FAQ & How-To
FAQ
What's the best way to get in touch with you? Is there a phone number that I can call?
The best and most convenient way for you to get in touch with us, is via the contact us form located here in the website. If this isn’t working for some reason, you can contact us directly at askaquascapers@gmail.com. We typically respond right away to best help answer your questions. If you have an emergency and need an immediate reply, Colin can be reached on his cell phone at 305-432-1549.
How long will Aquascapers hold onto my order before shipping?
Preferably shipping should take place within 1-4 business days of order placement. Be sure that you will be able to receive your polyps in this time frame. Please indicate to us the best day or days for us to ship at the time of your order. If you will not be available to receive your order within 4 business days after placing it, please let us know beforehand. Do not order unless you can receive your package within this time frame.
What kind of experience does Aquascapers have when it comes to packing, shipping, and selling corals over the internet?
Aquascapers AKA Coral Morphologic has been in operation since February 2008, although we were previously operating on eBay since February 2006 under the name "Caribbean_Corallimorph". Over the years we have been enthusiastically embraced by thousands of satisfied, and returning customers. We are more than happy to answer your questions, and will take time to make sure that you are 100% satisfied.
I'm coming down to Miami for vacation, can I pick up, or buy in person?
Unfortunately, Aquascapers is a small, independently owned and operated business with 3 full-time owners/employees. We are not a retail store, and we cannot at this time accept walk-ins or pickups.
Do you ship internationally?
Unfortunately we cannot ship live animals via FedEx internationally for hobbyists. If you are a wholesale importer, please contact us for more information.
How-To
What do I do when my polyps arrive?
It is very important that you schedule an arrival date and time that will be convenient for you to receive the package direct from FedEx. We do not want these boxes sitting unattended in harsh weather conditions.
Once you have the package, remove the bags from the box and liner and float them in your aquarium. While not absolutely necessary, we recommend that all new introductions are observed in a separate quarantine system for several days before introduction to your display tank. This is a good to time to attach loose polyps down to rocks/rubble of your choice in a more quiet, controlled environment. We recommend that you turn off the aquarium lights during the acclimation process to minimize stress on your new animals.
After 10-15 minutes of floating in your aquarium, we recommend performing a slow drip acclimation process to initiate the animals to your tank's water chemistry. If there is any concern about the health of your polyps on arrival, don't hesitate to contact us at askaquascapers@gmail.com.
How should I put these polyps in my tank?
Keep in mind that the polyps that we sell are unattached to any significant amount of rock that could otherwise keep the polyps anchored in place in a busy and current-swept aquarium. It is illegal in the state of Florida to collect any live rock. Preferably you will have a separate tank, or designated area in your main tank, for coral frag attachment. This will be a quiet area where the polyps can either naturally attach to rocks/rubble, or where they can be glued down onto rocks of your choosing.
Super glue gel (Cyanoacrylate) is a recommended adhesive for this purpose, but keep in mind that it will only work when attaching the minimal amount of rubble attached to the polyp on to another rock. After several weeks, the polyps will naturally attach to the new, larger rock of your choice. Super glue will not adhere to the polyp tissue. Attachment is best from polyp-rubble to live rock.
When they arrived, the "guts" of my St. Thomas corallimorphs were coming out of the polyp's mouth, are they sick or dying?
No, don't worry, this is very normal for corallimorphs to do when they are stressed from shipping and handling. It is most prevalent with the Discosoma sanctithomae polyps. Acclimate these polyps just as you would any other corals, and you'll find that they will retract these mesenterial filaments (the guts) within several hours of resting.
What sort of lighting conditions does Aquascapers use to hold and grow out their polyps?
We are currently using a combination 400 watt 20,000K single ended metal halide bulbs and T5 actinics to grow out our polyps. The 400 watt bulbs are suspended about 30 inches above the water on a moving "Light Rail" trolley.
Our polyps are accustomed to relatively high levels of light, so it is unlikely that they will be light shocked when you put them in your aquarium. That said, most of the polyps that we provide will grow and be comfortable under a wide range of lighting from power compact, T5, VHO, HQI, and MH.
