Shipping
Live animals.
Handled with care.
We ship live fish, shrimp, invertebrates, and plants across the continental United States from our facility in Jacksonville, Florida. Every order is packed by hand with the health of your animals as the absolute first priority.
Dispatch Schedule
All live orders are dispatched from our facility in Jacksonville, Florida on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday only. This ensures your animals never spend a weekend sitting in a courier facility. Orders placed Thursday through Sunday are held and dispatched the following Monday.
Delivery Timeframes
All live orders ship via express courier (FedEx or UPS) from Jacksonville, FL. Estimated transit times from dispatch:
| Zone | States | Est. Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 β Florida & Southeast | FL, GA, SC, AL | 1 Day |
| Zone 2 β South & Mid-Atlantic | NC, TN, MS, LA, AR, VA, MD, DE, DC | 1β2 Days |
| Zone 3 β Midwest & Northeast | TX, OK, KY, WV, OH, PA, NY, NJ, CT, MA, and surrounding states | 2β3 Days |
| Zone 4 β West & Mountain | CA, OR, WA, NV, AZ, CO, UT, ID, MT, WY, ND, SD, NM | 3β4 Days |
| Zone 5 β Alaska, Hawaii & Territories | AK, HI, Puerto Rico, USVI, Guam | Contact Us |
Shipping Rates
| Order Type | Shipping Method | Rate |
|---|---|---|
|
Live Animals Fish, shrimp, invertebrates |
FedEx / UPS Express with heat or cool pack & oxygen | Calculated at checkout |
| Aquatic & House Plants | FedEx / UPS Express (damp packed) | Calculated at checkout |
|
Dry Goods Hardscape, substrate, supplies |
Standard or express ground shipping | Calculated at checkout |
|
Frozen Foods Bloodworm, brine shrimp, daphnia |
Overnight express or local pickup only | Calculated at checkout |
| Local Pickup β Jacksonville, FL | β | Free |
How We Pack Your Order
Every live order is packed by hand at our Jacksonville facility with animal safety as the first priority. Here is exactly what goes into each box:
π Fish & Invertebrates
Double-sealed polythene bags inflated with pure oxygen, containing enough water for the full transit duration. Bags are wrapped in insulating material and packed inside a polystyrene-lined box with a heat or cool pack sized appropriately for your zone and the season.
πΏ Aquatic Plants
Plants are packed damp but not submerged β wrapped in moist paper, labelled clearly, and sealed. Rhizome plants (Anubias, Java Fern, Bucephalandra) are never buried in packaging to prevent rot during transit.
π¦ Shrimp
Shrimp are packed with generous water volume, moss or plant material for grip and shelter, and extra oxygen. Cool packs are positioned and insulated carefully β never in direct contact with the bag β to maintain a safe, stable temperature throughout transit.
π Dry Goods & Hardscape
Hardscape is individually wrapped in bubble wrap or foam. Substrate is sealed in heavy-duty bags. Supplies and accessories are boxed with adequate padding to prevent movement and damage during ground or air transit.
Temperature & Weather Holds
We ship from Jacksonville, FL β which means heat is our primary concern for most of the year. We take weather seriously and adjust our packaging accordingly every single shipment.
βοΈ Summer (May β October)
Florida summers are hot and humid. All live orders include cool packs during this period. Shipments to inland or southern destinations may require additional insulation. We ship early in the week only to avoid weekend delays in summer heat.
βοΈ Winter (November β April)
Cold snaps affecting northern and western destinations may require heat packs. Jacksonville itself stays relatively mild, but shipments to the Midwest, Northeast, and Mountain states will include appropriate heat packs when temperatures drop.
During periods of extreme heat or severe weather β including hurricanes, major storms, or heat events β we may place a weather hold on live orders until conditions are safe for shipping. We will contact you promptly if your order is affected and provide options including rescheduling at no extra cost.
Important Notes
Be home on delivery day
Live animals cannot be left on a doorstep in Florida heat or northern cold. Please ensure someone is home to receive your parcel the moment it arrives. If a package is left unattended in extreme temperatures and animals are lost as a result, we cannot accept responsibility.
Open your box immediately
As soon as your parcel arrives, open it and assess the animals. Do not leave the sealed box in a hot car, sunny porch, or warm garage. Begin acclimation right away β the sooner they are in your prepared tank, the better.
Have your tank fully set up before ordering
Your aquarium must be fully cycled, at the correct temperature, and properly dechlorinated before you order live animals. Adding livestock to an uncycled or chemically untreated tank is one of the most common causes of avoidable loss β and is outside our control once animals have been delivered.
Never pour bag water into your tank
The water your animals travel in may contain elevated ammonia from transit stress. Always net fish and shrimp out of the bag and discard the bag water. This applies regardless of how healthy the animals look on arrival.
Use a deliverable street address β no PO Boxes
FedEx and UPS do not deliver live animal shipments to PO Boxes. Please use a valid residential or business street address where someone will be present to receive the package.
Live Arrival Guarantee & DOA Policy
We guarantee that all livestock will arrive alive and in good health. In the rare event that an animal arrives dead, our DOA policy applies as follows:
How to make a DOA claim
Take a clear, well-lit photo of the deceased animal still inside the sealed, unopened bag alongside the shipping label. Photos of animals removed from the bag will not be accepted.
Submit your claim via our Contact page within 2 hours of confirmed delivery per your FedEx/UPS tracking. Include your order number and the photo. Claims submitted after this window cannot be accepted.
We will review your claim and, once approved, offer a replacement shipment or store credit at our discretion. Replacements are subject to stock availability and safe shipping conditions at the time of re-shipment.
Frozen Foods
Frozen foods (bloodworm, brine shrimp, daphnia) cannot be shipped via standard ground courier due to the obvious challenge of keeping them frozen across long distances β especially shipping from Florida. They are available via two options:
π FedEx Overnight
Frozen orders are packed with dry ice and dispatched via FedEx Overnight to maintain temperature. This service is available to most continental US addresses. Additional overnight shipping fees apply. Contact us before ordering to confirm and get a shipping quote.
π Local Pickup β Jacksonville, FL
The most reliable option for frozen foods. Select local pickup at checkout and we'll arrange a convenient time. Frozen products are ready immediately and can be combined with any other items in your order at no extra charge.
Order Tracking
Once your order is dispatched, you will receive an automated shipping confirmation email with your FedEx or UPS tracking number and a direct link to track your parcel in real time.
We strongly recommend tracking your order closely on the expected delivery day so you can be home and ready to receive it the moment it arrives. If your tracking shows an unexpected delay, scan, or hold β contact us and the carrier immediately. Time is critical for live animal shipments.
Have a shipping question?
Whether you're in Florida around the corner or across the country in California, we're happy to talk through your order and make sure we get it to you safely. Don't hesitate to reach out.
Contact Us