Shipping Information
We know live fish shipping can feel stressful, but this is what we do every week. Before your order leaves our facility, each fish is hand-selected, evaluated, and prepared for travel with care. Our goal is simple: send healthy, alert fish that are ready for the trip and ready to settle into your aquarium.
To help maintain clean water during transit, fish are typically fasted for approximately 48 hours before leaving our facility. This greatly reduces waste in the bag and helps keep ammonia levels low while they travel. During that fast, fish will be placed aside for up to 24 hours of observation before they are packed.
During packing, each fish is individually bagged with oxygen, insulated for temperature control, and packed with care to ensure the safest trip possible from our facility to your door. We take pride in shipping strong, healthy fish and do everything we can to make sure your order arrives in great condition and ready to settle into its new home.
Schedule Your Arrival Date at Checkout: Live fish orders now allow you to select your preferred arrival date during checkout. Your fish are hand-selected, fasted, and packed the night before your selected arrival date, then shipped via FedEx Priority Overnight for the fastest and safest possible journey.
Available arrival dates are shown during checkout based on our packing schedule, weather conditions, and order volume. Once your order leaves our facility, you will receive tracking information so you can follow its progress and be ready for delivery.
Please note that shipping is available only within the contiguous United States. We cannot ship live fish to Alaska, Hawaii, outlying territories, or international locations.
Shipping Rates
Our hybrid rate schedule combines order weight and your location within the contiguous 48 U.S. states. We don’t profit from shipping; the rate simply covers costs so we can focus on what we do best: delivering beautiful, high-quality fish with top-notch packing.
Shipping prices are calculated at checkout based on your location and the weight of your order. We’ve listed product weights on each listing to help you estimate where you fall in the tiers. Surprisingly, 10 lbs covers about 80% of orders!
Weather and Winter Shipping
We’re located in a rural area, where weather can occasionally affect transportation. For that reason, we closely monitor conditions at our facility, along carrier routes, and at major sorting hubs before shipping live fish.
If severe weather, carrier disruptions, or unsafe temperatures are expected, we may delay shipment to protect the fish and avoid unnecessary transit risk.
If a shipment is delayed due to weather or carrier issues, our fish are packed with insulation, oxygen, and temperature control measures designed to help them safely withstand unexpected delays. We will always communicate known delays when possible and are happy to answer questions at any time.
Important Shipping Information
Add-On Orders & Combining Shipments
If you already have an unshipped order and would like to add more fish, simply log into your account and place an add-on order through the website. Our add-on order system can recognize eligible unshipped orders and automatically remove the additional shipping charge at checkout.
This makes it easy to add Showcase fish or additional livestock without paying shipping twice. If you experience any issues, please contact us as soon as possible and we’ll be happy to help.
Order Holds
Available arrival dates are shown during checkout so you can select the date that works best for you. Once an order is placed and assigned to an arrival date, it enters our preparation schedule. Changes may not be possible once fish have been selected, prepared, or packed.
Weather & Carrier Delays
If your shipment is delayed due to weather or carrier issues, our Arrive Alive policy still applies. While shipping fees are non-refundable, we’ll always do our best to assist if delays occur and keep you informed along the way.
Returns & Credits
Shipping fees are non-refundable. If a guaranteed item has an issue, we gladly issue store credit or refund the item price to your original payment method. We do not send replacement fish, but you’re welcome to use your credit toward a future order.
Updated: 6/23/2026