Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations hey folks, new to the forum, new to ponds as well.

Getting the fish from a good supplier is worth way more than a 3 hour drive round trip.

you are absolutely right... one of these days I'll learn to just listen to people who have already done something

I'm still astounded at these local dudes, some of them wanted $3.50 per fish (for small fish, not 1 lb. size) plus a pretty hefty delivery fee... while the others seemed the type that even if they could deliver them I would certainly NOT want them seeing our farm and where they could come steal a bunch of nice stuff to trade for their drugs...

Anyhow, it seems like things worked out thanks to you folks at the forum. The people at the company knew the forum well and weren't surprised at all that they came highly recommended by yall. I have an old friend who is putting in 10 4 acre ponds for medium scale aquaculture, I will be recommending this company to them for someone to deal with in the future!

well, another saga of the months long effort to put fish in this pond... the people at that company sounded really great on the phone, we agreed on a price and I told them to call me with a date for pickup. Several days later they called back, were apologetic for not being able to get the fish that I ordered and then wanted me to pay for my substitute order sight unseen. Good reputation or not, I refuse to pay for an animal in full sight unseen. A "good faith" deposit would have been more to my liking and understandable. During the first phone call they were more than agreeable that I pay cash on pickup then the deal changed twice. My order is a piddly little nothing order for them I am sure, but it's just the ethics of it that I don't agree with. To change a deal twice in very substantial ways after something has been agreed upon doesn't sit right with me. I have some friends who are now putting in 40 acres of aquaculture ponds and I will certainly be suggesting that they NOT use this company.

as stated, they have a good reputation and the first change (not being able to get the size of fish I originally ordered) is understandable, but then to call back and insist that I have to pay first after it was not only agreed upon but seemingly preferred by both parties that I pay cash on pickup was one modification too much, I did not care to let them have a third strike after my dealings with previous suppliers.

In the time since I have found a friend of a friend in the business, most likely Greg Grimes's supplier for catfish who has agreed to sell me what I want. I wish things had gone differently with that deal, and even though it was a very small amount of money it is in my opinion not a good way to practice business. It just made me worry that upon pickup (after I paid of course) the deal would have been modified again by them.

Going through all of this really makes me want to get into aquaculture... I have yet to have a transaction completed as originally agreed upon. I can't believe people can run a business like that. I see lots of folks have used them and are apparently happy with them, the deal would have most likely went down as expected but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. On my farm, when I agree to sell blueberries to my wholesaler I supply the order that I agreed upon, of course with all agricultural products, fish or blueberries, sometimes things happen and as a farmer I understand that. But if I told my wholesaler I was selling them 5 tons of ripe blueberries, then called them back and told them that they weren't blueberries after all but cherries, then called again and told them I needed the money up front before they saw the blueberries/cherries... well I would never get their business again.

You need to talk to HighFlyer about fish guys...... Send him a PM.