Important Information Regarding Live Rock Availability and Quality

Aquarium Arts Ships Live Rock Only by Air

 Recently reef importers, trying to save money and avoid price increases, have switched from air freight to containerized and refrigerated ocean freighter to transport "live rock" to Los Angeles. Time on the ocean may be three weeks and additional time is required to offload and clear customs, deliver to the wholesaler, then to the retailers, then to the customers throughout the U.S. Total time since collection may be as much as 5 weeks! You don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize that because of the low temperature and duration of the shipment, the quality of this product will be very poor, perhaps lacking any living reef organisms. When you place an order for live rock, ask the seller how long it has been in transit. If you get a suspicious or devious answer, don't buy!

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Aquarium Arts' live rock is shipped from its origin to our Los Angeles wholesaler by air, then to our shop by air where it is placed in our curing tanks, often within hours of its arrival in the U. S. When fully cured, our Prime Cured Live Rock is hand picked and packed and shipped to our customers by Fedex Next Day Air. Our Prime Cured Live Rock is as good as you can get!

The amount of Live Rock exported from Fiji is controlled by CITES

Each year international agreements made by CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, determine what quantity of certain plants or animals may be exported from different regions and countries of the world. The limit depends on the condition of the habitat and the abundance of the species. In 2008, the quota of coral rock shipped from Fiji was met in November.

Fiji live rock quotas for 2009 have yet to be established, but increasing political pressures will possibly mean quota reductions for 2009 and beyond. The shortage may cause an increase in prices, so customers should purchase early. We are working to deal with the situation, but it is largely out of our control.

Aquarium Arts has plenty of fully cured live rock in stock, ready to ship.

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