Live fish shipping, explained

Each fish is individually bagged in fresh, oxygenated water with breathing room to spare, then double-bagged for security. Bags go into an insulated polystyrene box inside a sturdy outer carton, cushioned so nothing shifts in transit. Depending on the weather on dispatch day, we add a heat pack (cold months) or a cold/gel pack (hot months) to keep water temperature stable for the whole journey.

Every box is clearly marked LIVE FISH — THIS WAY UP and PRIORITY, and we pack to handle a full day in transit plus a buffer — not packed to the minute.

Orders placed before 12pm AEST on a business day are normally dispatched the same day. Orders placed after 12pm will be dispatched on the next suitable business day. We do not dispatch live fish on Fridays, weekends, public holidays, or when weather or transport conditions could put the fish at risk during transit. We may delay dispatch when temperatures, severe weather, courier conditions or other circumstances could compromise fish welfare. Your fish's safety always comes first.

We currently ship with a specialist live-animal courier (exact carrier confirmed per destination). Most Australian capital cities receive orders next-day; regional and remote addresses can take 2–3 business days. We’ll always confirm an expected delivery day with you before your order ships.

Western Australia: Western Australia requires a valid Translocation Authority before live fish can legally cross the border — it's there to protect WA's unique waterways from pests and disease that don't exist there yet. We can still get fish to you, but we need to confirm your Translocation Authority first, and we won't charge you until that's sorted. Get in touch and we'll walk you through it.

Northern Territory: The Northern Territory requires an import permit before live fish can legally come in — it protects NT's waterways the same way similar rules do elsewhere. We can still get fish to you, but we need to confirm your permit first, and we won't charge you until that's sorted. Get in touch and we'll walk you through it.

Tasmania: Tasmania restricts live fish imports to registered fish dealers under the Inland Fisheries Act 1995 — one of the strictest biosecurity regimes in the country, there to protect Tasmania's waterways from pests and disease. We're not a registered Tasmanian dealer, so we're not able to ship live fish there at this time. It's genuinely about protecting the ecosystem (and being fair to the fish), not red tape for its own sake — sorry we can't help this time.

Live fish can’t be left in a mailbox or on a doorstep, and they can’t sit at a depot for days waiting to be collected — so someone needs to be home to receive and open the box promptly on delivery day. We’ll confirm your delivery day with you in advance by phone or email specifically so you can plan to be there.

If a delivery attempt is missed, the courier will contact us and we’ll work with you directly to arrange a redelivery as soon as possible. Because every extra hour in transit matters for live animals, please let us know straight away if your availability changes after ordering.

We guarantee your fish will arrive alive and healthy. In the unlikely event a fish doesn’t survive the trip, contact us within 4 hours of delivery with a clear photo of the affected fish still in its original bag, and we’ll arrange a replacement or refund for that fish — no argument, no hassle.

The guarantee covers the trip itself, so it depends on the box being opened and checked promptly on arrival — another reason we confirm delivery timing with you beforehand rather than shipping blind.