SHIPPING AND DOA POLICY
Your fish will be fasted for at least two days before shipping to minimize water pollution inside of the bag during transit.
The delivery time you choose according to your shipping method is TRANSIT TIME ONLY, the time it will take once it leaves our store to your door. Example: USPS Priority Mail 2-3 days. It is 48-72 hours from when you receive your tracking number. NOT FROM WHEN YOU PLACE YOUR ORDER. Please keep that in mind, it can take up to 10 days from when you place your order to ship out. Due to delayed importation and fasting to ensure the health of the fish.
- Our shipping days are Monday-Thursday for Next Day shipping with UPS
- Shipping days are Monday-Wednesday for USPS Priority, FEDEX AND UPS.
Shipping Responsibility
- Once your order leaves our store, it is in the hands of the shipping carrier.
- We are not responsible for shipping delays
- We cannot issue refunds or credits due to carrier delays, weather, or mishandling
- We do everything we can to ensure healthy, safely shipped animals. However, shipping can be stressful, and rare losses may occur.
DOA coverage:
- You must send a clear photo of the fish in the unopened bag
- Photo must be submitted within 3 hours of delivery time
- If confirmed DOA, you will receive store credit only
- We cannot offer replacements or refunds. Store credit may be used toward future purchases.
---Acclimation---
- Turn off aquarium lights.
- Place the sealed bag in your aquarium to float for 30–40 minutes.
- This matches the water temperature slowly so the fish doesn’t get stressed.
- Open the bag carefully.
- FOR GOLDFISH Add the fish into the tank immediately (ammonia spikes once bag is opened)
- FOR ALL ELSE Add a small amount of tank water into the bag every 5 minutes for about 20–30 minutes
- This allows your fish to adjust to differences in pH, hardness, and chemistry.
- Use a net to move the fish from the bag into your aquarium.
- Do not pour bag water into your tank, as transport water can contain waste and ammonia.
- Leave lights off for a few hours to reduce stress.
- Monitor your fish for normal behavior.
- Avoid feeding for the first 12–24 hours, as new arrivals are often stressed.
We use the following Shipping Service Providers USPS, UPS, FEDEX AND Southwest Cargo. The shipping cost is based on the total weight, amount of items, and location.
You may choose any day Tuesday thru Friday 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
You will receive a confirmation email on the afternoon that your box is shipped. A tracking number will be available in the email.
REFUNDS
There is always a slight chance that a fish from your order will not be shipped due to health concerns. We will remove the item and send a refund to complete the order.
We do not send replacement fish in place of a fish that cannot be shipped (unless agreed upon first). We do not send replacements for fish that are DOA.
Coast Gem USA will issue a credit towards your next purchase for the purchase amount of product that is DOA. This credit is for the product only and does not cover shipping or packaging costs.
RETURNS
Due to bio-security concerns, we do not accept returns of live fish under any circumstances.
CANCELED ORDERS
Orders must be canceled within 12 hours of the original order to receive a full refund. After the 12 hour period has passed, ALL SALES ARE FINAL. Any refunds may be charged a 30% restocking fee to offset non-refundable service charges and holding a fish that might otherwise have been sold to someone else. Full credit will be given to be used towards future purchases. Refunds may take up to one week to be issued.