby since 2006 and never ordered livestock online. Got one styrofoam container from a lfs. Oh forgot my live rock came with 4 but threw those out.

 

[Ippyroy]

I don't have a choice due to where I live, so all of my livestock orders have come via online orders. The only issues I have had was from a popular CUC site that uses USPS. Multiple DOAs both times. Everything else; fish, CUC, corals, and macro algaes have shipped fine with no problems. I do hate the styrofoam boxes. Having to pay a boxing fee is not much of an issue to me, but I would be much happier to pay a return fee to send it back and have it reused. Instead I have thrown them all away. I believe there has to be a more environmentally sound way to ship livestock.
I have only had my tank up for 6 months.

 

[windemerejack]

Do you have really good local fish stores?

Not too bad but i am willing to drive a few hours to see it rather than buy online, i simply would not buy something live without seeing it first, too many dodgy companies imo.

 

[Jase4224]

I don’t live near a LFS and the one I prefer (Ocean Reefs Marine, West Oz) is an hour and a half away. I call them and order multiple fish at a time and they QT them for me. Fish always arrive healthy and have been doing very well. They have a WYSIWYG page for corals which I’ll be ordering from also. Shipping is $25 and sent in the morning and arrives in the afternoon.

They are also honest enough to let me know if they have concerns about compatibility of my livestock so I trust them.

As for the boxes, I keep a large and a small in case we drive to the city and end up near the LFS there.

 

[mfinn]

I started placing orders online for zoanthids sometime in 90's ( After Windows 95 came out and the online stores popped up ) when I discovered all the different colors of them that local stores couldn't get. Flying Fish Express was one of the early ones.
I also learned to look at the eggcrate they were sitting on to judge the size of the piece I was getting.
That first order was kind of disappointing.
I have no idea how many I've placed over 20+ years. Could be 100+.
Until they started a styrofoam recycling program locally, most of the big ones were broke up and placed in the garbage. I've always saved the smaller ones and give them to local stores or friends that ship corals.

 

[SonyaBAZ]

I’ve only been in the hobby a few years. So maybe ordered 10 things or so. I do wish that shipper’s offered an option to pay for box return like some of those home food delivery companies do. It feels like a waste when I don’t have a good use for them.

I guess maybe I should check out the food bank options people mentioned above as well.

 

[stanleo]

Been in the hobby for 8 years. Only ordered a handful of times. Been mostly good, have about the same rate of survivability as with getting animals from the LFS.

Fun story, I ordered a halimeda once and they sent me a sea hare. I hadn't even heard of them at that point so I took a crash course in them. Usually before I buy a new animal I do tons of research. He only lasted about three months poor thing but he was an awesome creature.

 

[andrewkw]

1. How long have you been in the hobby and how many online livestock orders have you had?

2. What do you do with the empty styrofoam shipping boxes?

I've been in the hobby since late 2005. That being said I've had maybe 10-15 online orders (not counting live food when I was keeping cuttlefish).

Before moving to the middle of no where there was just no reason to order online, all the good stuff was close. I have way more foam boxes from times at LFS where I bought too much to fit in bags, so they gave me a box instead The good old days of $40 colonies with 100s of pieces to choose from. Alas those days are long gone and are weekly fish store trips. Now its just a couple of times a year and maybe none in 2020 thanks to the pandemic.

I do keep most of my foam boxes, particularly the big ones. I used them when I moved, and occasionally I will bring a large amount of frags with me so filling 1-2 big boxes is a lot easier then 5 or 6 little ones. I do use a couple little ones a year for local trips when I'm going to transport frags for an hour or 2. Maybe overkill but means I can leave them in a hot or cold car for a modest amount of time without worrying. The rest are down in my crawlspace waiting for the day where I break down my tanks to move.

 

[scchase]

Been in the hobby since 1992, average 5 online orders a year over that time equals a lot more than 100

 

[terraincognita]

1. How long have you been in the hobby and how many online livestock orders have you had?

I’ve been the one the Hobby since 2017 and I’ve only ever ordered a total of 5 living creatures online from a total of 2 orders.

Everything I always got was always great!

2. What do you do with the empty styrofoam shipping boxes?

Since it was maybe 2 total orders/shipments I kept the first box for awhile, I got rid of it after a week or so as I broke the styrofoam.

2nd I still have I use it when I go to LFS and am getting wet supplies.

Styrofoam is probably one of the worst things for this planet :-(.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Great suggestion
I generally place them on craigslist FREE ITEMS to people moving or traveling. Generally gone in 2 days or less

 

[ca1ore]

1. How long have you been in the hobby and how many online livestock orders have you had?

Been in the hobby since 1987/8 …. online livestock since about the early 2000s. Must be hundreds ….. how many specifically …. no clue

2. What do you do with the empty styrofoam shipping boxes?

Recycled.

 

[Ippyroy]

I've been in the hobby since late 2005. That being said I've had maybe 10-15 online orders (not counting live food when I was keeping cuttlefish).

Before moving to the middle of no where there was just no reason to order online, all the good stuff was close. I have way more foam boxes from times at LFS where I bought too much to fit in bags, so they gave me a box instead The good old days of $40 colonies with 100s of pieces to choose from. Alas those days are long gone and are weekly fish store trips. Now its just a couple of times a year and maybe none in 2020 thanks to the pandemic.

I do keep most of my foam boxes, particularly the big ones. I used them when I moved, and occasionally I will bring a large amount of frags with me so filling 1-2 big boxes is a lot easier then 5 or 6 little ones. I do use a couple little ones a year for local trips when I'm going to transport frags for an hour or 2. Maybe overkill but means I can leave them in a hot or cold car for a modest amount of time without worrying. The rest are down in my crawlspace waiting for the day where I break down my tanks to move.

I put all of my boxes broken down in my crawl space as well. Then I put my Brute can for RODI water right over them. I am now scared to go down there and look at them.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Since the pandemic, I’ve ordered a lot more livestock — crickets for my lizards, fish, plants — and it feels easier in a way, and more exciting!!

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

1. How long have you been in the hobby and how many online livestock orders have you had?
I've been in the hobby for maybe four years??? I can't remember. I've only ever had one online shipment; some rock, sand, and a crab from TBS.
2. What do you do with the empty styrofoam shipping boxes?
I like to use the empty Styrofoam boxes for storage. Or, if I get a large animal like maybe a coral I will use them to drip acclimate.