FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why was my order cancelled?

If your order comes through and our system marks it as a high risk of fraud, the order will be cancelled and refunded immediately.

  • How do I apply my store credit to my cart balance for checkout?
Upon going to our website:
  1. please click SIGN IN in the upper right hand corner of the page. Login to the account. 
  2. Once logged in, you can either click the STORE CREDIT panel that runs along the right hand side of the page, or you can click the small white square that says "You have $__" in the upper right hand corner.
  3. Once you click either of these options, you can use the slider to apply however much of the store credit you wish to add to your cart balance. Then click the CHECKOUT bar that is below the sliding scale.
  4. From there, you can checkout as usual.
  • How do I acclimate my new marine life?

Below are a few suggestions to help you properly acclimate the Fish and Invertebrates in your shipment. It is not necessary to follow these instructions for Hard or Soft corals.

  1. Upon receiving your shipment, analyze all bags. If anything is in rough shape or Dead on Arrival (DOA), please take photos of the items in their original packaging. Also take photos of the box & shipping label. Send all photos to jfox@mysaltwaterfishstore.com along with your order number. We will need these photos to honor our guarantee. You can find our guarantee here: https://mysaltwaterfishstore.com/pages/guarantee
  2. Test the pH levels of the water your fish arrive in.
  3. Place newly arrived marine life and their water into acclimation buckets or anything that will hold water. Do not mix non-compatible species in the same holding container. Do not overcrowd your holding container. *DO NOT ACCLIMATE INVERTEBRATES IN THE SAME HOLDING CONTAINER AS FISH. Invertebrates cannot tolerate the medicine that our fish are treated with*
  4. Slowly begin a drip acclimation. Airline tubing works best for drip acclimation. You will slowly drip your aquarium (or quarantine tank) water into your holding containers. The drip should be no faster than a slow stream. Your drip acclimation should last 30 minutes to an hour or more. No less than 30 minutes. You should add air stones to your holding containers to keep oxygen levels up and to help raise pH. Keep stressed fish in a floating basket at the top of the holding container where oxygen levels are higher. *During step 4 you can remove 1-2 cups of water from the holding container every 5-10 minutes to reduce water waste*
  5. After about 30 minutes, test the holding container’s pH levels to see where you are in your acclimation process. You should not introduce your new fish to your tank until the holding container pH and your tank’s pH have been matched.
  6. Delicately remove fish from your acclimation containers and place in low light aquariums- the darker the better (to reduce stress). Use small containers to move fish from your holding containers to their new tank. Try not to expose fish to air whenever possible.
  • My area is experiencing bad weather. Can you ship to me?

Please send us an email to update us on the weather in your area. If the bad weather potentially causes a delay in the delivery of your shipment, we will hold off on shipping. When the weather permits safe travels for the marine life, we will ship.

  • I have preferences for my order. How should I let you know?

If you have any preferences (ex. shipping date/ delivery date, color or size of marine life, etc.) for your order, please leave us a note in the comments section at checkout. We will do our best to accommodate your requests.

  •  What days do you ship?

We ship Monday - Thursday every week via UPS Priority Overnight Air. This means your order is scheduled to arrive the morning after we ship. Not necessarily the morning after you place your order. Orders will be delivered Tuesday - Friday. We do not offer a weekend delivery option.

Please keep in mind that we do not ship during major holidays, UPS closures, or hurricanes. 

  • There were issues upon arrival. How do I move forward?

Should there be any issues upon arrival (ex. Livestock is Dead on Arrival, Missing shipment, Missing item, etc.), send us an email (jfox@mysaltwaterfishstore.com) immediately to inform us of the issue. Please take photos while the fish are still in their original packaging. Make sure the photos are in focus and easy to see the specimen. We will do our best to make things right! You can review our Arrive Alive Guarantee HERE. 

 

If you purchased a Route Protection Plan at checkout, you can file a claim (with photos) HERE.

  • I'm in the area and would like to do a Local Pickup to save on shipping.

Please send us an email (jfox@mysaltwaterfishstore.com) letting us know a few days ahead of time that you are in/ coming to the area. We will need to schedule an appointment for a contactless curbside pickup. 

  • I live in Hawaii, do you ship to my area?

Yes, we can ship to Hawaii! However, please be aware that we are unable to ship to your area without an import permit. If you do not have one, you will need to acquire one from your local Dept. of Agriculture. If you already have your permit, please email a copy to us at jfox@mysaltwaterfishstore.com so that we can include it with your shipment.

  • I live in Puerto Rico, do you ship to my area?

Yes, we can ship to Puerto Rico! Checkout as usual. UPS Overnight Shipping may end up taking and extra day or so to be delivered.

  • I live in Alaska, do you ship to my area?

Yes, we can ship to Alaska! Checkout as usual. UPS Overnight Shipping may end up taking an extra day or so to be delivered. 

  • I live in the Virgin Islands, do you ship to my area?

Unfortunately, we are unable to ship to the Virgin Islands at this time. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. We appreciate your interest in our products!

  • I live outside of the United States, do you ship to my area?

Unfortunately, we do not ship outside of the United States at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience. We appreciate your interest in our products!

  • I own a fish store, how do I set up a wholesale account?

Thank you for your interest in our wholesale products! Please send us an email (jfox@mysaltwaterfishstore.com) with copies of your business licenses & resale certificates. If we are able to confirm you are a legitimate fish store, we will move forward in creating your account with us. Looking forward to doing business with you!

  • What does WYSIWYG stand for?

WYSIWYG stands for "What you see is what you get". Meaning that the photo on the listing is the photo of the exact specimen you will be receiving. 

 

  • I purchased the Route Protection Plan at checkout. What does this include?

Route offers you "peace of mind" package protection for all of your orders at an affordable price. The cost to you - to fully protect your package in the event that it is lost, damaged, or stolen - is calculated based on the subtotal of the order and the partnership between Route and the merchant. 

Order Issues for damaged orders must be filed within 15 days of the delivery date. Photos are required when submitting your claim.

If you purchased a Route Protection Plan & need to submit a claim for a lost, stolen, or damaged order: click HERE.