Shipping, DOA, Return Policy

Please read all information before placing your order.

Live Fish Shipping

  • We strongly encourage buyers to choose UPS 2nd Day Air at checkout to ensure the health and safety of the fish during transport.
  • We do not cover DOA claims for shipments sent via USPS Ground or USPS Priority Mail. Choosing USPS means you are accepting full responsibility for the condition of the fish upon arrival.
  • We use the highest standards of care when packing fish: 100% oxygen, hand-knot sealing, and insulation with hot or cold packs when needed.
  • A $3 packaging fee is automatically added at checkout for all live fish orders to cover the cost of insulated boxes and materials.

Shipping Schedule

  • We ship live fish orders on Mondays and Tuesdays. In some cases, we ship on Wednesdays if the customer selects an overnight shipping option. The holiday season might affect the normal shipping schedule.
  • Orders containing only dry goods will ship within 1–2 business days. If your order includes both live fish and dry goods, we may ship them separately.
  • The cutoff time for shipping live fish is Tuesday at 9 PM EST. Orders placed after this cutoff will ship the following Monday.

UPS Delays & Shipping Claims

  • The ultimate goal of using UPS 2nd Day Air is to ensure the fish arrive alive and healthy.
  • If UPS fails to deliver within the guaranteed 2-day window, we will file a shipping claim on your behalf. If the claim is approved, we will issue a partial shipping refund minus the $3 packaging fee.
  • UPS does not compensate for the death of live animals, only for delays in service.

Additional Information

  • We only ship to the Continental United States.
  • We ship packages to the address provided. We are not responsible if the customer enters an incorrect address.
  • We reserve the right to delay shipping due to extreme weather or holidays.

LIVE ARRIVAL GUARANTEE (DOA) POLICY

DOA stands for dead on arrival. This policy applies to purchasers of our live animals.

Filing a DOA Claim

  • Send a short video of the deceased fish:
    • One video inside the sealed bag with water (unopened).
    • One video outside the bag.
  • Submit the videos within 2 hours of the carrier's delivery timestamp.
  • Email the videos to sn*******@***il.com.

Note: We will not process DOA claims without a clear video.

Refunds and Replacements

  • Upon approval of your DOA claim:
    • We will issue a store credit for a future fish order, or
    • We will send a replacement of the same fish if available.

Terms and Conditions

  • Responsibility: Our responsibility ends once you open the fish bag.
  • Health Check: We check all fish for health before shipping.
  • Delivery: Someone must be home to receive the fish.
  • Correct Address: Ensure the correct address is provided.
  • Exclusions: DOA only applies to purchased fish, not extras.
  • Shipping Costs: Shipping is non-refundable.

Store Credit Policy

  • Store credit is issued per fish covered by the DOA policy.
  • Credit is valid for one year and applies to future live fish orders.
  • Credits, DOA fish, and shipping costs are not refundable.
  • We will ship a replacement-only order. Additional shipping charges apply.

Purchase Guidelines

  • We do not support impulse purchases of live animals.
  • We reserve the right to refuse sales if proper care cannot be provided.
  • Notify us on the day you receive the fish if there are any issues.

Return Policy

Livestock, Plants, and Perishable Items

We do not accept returns for any livestock, plants, or perishable items, including fish food or other feed products.

Return-Eligible Items

  • Items must be in original condition.
  • Report faults within 24 hours of purchase.
  • Email sn*******@***il.com with subject “Return - Order ####”.
  • Refunds are for item price only. Shipping is not refundable.

Return Timeline

Please return items within 7 business days of receiving them.

Change of Mind

  • Only non-live goods are eligible for “change of mind” exchanges.
  • Items must be in original packaging. Return postage is the buyer’s responsibility.

Store Credit and Replacements

  • Store credit or replacements may be issued at our discretion.
  • Applies to non-live goods only.

Property Ownership

All items remain the property of SNR Medaka USA until fully paid for.

Agreement

Purchasing from us indicates your agreement with this policy.

Contact Us

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Thank you!