Where's a good place to buy goldfish online?

[StarSapphire22]

Hi guys! I'm sure you're all getting sick of me by now, haha. :silly:

I was just wondering where you all have had good experiences buying goldies online. We have a local mom and pop store that only sells saltwater fish, Petco (half of who's goldies are almost always dead and are mostly feeders or sickly looking anyways, poor things), Petsmart (who actually seems to take pretty good care of their fish for the most part, but if you don't want a comet or a black moor, you're pretty much out of luck) and we have....dare I say it.....walmart. Though I actually got my moor from there....she's fine after a month or so, and don't get me wrong, I love her to pieces, but you can tell she's not from the best breeding lines. And something about buying fish from walmart just seems.....wrong. :headshake2:

Anyways, I know about raingarden.us and I LOVE how he has all the pictures and videos and you can pick out your individual fish (versus sites like liveaquaria.com where you say I want an oranda and who knows what color/size/sex will show up at your door). But none of them really made me go "I NEED THIS FISH IN MY TANK NOW." You know? There was no love at first sight. I especially really really really really really really really really really REALLY want a yellow of some sort (oranda, lionhead or ranchu maybe?) And I love all those little puffy cheeks. :hearts: Jamiemonster's little Tater got me hooked. They're hard to find! What sites have you guys had good luck with?

 

[JamieMonster]

LOL- thanks. I heart my little Tater! I got him at PetCo, of all places, actually. The one out here seems to have them in all the time. They also had a pom pom last time I was there. I don't know if that is just my area, though. I believe PetSmart carries the lionheads from time to time, and you *might* be able to ask them to order one for you... and I believe they will get extras with the shipment, so you can have a few to choose from.

There's a place where there were some online auctions through e-bay for fancy goldfish- and he also has also a store you can buy from online. SLC fish hub, or something (I'll see if I can find the link), they have some lemon head orandas (as well as black, blue, and chocolate), and panda moors, I believe they also have ranchus and/or lionheads there- I think red, red cap, calico, and black... a few other kinds of fish, as well. I haven't given them a try as to actually buying- I have gotten all of my fish locally (including even from the dreaded Wmart)- but it looked like an ok sight, and the reviews from e-bay were all good! I have also heard of a sight called "Dandy Orandas", but I have never been there to see it.

Here's the fish hub:
http://www.thefishhub.com/Store/Products/Fancy_Goldfish

They also sell a lot of different cichlids, and other fish (some more rare plecos)... looks like a pretty cool site! All of my tanks are stocked, but, I might check them out in the future. If you do, please let us know how they are!

Good luck, and happy shopping!

(p.s. if it says out of stock on the site- shoot him an e-mail, sometimes he has some, or has a shipment coming in soon that he can let you know when they are available. He let me know about the lemon head orandas, but then I found a pure white one at Petsmart, and already have a lemon head fantail- so, I was perfectly fine with pure white, and going the cheaper route.)

 

[StarSapphire22]

My PetCo's lame. It only has comets and like 5 full-grown-ish orandas that are there every time i go in. I asked about lionheads and they said they used to have them but the had some sort of problem with them in the past (?!) and that their store won't carry them anymore. Plus, literally HALF their goldies are dead at any time, and they just leave them in the tank. Poor things. And my PetSmart only comets and black moors or 7 zillion calico ryukins, and just a couple orandas, also full-grown or close to it. I'd prefer my goldies to be of a similar size....don't want any eating or bullying going on.

I did find one mom and pop LFS that I didn't realize we have here in Fargo, and she said she's out right now but getting a new shipment next tuesday....including lionheads! EEK! I checked out Dandy Orandas a while ago...bit expensive, but some very nice fish. I keep checking back every now and then. Thanks for pointing me towards the fish hub! I will definitely check him out.

I posted a classified ad on the forums here too, so if anyone is reading this and has some goldies they want to rehome and are willing to ship or live near Fargo, ND, go here (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forum...fish-Fargo-ND-shipping-or-local-delivery-only).

 

[Somervell]

All of my recent batch of goldies are either bought from PS (Mine is really great-- get to know the managers. Sometimes they'll watch out for you) or home bred. I have a batch of fry right now growing out of a telescope/ black oranda cross ( accidental breeding.)

I am outside of philadelphia, and have trouble finding the " harder to keep goldies" like bubble eyes and ranchus. There just doesn't seem to be much of a market for quality goldfish around here.

 

[platytudes]

If you are looking for a particular kind of goldfish, best to just get them from Aquabid. Just be sure and stick with someone reliable (feedback is kind of a joke on AB, but try to avoid someone with a lot of negatives no matter how tempting their prices, etc). You could also check out the forums, such as GAB.

What kind of temps do you have in Fargo right now? One of my favorite movies of all time, btw...sorry, you probably get tired of hearing that

 

[JamieMonster]

Rain Garden has a line of goldfish that are really hard to find in the US right now (apparently REALLY hard to find) the "shukin"- like a lionhead with a veil tail. I haven't thought about breeding, but, if I had a couple of hundred to spend on some fish... I'd seriously give that a consideration and get them their own tank. Maybe in the future. They sure are cuties!

 

[StarSapphire22]

Um, somervell, those sound adorable, and I want pictures, lol.

Aquabid didnt have much last time I checked, but i'll check back now and again. Our weather for the last week has been low 70s to 90s. Sunny most days but we've been a little stormy. I do get asked about the movie a lot but I've never seen it, so it doesn't really bother me. I've only lived up here for the past 2 years or so.

Jamie, those sound super freaking cute! That's probably the one breed I didn't click on haha. Back to rain gardens!

My boyfriend and I are going to check out that new lfs I found today. The fish aren't in yet, but apparently this place is the best kept secret in 5 states.

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[StarSapphire22]

8432. I WANT IT. my birthday is coming up, and I believe I recall my boyfriend saying that I might be able to pick out a rain garden fish for my birthday....time to point out that there isn't much price difference between the fish and his collectors edition video game? I think so. Mwahahaha.

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[JamieMonster]

8432. I WANT IT. my birthday is coming up, and I believe I recall my boyfriend saying that I might be able to pick out a rain garden fish for my birthday....time to point out that there isn't much price difference between the fish and his collectors edition video game? I think so. Mwahahaha.

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Definitely a cute fish you have picked out, there!

See- that's my reasoning, too. I have heard a few comments about how getting all of the fish stuff set up is kind of expensive- so, I then have to remind him of how expensive upgrading his computer parts every year are, and then the video games, and then the paintballing stuff, and then the car tinkering adventures, and that I ONLY really do fish stuff for a hobby that could get expensive. I don't tend to hear too much after that.

We shall see if buying a pair of those guys becomes a reality on my end- I think it might be a worthwhile effort, as they are so hard to find here in the US, and too adorable to not have more of them around these parts! I'd certainly like to have at least 1 in my tank. SUPER cute! When you get yours... I demand pics! LOL.

 

[StarSapphire22]

There's another one I like, too...but he's kinda big already.....hm, decisions. I think they're adorable!!!

Well, if the 2 breed, you could sell the fry once they're grown (assuming you get a male and a female)...tell him you have a chance to make money off them, he'll probably come around. Men.