Shipping & DOA Policy
We ship Monday through Thursday via overnight service to minimize time in transit and maximize your odds of a calm, predictable delivery day. Orders placed after our daily cutoff roll to the next available ship day. Before a label is ever printed, your fish is bagged in clean water at the correct salinity, oxygen-charged, and secured inside a foam-insulated shipper with seasonal heat or cold packs as needed. The carton is clearly marked for live aquatic animals.
If your area experiences temperature extremes or if your schedule is tight, we strongly recommend Hold-at-Location pickup at a staffed carrier facility. This shortens the last-mile window and usually keeps boxes in climate-controlled environments until you arrive. Our goal is smooth logistics: short bag time, stable temperatures, and a direct hand-off into acclimation. Industry-wide, reputable retailers follow a similar Monday–Thursday overnight cadence for live goods because it offers the best balance of reliability and animal welfare.
International shipping is available to select countries and territories, subject to carrier lane availability, wildlife regulations, and importer-of-record requirements at your destination. Duties, taxes, and customs fees are the responsibility of the buyer. Customs inspection or rerouting can extend transit times, and when a government holds a shipment beyond the expected window, our coverage typically reverts to Live Arrival only because the delay is outside our control. We will still advocate on your behalf and provide documentation, but we cannot guarantee outcomes once third-party authorities take possession of the shipment. All exports are handled within the regulated standards for live fish packaging and routing.
On the day of delivery, you must be available for the first delivery attempt. Most losses occur when boxes sit in sun or cold. If an issue arises at the door—rare but possible—contact us immediately. If a specimen arrives dead on arrival (DOA), we require a concise, verifiable record within two hours of the posted delivery time. Please email us your order number and clear images: first of the fish in the unopened bag, and then of the fish out of the bag on a white background so that we can confirm identity and condition. For clarity and fraud prevention, we also require a photo of the fish on a white towel or paper with your handwritten order number and date visible. We may also request a full-tank photo to identify any obvious hazards before reshipping. These requirements are not busywork—they allow us to advocate with carriers and suppliers and to resolve your claim quickly. Comparable marine livestock retailers use nearly identical standards, including two-hour claim windows, first-attempt acceptance, white-background photos with order details, and sometimes a full-tank image.
When a claim is approved, the standard remedy is store credit equal to the livestock value of the affected item. Shipping charges are not refundable, and replacement shipments require standard freight payment. This reflects how most live-goods sellers handle shared risk: we absorb the animal cost when our selection or packing fails, while the customer covers unavoidable freight. Claims tied to carrier delays, weather events, or mechanical failures fall outside our survival guarantee. We will still assist with documentation, but our guarantee applies only to properly timed deliveries received on the first attempt.
Some species are inherently sensitive or restricted due to their biology, which leaves little margin in shipping or acclimation. Leopard and Tamarin wrasses, certain deepwater species, and select sharks and rays fall into this category. These animals may carry Live Arrival Only coverage or a modified window, and they may include a small quarantine surcharge to account for the additional feed, space, and observation required. We are transparent about these cases upfront, and this approach is standard among specialty marine vendors for the same welfare reasons.
Finally, a word on expectations and teamwork. We do a lot before the box ever leaves our facility: eating-video proof, careful water chemistry, and insulated packing. But the first hours in your home matter just as much. If your system is mid-cycle, if tankmates are aggressive, or if acclimation is rushed or improvised, outcomes suffer and coverage may not apply. When in doubt, write to us before you open the box; a five-minute email can save a fish. If something looks off, send a video right away. We can usually tell in seconds whether you are seeing normal shipping fatigue or a true emergency, and we will guide you through the next steps.