djkms;143735 said:
The issue is 2 fold. Angels typically don't do well together unless they are in large systems and even then its iffy at best. Sure there are plenty of videos and pics of angels together on the net but this is usually the exception not the rule. The problem we have as a shop is the amount of quarantine tanks we have. IIRC you wanted a few angels and because each angel has to be separated during QT this really limits the amount we can get for you.
The second issue is supply (and this will hold true with any fish store or retail outlet). I know for us (Premier) we are not a retail outlet exclusively so when we do order fish we only order from 1 supplier at a time because we do not sell in enough volume to warrant orders from multiple wholesalers. Unfortunately we are at the mercy of what fish are in stock at the wholesale level. Typically fish availability comes in waves, one week there will be over 100 of one specimen available while there are 0 available of another. The stock changes daily, even by the minute with Quality Marine because they supply fish to hundreds, if not thousands of retail outlets.
As I am sure you are aware, the trick with Angels is if you do plan on adding multiple specimens to a system its best to add them all at the same time so dominance and territory are not predetermined. This is very very difficult to accomplish unless you really have good gameplan and don't depend on one source for your fish. If there is a store locally or online who can in fact provide all the angels your looking for in one shot by all means I would hop on it! Its not that we don't want to help you, we just don't have the capacity to do so.
That being said we are doing a fish order this week so PM me a list of what you are looking for and I will talk it over with Will to see what we can do.
Thanks,
Kris
Hey Kris,
Figured I would reply since you took the time to do so. First, I've beat this "mixing angels" topic to death. There are more than a few exceptions-to-the-rule going on out there, as observed on the national forums, youtube, etc. I've lightly researched over the past 8 months and more heavily the last month, this topic to the point of exhaustion. After all, Angel's and corals are truly what got me into the hobby.
Will had some great advise and direction in this venture. I have and continue to be completely flexible with advice and suggestions as I haven't been doing this for 20 years. That said, my list has already changed with even more research and speaking with other experienced wholesalers, suppliers, LFS's and maintenance companies. I'm not one of those wealthy, out-of-touch hobbiest's who approach this with demands instead of desires.
For example, the Imperator is off the list as it's one of the "alpha" angels.
I only have two points of frustration. First, you mentioned not having the capacity to do this, and the unlikely ability through suppliers. I wish I would've known/been told this a month ago. I would have had a month jump on finding other avenues. I've consistently seen 3 out of the 4 on my "list" in LFS's over the past month, so I didn't figure finding the supply would be the issue. I was concerned with finding like-sizes. Though the LFS's consistently had like-sizes. I continually passed on picking any of these up because I thought the order was going to be possible. My understanding was the issue became, medicating clients fish, and as such not having room at the moment for this order. That I can understand, but still wish I would've known a bit sooner.
Second, you mentioned to me last week that it was likely you all wouldn't be doing an order for another couple of months. That combined with the medicating of client's fish...the suggestion was made to possibly explore other avenues. That's when I decided to move on. Now there is an order going on? I'm confused. Doesn't that require room for anyone ordering fish for the 2 week QT period? Maybe I just don't understand all the cogs in the wheel, which is totally possible.
Anyhow, not trying to stir a pot, and not upset...just not what I expected. I picked up #1 on my list today, it's in my QT now. I only have two more on the list, the one's I've seen in LFS's frequently. The fourth, Blueline Angel, I learned is very seasonal and almost impossible to get outside of the summer months. So I'll see if maybe you can't get the last two on my list with this order. PM coming...
