Cardinal Tetra Supplier for +100

Hi all,

I have purchased cards from many suppliers over the years and is very hit or miss on the quality of them whether Web or LFS. LFS is also hit or miss even if I have them bring me 50 from the wholesaler, where they don't even acclimate them at the LFS, they go right to me in the bag from the wholesaler.

I want to buy 100-200 more cardinals. 100 at a time as that is all the quarantine room I have at one time............so 2 batches likely

Does anyone know of a good mail order supplier or LFS to their area that may ship that I can use for this?

Example of an LFS that ships would be World of Fish in Minnesota, good store that I purchased fish at years ago when I was doing some business travel there. Haven't been there in years, so unsure if the quality is still good.....

I have already used:

Arizona Aquatic Gardens
Fish2U.com
Dr Fosters and Smith's

Am looking for someone I have NOT used.

I am happy to pay more for quality or distance shipping if international, but would obviously prefer within the US, less shipping time=happier fish...............

Thanks,

 

I found River Wonders at 50 @ 1.10 EACH USD, but have never used them before.

Anyone familiar with or use them ever with good results?

Thanks,

 

Ordered - 100

Well, I placed an order for 100 cardinals from RW and will advise on my experience. Expect delivery this week.............

Tom,

My biggest issue is that one or more of the fish have the 'neon tetra' disease, or something similar and this runs like wildfire through the school.

Even those that were healthy can be struck by this and die. Death takes 2-3 days tops from first visible symptoms.........

Last 50 I purchased ended up with about 18 because of this......

This has happened with many batches over the last several years.......

Thanks for the help all.

 

Update:

Hey all,

Got my delivery from RW today. Nicely packaged in a foam box and very snug..

Out of the 100 I ordered, only 50 showed up so far (have a call into customer service). 2 were DOA and about 6 have the dread neon tetra disease........I culled the really bad ones and will hope for the best with the rest.

They are very tiny now +=1/4 and cannot go into the display for quite a while (8-12 weeks min I think) until they get some size or they will be gobbled up by the Bosemani.........

Nice thing is that if they do survive, will be around a long time.............I like having some juvies within the older residents. Makes it a little more natural...

I hope the other 50 come soon (whatever happened) so I can get them into quarantine with the others.......

Well, tomorrow I will try some different foods (live cut blackworms or scrambled eggs, tetras love em!) and see if they will eat as they will have been in their new ome for 24 hours at that time. Sooner I get their bellies full the better chance they have.......

I think at some point I will need to try breeding them..............Seems challenging but doable and the rewards (if any) should be great. At least I have potential breeding stock lol

Will know in about 2 weeks how many will make it and will post then........

 

Ted,

I usually try holding a larger bit in the water until it dissolves into various sizes. Wait until the fish are hungry, don't feed them for 24-36 hours before the eggs, and try again.

Use a little at a time so you can see if they are eating it. It breaks up fast and if they don't eat it you don't want to foul the tank. Snails will get it, but then you will have many snails.

Not all eat it at first, but enough do that the others start to mimic them. Eventually they all love it.

when they do like it, you can drop bigger pieces in and they will tear them apart. Easy to do for them and it gives a 'feeding frenzy' (of cardinals???) effect.

I keep the leftover in the fridge for about 3-4 days tops. Then I make a fresh batch if needed.

All my dwarf cichlids, tetras, corys, pencils, and rainbows eat this regularly and absolutely go nuts for it. It works well to get them fat and the dwarves always spawn within a day or two if I feed them this for 2-3 days straight.

I also feed this to juvie fish and it works well for them too. Rainbows, cichlids, and livebearers fryall have taken it readily.

I do use a splash of milk and a teeny bit of butter before frying, so maybe the fat attracts them? I think it is the smell at first.

It works well for small fish or small mouths (juvies, pencils) as the pieces are small when it dissolves and they can grab pieces of their liking....

Let me know if it works for you, as I swear by it, but hope that it is not one of those things that only work for my fish but none others lol

Later,

 

Hi,

Thanks for the link!

I purchased a few pencils from them a few years ago. They are local to me, so I will give them another shot.....

 

Well they sent me 50 tiny and not so healthy (IMO) NEON TETRAS, so I was not that happy, and cancelled the rest of the order.

Worked out for the best as they were all were dead within 2 days..........

So, I had them send me a refund for the balance.

They were nice, apologetic, and prompt about it all, but left a bad taste in my mouth..........

My shoal is over 100, but not really sure anymore.

I have 25 on order from my LFS, so will go back to doing small batches at a time to build up the shoal, rather than buy 100 at a time...........