Importing Betta First Time (transhipping)

I decided to take the plunge and order a betta from Thailand off AquaBid. I had heard a lot of really good things about AB and since it was so popular, used it. Many other betta keepers suggested it as well but failed to tell me all the ins and outs of importing a fish
Needless to say, if I had known how awful it was going to be, I probably wouldn't have bought the fish.

My current situation is a complete lack of communication with the transhipper. I bought the fish on the 2nd, she was sent out on the 3rd. The seller said he sent it to a specific transhipper and I expected the receiver of my fish to simply send me an invoice when she received the product and push my fish along the way.
On the 5th, I contacted the transhipper with some questions and asked for some shipping estimates. She responded on the 6th and quit responding on the 7th. I had asked her if she would hold the fish until Monday as I would be unexpectedly out of town that weekend. She replied on the 12th to a previous question and then on the 14th that she would hold the fish until Monday, which I had requested a week prior and will have to wait until next Monday. I have since asked her 2 separate times to send me shipping invoices and per other advice, contacted the original seller about not receiving my fish 2 weeks later.
What am I supposed to do about my fish and is there any other way to progress the shipment of my fish from an unresponsive transhipper? Has anyone else had similar experiences?

*picture of the female purchased
*current male

 

I decided to take the plunge and order a betta from Thailand off AquaBid. I had heard a lot of really good things about AB and since it was so popular, used it. Many other betta keepers suggested it as well but failed to tell me all the ins and outs of importing a fish
Needless to say, if I had known how awful it was going to be, I probably wouldn't have bought the fish.

My current situation is a complete lack of communication with the transhipper. I bought the fish on the 2nd, she was sent out on the 3rd. The seller said he sent it to a specific transhipper and I expected the receiver of my fish to simply send me an invoice when she received the product and push my fish along the way.
On the 5th, I contacted the transhipper with some questions and asked for some shipping estimates. She responded on the 6th and quit responding on the 7th. I had asked her if she would hold the fish until Monday as I would be unexpectedly out of town that weekend. She replied on the 12th to a previous question and then on the 14th that she would hold the fish until Monday, which I had requested a week prior and will have to wait until next Monday. I have since asked her 2 separate times to send me shipping invoices and per other advice, contacted the original seller about not receiving my fish 2 weeks later.
What am I supposed to do about my fish and is there any other way to progress the shipment of my fish from an unresponsive transhipper? Has anyone else had similar experiences?

*picture of the female purchased
*current maleView attachment 387935 View attachment 387936 View attachment 387937

Wow! Sounds like some awful customer service, if you would call it that haha. Personally I would just keep contacting anyone I could about it, and not take no for an answer. Has the fish just been in shipping for 2 weeks? I've never ordered any live animals before, so I'm not 100% sure how it works, I know places like live aquaria just overnight them, bettas are hardy fish, but I imagine if it has been kind of being thrown back and forth for 2 weeks that it probably isn't too happy right now.

 

Wow! Sounds like some awful customer service, if you would call it that haha. Personally I would just keep contacting anyone I could about it, and not take no for an answer. Has the fish just been in shipping for 2 weeks? I've never ordered any live animals before, so I'm not 100% sure how it works, I know places like live aquaria just overnight them, bettas are hardy fish, but I imagine if it has been kind of being thrown back and forth for 2 weeks that it probably isn't too happy right now.

I imagine she was shipped to the transhipper who did whatever she does with them (puts them into holding, rebags them, whatever) and is either too behind or too disconnected to catch up with shipments and mail the fish.
What really bothers me is that shipping was estimated to be around $40 when other people have told me they only paid $15-$20. This lady only lives about 2 states away not across the country. I would expect expensive shipping to come with a quick invoice, not silence.

 

I imagine she was shipped to the transhipper who did whatever she does with them (puts them into holding, rebags them, whatever) and is either too behind or too disconnected to catch up with shipments and mail the fish.
What really bothers me is that shipping was estimated to be around $40 when other people have told me they only paid $15-$20. This lady only lives about 2 states away not across the country. I would expect expensive shipping to come with a quick invoice, not silence.

Yeah… I would be pretty mad if it were me. Well it sounds like your fish is most likely safe at least, I'd assume if it's been two weeks it's in some type of holding tank. Did you get the shipping estimate before or after you ordered? It's possible the estimate may be high because you asked her to hold the fish due to a last minute need to go out of town, personally I think that's wrong, but that may be why. Could you contact the original person you bought the fish from? Maybe she could get in contact with the transhipper and tell her to get the fish to you asap? If it were me, I'd definitely be complaining, and leaving some kind of review stating these issues. Hope you can get ahold of someone and get your new fish soon. Btw the pictures of the fish you attached are beautiful… I'm jealous, I have 6 bettas, all of them are "rescues" most are missing parts of their tails, or are deformed in one way or another, they're still perfect though, just a different kind of perfect haha.

 

Yeah… I would be pretty mad if it were me. Well it sounds like your fish is most likely safe at least, I'd assume if it's been two weeks it's in some type of holding tank. Did you get the shipping estimate before or after you ordered? It's possible the estimate may be high because you asked her to hold the fish due to a last minute need to go out of town, personally I think that's wrong, but that may be why. Could you contact the original person you bought the fish from? Maybe she could get in contact with the transhipper and tell her to get the fish to you asap? If it were me, I'd definitely be complaining, and leaving some kind of review stating these issues. Hope you can get ahold of someone and get your new fish soon. Btw the pictures of the fish you attached are beautiful… I'm jealous, I have 6 bettas, all of them are "rescues" most are missing parts of their tails, or are deformed in one way or another, they're still perfect though, just a different kind of perfect haha.

I got the estimate before asking her to hold the fish. She even said I could drove up and pick the fish up in person for 2-3 dollars. At this point I am almost down to drive that far to pick her up. I requested a photo of my fish along with the invoice just to make sure she isn't sending me an already dead fish. Apparently, this transhipper is notoriously bad! If I had known, I definitely woukd have used someone else or not bought the fish at all.
I also contacted the seller early this morning and they in turn contacted the transhipper. The transhipper has not contacted me, however, some other breeders have given me her phone number to call incessantly later today, which I will be doing.

 

I got the estimate before asking her to hold the fish. She even said I could drove up and pick the fish up in person for 2-3 dollars. At this point I am almost down to drive that far to pick her up. I requested a photo of my fish along with the invoice just to make sure she isn't sending me an already dead fish. Apparently, this transhipper is notoriously bad! If I had known, I definitely woukd have used someone else or not bought the fish at all.
I also contacted the seller early this morning and they in turn contacted the transhipper. The transhipper has not contacted me, however, some other breeders have given me her phone number to call incessantly later today, which I will be doing.

Yeah that sounds extremely frustrating, I'm sorry you have to be dealing with this. Hopefully if you continually call and request the invoice and photos of the fish, she will eventually realize you're not going to let up and just send them, I don't see why she won't just send everything and be done with it… very confusing.