Live Fish/Coral Shipment Policy

Live Fish & Coral Shipping Policy

At Pisces Pet Emporium, we take great care in selecting, inspecting, and packaging our aquatic livestock to help ensure they arrive safely at their destination. By placing an order for live fish or coral, customers acknowledge and agree to the following shipping policies, subject to applicable consumer protection laws.

1. Shipping Locations & Availability

Pisces Pet Emporium offers live fish and coral shipping across Canada to eligible destinations using UPS priority shipping services.

  • Live livestock shipments are available to qualifying physical addresses across Canada.

  • Delivery typically takes 1–2 business days, depending on the destination and available courier services.

  • Certain fish species and sensitive livestock may be restricted to overnight delivery only.

  • Remote or rural destinations may not qualify for live livestock shipping due to extended transit times or courier limitations.

  • We do not ship live livestock to P.O. Boxes.

  • Pisces Pet Emporium reserves the right to decline shipments to destinations where safe transportation cannot reasonably be assured.

2. Shipping Schedule

Live fish and coral orders are shipped Monday through Thursday, subject to courier availability, weather conditions, and livestock health.

  • Orders require a minimum of 24 hours' advance notice before the selected shipping date. We usually ship Monday or Tuesday of each week.

  • Pisces Pet Emporium may adjust shipping dates when necessary to protect livestock safety.

Shipping dates are not guaranteed and may be changed due to circumstances beyond our control.

3. Weather Conditions & Shipping Delays

The health and safety of our livestock is our highest priority.

Live fish and coral shipments may be delayed or rescheduled due to extreme temperatures, severe weather, courier disruptions, or other circumstances beyond our control.

As a general guideline, shipments may be held when temperatures fall below -1°C or exceed 30°C in Calgary, at the destination, or along the shipping route.

Additional restrictions may apply depending on the species being shipped.

Pisces Pet Emporium reserves the right to postpone shipments until suitable conditions are available. Customers will be contacted if their scheduled shipping date must be changed.

Once a shipment has been transferred to UPS, transportation and delivery timelines are managed by the courier. Although we carefully select appropriate shipping services, unforeseen delays may occur.

4. Minimum Order & Shipping Charges

  • The minimum live livestock order is $100 CAD before taxes and shipping.

  • Live fish and coral must be purchased separately from dry goods and other non-livestock products.

  • Shipping charges for live shipments are determined by the destination, selected shipping service, and packaging requirements.

  • Larger orders may require additional insulated boxes or packaging, resulting in additional shipping charges.

  • Shipping costs are calculated at checkout.

5. Livestock Packaging

All live fish and coral are inspected and carefully packaged by our aquatic staff before shipping.

Packaging may include insulated shipping boxes, oxygen-filled bags, appropriate coral containers, protective materials, and temperature-control packs when required.

Packaging methods are determined by livestock type, weather conditions, and expected transit time.

Pisces Pet Emporium reserves the right to determine the safest packaging method for each shipment.

6. Delivery Requirements & Customer Responsibilities

Customers are responsible for ensuring that someone is available to receive their shipment upon delivery.

  • A valid physical delivery address, email address, and phone number must be provided at checkout.

  • A signature is required upon delivery where supported by UPS.

  • Customers must monitor their tracking information and be available when the shipment arrives.

  • Live livestock shipments must not be intentionally left unattended.

  • Approved UPS pickup locations may be permitted if the location accepts live aquatic livestock. Customers must collect these shipments on the day of arrival.

  • Customers are responsible for providing accurate and complete delivery information.

Missed deliveries, incorrect addresses, failure to collect shipments, or unattended deliveries are excluded from our voluntary Live Arrival Guarantee, subject to applicable consumer protection laws.

7. Live Arrival Guarantee (DOA Policy)

Pisces Pet Emporium offers a voluntary Live Arrival Guarantee on eligible live fish and coral orders.

To qualify for a Dead on Arrival (DOA) claim, the following conditions must be met:

Reporting Deadline

All DOA claims must be submitted within 2 hours of the official UPS delivery timestamp.

Required Documentation

Customers must provide:

  1. A clear photograph of the affected livestock inside its original, unopened shipping bag or container.

  2. A clear photograph of the affected livestock.

  3. The order number and a description of the issue.

Claims must be submitted to ecom@piscespets.com within the reporting window.

8. Live Arrival Guarantee Exclusions

The voluntary Live Arrival Guarantee does not cover:

  • Missed, refused, or unattended deliveries.

  • Failure to collect a shipment from an approved UPS pickup location on the day of arrival.

  • Incorrect or incomplete shipping information provided by the customer.

  • Livestock mortality occurring after delivery and acclimation.

  • Losses resulting from improper acclimation, aquarium conditions, or handling after delivery.

  • Claims submitted outside the 2-hour reporting window.

  • Claims without the required photographic documentation.

Unusual circumstances may be reviewed individually at the discretion of Pisces Pet Emporium.

These exclusions apply to our voluntary guarantee and do not limit any rights or remedies available under applicable law.

9. Acclimation & Livestock Care

Customers are responsible for providing a suitable, established aquarium environment before ordering live fish or coral.

Upon arrival:

  • Receive and unpack livestock promptly.

  • Inspect all bags or containers before opening.

  • Follow the acclimation instructions provided with the shipment.

  • Ensure appropriate water parameters, temperature, and compatibility with existing aquarium inhabitants.

  • Avoid unnecessary delays in transferring livestock to a suitable aquarium.

The Live Arrival Guarantee applies to the condition of eligible livestock upon arrival only and does not extend to mortality or deterioration following acclimation.

10. Order Changes & Cancellations

Live livestock orders are prepared specifically for the scheduled shipping date.

  • Customers may cancel an order for a full refund before livestock preparation begins.

  • Once livestock preparation has started, cancellations may no longer be accepted under our voluntary cancellation policy.

  • Shipping date changes cannot be requested after checkout.

  • Items cannot be added to or removed from an existing order after checkout.

  • Additional livestock must be purchased through a separate order.

Pisces Pet Emporium reserves the right to reschedule orders due to weather, livestock health, courier availability, or other safety concerns.

Any refunds or cancellations required by applicable law will be honoured.

11. Livestock Availability & Substitutions

All livestock is subject to availability and a final health inspection before shipment.

Pisces Pet Emporium will not knowingly ship livestock that appears unfit for transportation.

If an animal becomes unavailable or is deemed unsuitable for shipping, we will contact the customer to arrange an appropriate resolution.

We do not automatically substitute livestock without customer approval.

Photographs of fish and coral may be representative. Natural variations in colour, pattern, size, and appearance should be expected.

Requests for specific colours, sizes, or sexes may be included in order notes but cannot be guaranteed.

12. Holiday Shipping Restrictions

Live livestock shipments may be temporarily suspended during major holidays, periods of heavy courier traffic, or anticipated shipping disruptions.

Holiday Shipping Schedule

  • Last scheduled shipping day: December 14

  • Shipping suspension: December 15 – January 4

  • Planned shipping resumption: January 5

Additional holiday restrictions may apply throughout the year.

13. Contact Information

For questions regarding livestock shipping, delivery eligibility, or DOA claims, please contact:

Pisces Pet Emporium

4921 Skyline Way NE
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Email: ecom@piscespets.com

Website: www.piscespets.com

Important Notice: Live fish and coral are sensitive to transportation conditions. While Pisces Pet Emporium takes extensive precautions when preparing shipments, transportation carries inherent risks. We reserve the right to postpone or decline shipments when conditions are unsuitable for safe transport.

Our shipping policies and voluntary Live Arrival Guarantee do not override any applicable consumer protection rights.