Reason Not to Ship Discus USPS

[Discus PB]

I got some from Joe also and all are still alive to this day. That's one of the reasons I let my guard down. I did get the cheaper shipping because I didn't have the extra $60. I planned on them showing up late. I didn't plan it would be a week or more.
I just checked they are still sitting in Philly and dying now I would assume. I got three orders from Hong Kong this week all arrived early. One only took a week to get here. Sad thing is I paid $2 for shipping and they made it how many miles during the busy time? Yet I can't get a package that is 18 hours away during the same busy time in two days. I think that what has been messing with me the most a week from Hong Kong while only paying $2 and going to be over a week from Philly while paying $20. Oh everything I got from Hong Kong has USPS label's on it go figure.

[Chicago Discus]

I got some from Joe also and all are still alive to this day. That's one of the reasons I let my guard down. I did get the cheaper shipping because I didn't have the extra $60. I planned on them showing up late. I didn't plan it would be a week or more.
I just checked they are still sitting in Philly and dying now I would assume. I got three orders from Hong Kong this week all arrived early. One only took a week to get here. Sad thing is I paid $2 for shipping and they made it how many miles during the busy time? Yet I can't get a package that is 18 hours away during the same busy time in two days. I think that what has been messing with me the most a week from Hong Kong while only paying $2 and going to be over a week from Philly while paying $20. Oh everything I got from Hong Kong has USPS label's on it go figure.

maybe you can ask somebody on simply that lives in Philly to pick them up in Philly for you and save the discus just a thought.............Josie

[Chicago Discus]

Somebody that lives in Philly might be willing to help you out. You can call ups and tell them the new name and they can pick them up in Philly on Saturday morning.

[Discus PB]

I think they are lost or sitting in the back of a trailer out in there lot. I am just going to write them off at this point.

[Chicago Discus]

I think they are lost or sitting in the back of a trailer out in there lot. I am just going to write them off at this point.

if they show up Monday how many days will it be

[Discus PB]

6 1/2 days if they show up Monday. I am not going to count on them showing up Monday. I don't even think USPS will even reply back to my email I sent them.

[Discus PB]

They made it today and the box was smashed flat. The bags sprung leaks and the whole box was soaked. They didn't make it to say the least.

[TURQ64]

Bummer to say the least..sorry you didn't get the kid's their fish...I'll give you two o.k. sub-adult PB's next time I'm down your way..Get the kid's a couple of new toys, and a promise on more fish.....

[Discus PB]

Bummer to say the least..sorry you didn't get the kid's their fish...I'll give you two o.k. sub-adult PB's next time I'm down your way..Get the kid's a couple of new toys, and a promise on more fish.....

If you would that would be great they would love it.
Funny thing is about the tracking number. They went from Philly to Lincoln in one night. Everything else I have had from there always stop in Ill. or Ind. Then goes to Omaha then to Lincoln. Never got scanned in anywhere until in Lincoln. Oh well won't do that again.
At least I got a box of stinking fish lol

[Scott293]

I've got some culls from a BD spawn. There was someone asking for any ones culls. Who was that? I should just do an experiment and reuse the Joe Gargas shipping container and bags just to give this a try myself. I think I'd rather try that than just flush them. Problem is, Joe obviously uses a heat sealer on each bag. He told me that he purchases the expensive breather bags and cuts them up to make these tiny bags that are heat sealed on all 4 sides. I just checked heat sealers and they aren't so cheap. I think these bags are to small to band them closed.

[Discus PB]

The Food Saver has a heat sealer on it. I think you use it without the suction on also. I use to have one and can't remember how it worked now lol

[ericatdallas]

Scott, you can also buy heat sealers online on eBay. They might provide a better deal than the foodsaver. When I was doing my research, I found that to be the case and if you're shipping a bag of water, that might be the way to go. Not sure of the width of kordon bags he uses though, but they sell for $25-80 on eBay depending on length.

The foodsaver might work though... might want to check the particular model of yours and do 'trial' runs no matter what kind you do.

[wendy9722]

OK folks,
I must say I was skeptical about USPS priority mail also, But, Joes Gargas who ships discus from FL to anywhere in the US via USPS priority mail for $5 (his offer is free shipping) and some change, has sent me two successful orders. The first was sitting outside when I got home from work, temp 45 degrees. The second was marked live fish keep warm (outside temp was 32 degrees) and the postman left a note to pick them up at the post office which I couldn't do until the next day. One took 3 days and the other took 5 days and they were fine. He ships them one fish per breathable bag. Each bag is the size of a hotdog and has only one shot glass of water in it. He says he has sent from FL to CA to the wrong address and got them delivered back to him in 10 days all alive. They are dime size when you get them, and in two weeks they are over quarter size. Both of my orders were $61 for 6 fish and he sends 8. I am not trying to sell discus for this guy, I am just saying "five dollars and change to ship fish", maybe you should see what's going like I did rather than say it can't be done. The option you are talking about is minimum $60 shipping. In his case that's (8) more fish for what you are recommending in shipping charges alone.

I got some discus from him too a month or so back packaged as you discribed. I got them on our very first night that we had 32 degree weather without a heat pack. In Fl they was evidently still having wonderful warm weather. Needless to say that the first shipment within the first hr 1 died then the 2nd hr another died. So I sent him a message what happened and told me he wasnt shipping out anymore for at least another 2 weeks due to the weather changing which was fine to me but he charged me a additional 12.?? to ship replacements which in my mind is bullSh@#? because it was to be free ship from the start but paid anyway. So in the 2nd shipment he sent me 2 extra to make sure I didnt have more dead fish. Both shipments the water was ice cold and dont understand how they heck the fish was still living but did. The water that they was in was colder than the water coming out of my faucet. I still had another one die within about a hr or so but since he sent me enough to cover what I paid for I didnt complain. They are some seriously UGLY discus but they are still living. The part with him that upsets me the most is that he claimed that the peppering on the fish would go away as they got older. The only thing that has changed since I got them is that the peppering is getting worse and he charged me for the 2nd shipment when the 1st shipment wasnt my fault that they died. So now I'm raising UGLY discus that was supposed to be nice quality fish. NOT!!!!!! That was my first and last time getting discus off aquabid unless its a recommended seller that is connected with this forum. I do like the angels that I've got off there and supplies at decent prices.

[ericatdallas]

Looks like my shrimp are going to be dead. Apparently, the seller sent the shrimp a day later than he said he had.... which explains why he hadn't sent out the tracking number. I even told him, I would rather have shrimp a week late than have him rush me dead shrimp. He was supposed to ship them on Monday, then he said, Tuesday, but he actually sent Wednesday.. <sigh> I would have preferred he waited like another seller did ...

Anyway, theoretically, the shrimp -should- have been here Friday, but as of today, according to the track, the last status update was Friday night and it had departed Minnesota

I suspect they're dead. He put 60 hour heat packs (why not 72 hour when they cost 10 cents more? -- not that it would matter). We'll see though and we may also see if he honors his DOA no matter what.

although I read with shrimp, some people ship them out without heat packs during the winter and they survive somehow.

[Scott293]

I got some discus from him too a month or so back packaged as you discribed. I got them on our very first night that we had 32 degree weather without a heat pack. In Fl they was evidently still having wonderful warm weather. Needless to say that the first shipment within the first hr 1 died then the 2nd hr another died. So I sent him a message what happened and told me he wasnt shipping out anymore for at least another 2 weeks due to the weather changing which was fine to me but he charged me a additional 12.?? to ship replacements which in my mind is bullSh@#? because it was to be free ship from the start but paid anyway. So in the 2nd shipment he sent me 2 extra to make sure I didnt have more dead fish. Both shipments the water was ice cold and dont understand how they heck the fish was still living but did. The water that they was in was colder than the water coming out of my faucet. I still had another one die within about a hr or so but since he sent me enough to cover what I paid for I didnt complain. They are some seriously UGLY discus but they are still living. The part with him that upsets me the most is that he claimed that the peppering on the fish would go away as they got older. The only thing that has changed since I got them is that the peppering is getting worse and he charged me for the 2nd shipment when the 1st shipment wasnt my fault that they died. So now I'm raising UGLY discus that was supposed to be nice quality fish. NOT!!!!!! That was my first and last time getting discus off aquabid unless its a recommended seller that is connected with this forum. I do like the angels that I've got off there and supplies at decent prices.

Yes it's a shame that he says the peppering goes away as they get older. Well I guess he is correct if they are in a painted tank with no gravel. I even doubt it then too, these fish have a lot of peppering. It's just that most people including me would prefer a fish without peppering. That's what I mean though, if this guy gets some nice fish, you can't beat the price. He told me the shipping to Cincinnati from Florida was $5 and change. That's even cheaper than paying for the gas to get them locally. That's less than the cost of 2 gallons of gas. You shouldn't stop using auqabid because of one person. There was a heat pack in both of my deliveries from him. One was still working and the other was not. They were cold but turned out fine.