Live Arrival Guarantee

Live Arrival Guarantee (Please Read Before Purchasing)

At Aquatic Collection, we take every precaution to ensure your livestock arrives alive, healthy, and ready to thrive in your aquarium. We use industry-leading packing processes, premium insulation, heat/cold packs as needed, and very short packing windows to minimize stress on the animals.

Because shipping live animals comes with inherent risk, our Live Arrival Guarantee only applies when all instructions below are followed exactly and within the required time frames.

Accepting Your Package on the First Attempt

You must be available to receive the package at its first delivery attempt.

  • Our packages do not require a signature, so please track your shipment closely and plan to be available.
  • If the driver cannot safely leave the package and instead attempts re-delivery at a later time, the livestock remains in transit longer, resulting in significant temperature fluctuation and stress. 
  • Delayed acceptance voids the Live Arrival Guarantee. 

Immediately begin the acclimation process upon arrival to ensure the optimal health of your livestock.

If the Fish Appears Dead (DOA Instructions- Must Be Completed Within 2 Hours of Delivery)

Because fish can appear lifeless due to stress, darkness, or lying on their side during transport, proper verification is critical. Do NOT open the bag until all required photos have been taken. Failure to follow these steps will void the guarantee.

Take Initial Photos Inside the Unopened Bag

Within 2 hours of the delivery timestamp: 

  1. Take 2-3 clear photos of the fish inside the unopened shipping bag, from different angles. 
  2. Photo must clearly show: 
    1. The fish's condition 
    2. The fish fully inside the sealed, untampered bag 
    3. The water clarity and temperature pack (if visible) 
  3. Ensure the photos are well-lit, not blurry, and allow us to confirm the condition of the fish at the time of arrival. These photos protect both you and us, and they are required for ANY live arrival claim. 

Acclimate the Fish Even if It Appears Dead

It is very common for fish to appear dead but still be alive and simply stressed, cold, or lethargic from overnight shipping.
Before making a DOA claim, you must:

  1. Begin acclimation as you normally would
  2. Refer to our Acclimation Guide on our website
  3. Allow adequate time for the fish to warm up, adjust, and show signs of life

Failing to acclimate the fish before completing the DOA process may void the guarantee, since many “dead” arrivals recover fully once acclimated properly.

If No Signs of Life After Acclimation, Take Additional Photos

If after proper acclimation there are still no signs of life, please take:

  1. Multiple clear photos of the fish outside of water, placed on a clean white surface or paper towel. 
  2. Ensure photos clearly show: 
    1. The full body
    2. Any injuries
    3. The coloration and condition 
    4. A still, non-breathing fish

These photos must be taken and sent within the same 2-hour window from delivery. 

Additional Verification for High-Value Livestock

For high-value or rare fish, we may require an additional verification step to prevent fraud and ensure accuracy.
This may include asking you to:

  • Carefully clip a small V-shape from one fin
  • Photograph it clearly with the V-shape fine cut out next to the fish
  • Include it with your DOA claim photos

This step ensures the fish being claimed is the same one we shipped and confirms the fish is deceased.

Submit Your Photos and Information to Customer Service

Once all required photos have been taken:
Email everything to orders@aquaticcollection.com
Your email must include:

  • Your full name
  • Your order number
  • All required photos from the above sections

Claims are only valid if ALL steps are completed within 2 hours of the delivery timestamp.

If DOA Is Confirmed

If we determine that any livestock arrived dead based on your submitted documentation:

  • You will receive store credit for the deceased livestock OR
  • A replacement item (shipping cost must be paid by the customer)

If you choose to pay shipping for a replacement, you may add additional livestock to the order at no extra shipping cost.

Please note, we are not responsible for:

  • Weather delays
  • Mechanical failures by the carrier 
  • Packages left outside or in mailrooms
  • Incorrect or incomplete addresses

We can hold shipments if you are experiencing unsafe temperatures. Please contact us prior to ordering.

Failure to Follow Instructions & Additional Conditions That Void the Guarantee

Failure to follow any of the above requirements will void your eligibility for our Live Arrival Guarantee. This includes but is not limited to:

  • Not reporting the issue within 2 hours of delivery
  • Missing any required photos
  • Opening the bag before initial photos are taken
  • Not acclimating the fish before completing the DOA process
  • Not completing all verification steps (especially for high-value fish) 
  • Not being present for first delivery attempt
  • Leaving the package unattended or outdoors
  • Providing an incorrect or incomplete delivery address
  • Refusing delivery or requesting re-delivery

We must enforce these rules strictly because any delays or deviations directly jeopardize the health and welfare of the livestock, and once the window passes, we cannot determine whether the loss occurred during shipping, acclimation, or after arrival.

Our priority is always the health and safety of the fish first. Adhering to these guidelines allows us to properly investigate DOA situations and maintain a fair policy for all customers. Abuse of the policy, falsified claims, or incomplete documentation will result in denial of the guarantee.

Extreme Weather Policy

At Aquatic Collection, the health and safety of our fish is our highest priority. Live aquatic animals are highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations, and extreme weather conditions can significantly impact their safe transit. To give every order the best chance of arriving healthy, we carefully monitor weather conditions along the entire shipping route—not just the destination—and reserve the right to adjust shipping schedules when necessary.

Temperature Guidelines

We continuously monitor temperatures throughout the shipping journey. Shipments may be delayed, rescheduled, or modified if conditions fall outside of safe shipping parameters, including:

  • Temperatures below 40°F or above 85°F at any point during transit.
  • Severe weather events such as heat waves, cold snaps, hurricanes, snowstorms, flooding, wildfires, or other natural disasters that may impact carrier operations.
  • Significant carrier delays or service interruptions caused by weather.

Hold at FedEx Ship Center

To further protect your livestock, orders shipping through areas where forecasted temperatures exceed 85°F during the delivery window will automatically be held for pickup at the nearest FedEx Ship Center to the shipping address whenever possible.

Holding packages at a FedEx Ship Center helps minimize the amount of time livestock spends in delivery vehicles or sitting outdoors, greatly reducing heat exposure and giving your fish the best possible chance of arriving in excellent condition.

Once your order ships, you'll receive tracking information along with the pickup location. We strongly recommend picking up your package as soon as it becomes available.

Shipping Adjustments

If unsafe shipping conditions are identified, Aquatic Collection may, at our sole discretion:

  • Delay shipment until weather conditions improve.
  • Coordinate with you to select a safer shipping date.
  • Automatically hold your package at a nearby FedEx Ship Center for pickup.
  • Delay shipment if carrier service disruptions are expected to impact delivery times.

Live Arrival Guarantee Limitations

Our Live Arrival Guarantee may be void if:

  • A shipment is sent against our weather recommendations at the customer’s request
  • The package is not received on the first delivery attempt
  • The package is not held for pickup when recommended during extreme conditions

Our Commitment
We take every precaution when packing, including insulated boxes, heat packs, or cold packs as needed. However, extreme weather is beyond our control, and we reserve the right to delay shipments to ensure the best possible outcome for your livestock.

If you have any questions about weather conditions or your order, please contact us before your shipment date, we’re happy to help ensure your fish arrive safely.