Re:AGA-FAN collaboration?

[krombhol@teclink.net (Paul Krombholz)]

The development of a collaboration between AGA and Florida Aquatic
Nursuries to increase access to hard-to-get species for AGA members is on
the back burner, but I would like to see if we can't move this
idea---originally proposed by Neil, I believe---to the front burner.

To my knowledge, the only aquatic plant retailer that has a lot of uncommon
species on its list is Pets Warehouse, which orders from Singapore dealers,
such as Oriental Aquarium.  I tried ordering from Pets Warehouse (PW), and
had a disappointing experience similar to experiences of many others.  Of
the twelve species I ordered, they sent five.  Apparently, judging from
other reports on PW, I was lucky to get these, although these were the more
commonly available species.   However, they billed me for all twelve and
then billed me, again, for the five I got.  In Tom Barr's experience, they
do this frequently.  They also have not removed their erronious bill, in
spite of three phone calls, and I have had to instruct my credit card
service not to pay it.

My conclusion is that PW is not a viable way of getting uncommon species,
and, since PW seems to be the only game in town, we should try to develop
Neil's idea to provide an alternative.  I have copied comments by Tom Barr
and by Bob Olesen from the Crypts Mailing List.

Bob Olesen, replying to my comments, said:

I ordered just after you - on the 28th of May and have received nothing so
far. Trying to navigate their website to inquire about this has been like
wandering through a labyrinth. I think I met myself on the way out.

Rather a shame, as they list a great number of seldom seen (at least by me)
and desirable species for sale. I had such high hopes too.

Bob Olesen
West Palm Beach



Tom Barr said:

Well there **use to be** someone there who actually gave a damn. She's
gone(Donna). The other guy (Ed and Jason before him and Marell before all of
them) has got 2 orders in the last 1 1/2 *years* for me after I called &
placed orders every two weeks and had it back ordered again and again. I
call and ask if anything came in etc and he says he'll call me back(this
happened some 15-30 plus times). Not once have I ever got a call back or
even an email which he also said he'd do. They also pre charged my credit
card each time too. That finally stopped since they likely got tired of
redoing the paper work each time nothing came in or they decided not to
order this time due to the low volume of orders etc. You simply cannot blame
the wholesaler for this after this much time. I had excellent service in the
past. It is this guy(or company), not the Asian wholesaler for this total
lack of business incompetence. For some strange reason they use to be able
to get most of what you ordered..........not for sometime now. I know the
owner (Bob) also. It seems that Ed has more important things than deal with
just the plants. Whether it is from above(Bob) or within (the order guys-Ed
etc) doesn't really matter. I've about had it with them and I have given
them more leeway than just about anyone. The 90-95% fill rate is a joke. I
think 50% or less was the best they ever have done. If you make a claim
............stick to it or do what it takes to make it right or change your
claim etc.
Maybe I'm being a nag here ..................do you think so<g>? Maybe it's
all my fault, the customer?

Okay, the good part. They have got in some unavailable plants that no body
else has. I have got some rare(in the USA at least) plants back a few years
ago and the Lagarosiphon madagascarensis var Amano (not the Baensch vol 2
plant) plant and a few other nice plants from them. I have some Asian
friends that will bring some plants in from Oriental Aquarium later this
year for me and they know the owners etc so we'll see if this turns out. Dan
Quankenbush let me piggy back on his orders but he died not long ago so that
is over.

So there we have it for the USA. We we want everything but really we do have
a huge number of plants to play with. Crypts are not one of them though.
There's my opinion of Petswarehouse for ya as I'm certainly in the know.
Regards,
Tom Barr

Paul Krombholz, in hot, dry, central Mississippi