Live Fish Orders and Shipping
All fish available for sale are listed either here on this site, in our eBay store, or on Amazon. We do not combine items purchased on our website into the same shipment as items sold on other platforms.
All fish are measured from the nose to the tip of the tail, and this size measurement is stated on the product page.
You may add as many fish as you like to your shopping cart.
Fish in your shopping cart are still listed for sale on the site and can be purchased by other customers, despite the fish being in your cart. Fish are automatically removed from view only after your order is submitted and your payment is received.
Once all of your desired items are in your cart, proceed to checkout to submit payment and schedule shipping.
Payment and Shipping
We accept all major credit cards.
Orders received after 3 PM Eastern, can not be shipped the next day, including those purchased as additions to orders already scheduled to ship the following day.
All shipments are guaranteed overnight service via UPS Next Day Air. UPS guarantees arrival by 10:30 AM for most locations in the United States. Particularly rural or remote locations may have a guaranteed arrival time of noon or “by end of day”. Shipments arriving on Saturday will have a guaranteed arrival time of 12 PM or 1:30 PM. We review all shipments and their respective guaranteed delivery times in order to package each shipment properly. Feel free to Contact Us for help determining your guaranteed arrival time.
The shipping cost is at a flat rate and includes all of the items listed on the order, the final cost depends on your location. Live shipping costs are as follows:
Live Koi Shipping Cost
- $50 per shipment – IN, MI, OH
- $60 per shipment – AL, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, KY, LA, MD, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, WI, WV
- $70 per shipment – AR, CO, FL, KS, MA, ME, MS, MT, NE, NH, NM, NV, ND, OK, SD, TX, VT
- $85 per shipment – CA, ID, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY, AZ
- $100 per shipment – AK, H
You have the option to add a Climate Shield Insulated Liner to your shipment for an additional $10, or a Nature Safe Biodegradable Liner for $12. Both types of liner help to protect your fish from extreme high and low temperatures during transit.
The shipping charge for your state allows us to package your fish in the most efficient methods that are 100% safe and secure for your fish. If you have special instructions on how you would like your fish packaged, we can accommodate you, but we require that you pay any extra shipping cost. You can Contact Us to discuss special packaging instructions for your shipment.
During the checkout process, you will be required to choose the date of arrival for your order.
You may choose any day Tuesday thru Saturday for your order to arrive, with the exception of the following holidays, and the day immediately following each holiday:
- New Year’s Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Day After Thanksgiving
- Christmas
- New Year’s Eve
We have a maximum quantity of orders that can be shipped each day. Once the order limit quantity is reached, the corresponding date of arrival can no longer be chosen during checkout.
UPS applies a surcharge of $15 to any shipment arriving on Saturday, and this surcharge will be added to your order total when a Saturday delivery date is selected. Saturday delivery is not available for every zip code in the US. Contact us to check on the availability of Saturday delivery in your zip code.
You will receive a confirmation email or email on the afternoon that your order is shipped. You will also receive an email from UPS containing the tracking number for your shipment.
DOA Fish and Refunds
There is always a slight chance that a fish from your order will not be shipped due to health concerns. In order to ensure our bio-security, as well as on-time delivery of your order, we do not hold orders due to a fish that cannot be shipped.
We do not send replacement fish in place of fish that cannot be shipped. We do not send replacements for fish that are DOA or perish during the 14-Day Worry-Free Guarantee.
The full purchase price will be refunded for any fish that cannot be shipped. Also, the full purchase price will be refunded for any fish that perishes during the 14-Day Worry-Free Guarantee. Shipping costs will not be refunded in whole or in part.
If a fish from your order is Dead On Arrival, you are covered by our 14-Day Worry-Free Guarantee and you will be refunded.
In order to obtain a refund:
- Take a picture of any and all DOA fish.
- Go to your My Account page and select the Orders tab.
- Select “Request Refund” in the actions column of the corresponding order.
- Click the checkbox beside the item(s) that you are requesting a refund for, and click “Request Refund”.
- Select your reason to request a refund, provide a brief explanation of your issue, and upload your image.
- Click Submit.
You will receive an e-mail confirmation of receipt of your Refund Request. A member of our staff will respond promptly.
Any other issues or discrepancies you may have with fish from your order can be addressed by following the refund instructions above.
We will not assume responsibility for fish killed as a result of the customer not being available to accept the delivery on the first attempt. You should be home to accept your package on arrival.
Returns
Due to bio-security concerns, we do not accept returns of live fish under any circumstances.
Canceled Orders
After your order is placed, you may contact us to request that we cancel your order and refund your payment. Orders may not be canceled after the fish have been packaged and the package has left our facility.
When Your Shipment Arrives
If your fish do not appear stressed while in the shipping bag, you can float the bag in your pond or tank water for 20-30 minutes before releasing the fish, in order to equalize the water temperature.
If your fish do appear stressed while in the shipping bag, you should forego floating the bag, and instead move on to introducing the fish into your pond. Signs of stress include gasping for air with the mouth above the water, inability to remain upright, and overall lethargy and sluggishness.
When you are ready to introduce the fish to your pond, open the bag, Fish can be left in the shipping bag temporarily, or the fish and shipping water can be poured into a temporary bucket or container. DO NOT ADD POND WATER TO THE SHIPPING WATER. This can cause an ammonia spike in the water and will risk the health of the fish.
DO NOT POUR ALL OF THE FISH INTO YOUR POND BEFORE CHECKING THAT EACH FISH IS PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR. Koi that have just gone through shipping are stressed and frightened. When first added to your pond, it is typical for fish to seek out a hiding place and to remain there for a few hours or possibly even days. Checking that you have each fish present, before adding the fish to your pond, will help ensure that there is no confusion about supposedly missing fish which may in fact just be hiding and acclimating.
After your fish are added to the pond, they may initially display some unusual behavior. This can include:
- Lying down on the bottom of the pond
- Swimming quickly toward the surface of the water and momentarily poking their mouth above the surface of the water, then darting back down below
- Swimming rapidly around the surface of the water with their mouth protruding above the surface
All of these are normal behaviors seen as a result of the stress involved in the shipping process. Provided that your water parameters are correct, this behavior should subside rather quickly. If your fish continue to act unusually for more than an hour, check the links on our Koi Health page for help diagnosing the problem.
Even if none of this unusual behavior is seen in your new fish, it will still take a considerable time for them to become completely acclimated with their new surroundings. Often it can take a number of days, possibly as long as a week, before new fish begin eating. This is normal, and koi have no problems going a few days without food.
Once your fish begin to eat, they should be fed periodically, depending on your current water temperature. Check out our Fish Food and feed the same food we use!
Couldn’t find the answer to your Purchasing and Shipping question on this page? Contact Us with your question, and receive an answer in less than one business day.