Shipping policy

Shipping Policy

At Fish Hut Aqua, we take great care in packing and shipping every order to help ensure your livestock and products arrive safely. Please read this Shipping Policy carefully before placing your order.

By placing an order with Fish Hut Aqua, you acknowledge and agree to the shipping conditions applicable to your order and delivery location.

Shipping Days

Live fish, shrimp, snails, live plants and other livestock are generally shipped on Mondays and Tuesdays only to minimise the risk of parcels being held in transit over weekends.

Orders containing dry goods only may be dispatched on other business days where possible.

Order cut-off: Saturday at 1:00 PM (AEST/AEDT as applicable).

Orders placed after the cut-off may be dispatched the following shipping week.

Dispatch may also be delayed depending on livestock health, stock availability, weather conditions, public holidays, quarantine requirements and courier network conditions.

The health and welfare of our livestock always takes priority over dispatch speed.

Shipping Methods

Australia Post

Australia Post shipping costs are calculated at checkout.

This service is suitable for most eligible locations; however, delivery times may vary, particularly for regional and remote areas.

Estimated delivery timeframes provided by Australia Post are estimates only. Fish Hut Aqua cannot guarantee courier delivery dates or timeframes.

StarTrack Shipping & Air Freight

StarTrack Shipping and Air Freight may be available for eligible locations and are quoted after your order has been placed.

If you select one of these shipping methods at checkout:

• We will calculate the shipping cost based on your location, order size and available freight service.
• A separate shipping invoice will be emailed to you.
• Your order will only be dispatched once the shipping invoice has been paid.
• These services may not be available to every postcode or for every order.

Western Australia (WA) Orders

Due to Western Australia’s strict biosecurity and quarantine requirements, additional conditions apply to orders being delivered to WA.

What Fish Hut Aqua Ships to WA

Fish Hut Aqua currently ships eligible live fish and eligible dry goods only to Western Australia.

Fish Hut Aqua does not currently ship the following to WA:

• Live aquarium plants
• Shrimp
• Snails
• Other live crustaceans
• Any other livestock or biological material that we determine is unsuitable or ineligible for shipment to WA

This is a Fish Hut Aqua shipping restriction and does not necessarily mean that every product within these categories is legally prohibited from entering Western Australia.

If a WA customer places an order containing an item that we do not ship to WA, the affected item may be cancelled and refunded. Where necessary, we may cancel and refund the entire order.

WA Fish Eligibility

Not every species of fish is eligible to enter Western Australia.

Fish Hut Aqua takes reasonable steps before dispatch to determine whether the fish species ordered can be sent to WA and to comply with applicable biosecurity requirements.

Where required, WA consignments may include information such as:

• Common name
• Scientific name
• Quantity of each species
• Consignor information
• Other information reasonably required for biosecurity inspection

Fish Hut Aqua reserves the right to cancel and refund any livestock that we determine cannot legally or reasonably be sent to Western Australia.

WA Biosecurity Inspections & Fees

Live fish consignments entering Western Australia may be subject to inspection, assessment, quarantine clearance or other action by WA biosecurity authorities.

Biosecurity inspection, assessment, clearance, quarantine or other government fees may be charged in connection with your consignment.

Any such charges are not included in the product price or shipping fee paid to Fish Hut Aqua.

Any biosecurity, quarantine, inspection, assessment, clearance or other government fee charged in connection with a WA consignment is the responsibility of the recipient/customer.

These fees are imposed and determined independently by the relevant government or biosecurity authority and are outside Fish Hut Aqua’s control.

Fish Hut Aqua is not responsible for these charges and will not reimburse, refund or compensate customers for biosecurity inspection, quarantine, clearance or other government charges associated with their consignment.

By placing an order for delivery to Western Australia, you acknowledge and accept the possibility that additional biosecurity or inspection charges may be payable.

If you are not comfortable accepting the possibility of an additional biosecurity, quarantine or inspection fee, please do not place an order for delivery to Western Australia.

Biosecurity requirements and applicable fees may change without notice and are outside Fish Hut Aqua’s control.

Bulky & Heavy Products – Australia Wide

Shipping is generally not available for bulky or heavy products, including but not limited to:

• Aquascaping rocks
• Gravel
• Sand
• Aquasoil and other heavy substrates
• Larger aquariums
• Large or heavy aquarium equipment
• Other products that we consider unsuitable for standard parcel delivery because of their size, weight or risk of damage

These products are generally available for in-store collection or pickup only.

Our website may occasionally allow an order containing a bulky or heavy item to proceed with shipping selected. The availability of a shipping option at checkout does not guarantee that a bulky or heavy product can be shipped.

In some circumstances, Fish Hut Aqua may choose to ship a bulky or heavy product at our discretion, depending on the product, destination, weight, dimensions, packaging requirements and available freight services.

Additional freight charges may apply.

If we determine after an order has been placed that a bulky or heavy item cannot reasonably be shipped, Fish Hut Aqua may cancel and refund the affected product or order.

Where practical, we may contact you to discuss alternative freight arrangements or additional shipping costs before cancelling the item.

This bulky and heavy product policy applies Australia-wide.

Dispatch Delays

Fish Hut Aqua reserves the right to delay dispatch where reasonably necessary, including due to:

• Livestock health or welfare concerns
• Quarantine or biosecurity requirements
• Extreme temperatures or weather conditions
• Courier disruptions or service suspensions
• Public holidays
• Stock availability
• Unexpected supplier delays
• Conditions that may make transport unsafe for livestock

We would rather delay an order than knowingly dispatch livestock when we believe their welfare may be compromised.

Live Animal Shipments

All livestock are packed using methods designed to maximise their safety and survival during transport.

We take considerable care when selecting, preparing and packing livestock for dispatch. However, live animals are sensitive and transporting livestock inherently carries some level of risk.

By purchasing livestock for delivery, you acknowledge the inherent risks associated with transporting live animals.

Any claim relating to livestock arriving deceased must comply with Fish Hut Aqua’s applicable Dead on Arrival (DOA) Policy, including its reporting timeframes and evidence requirements.

Incorrect Shipping Details

Customers are responsible for providing accurate and complete:

• Shipping address
• Contact number
• Email address

Please carefully check these details before completing your order.

Fish Hut Aqua is not responsible for delivery delays, failed deliveries or losses resulting from incorrect or incomplete delivery information supplied by the customer.

PO Boxes & Parcel Collect

PO Boxes and Australia Post Parcel Collect addresses must not be used for live animal shipments.

Please provide a suitable physical delivery address where the livestock can be received promptly.

Providing a PO Box or Parcel Collect address for a live animal shipment may result in any applicable DOA claim being void.

Delivery Responsibility

Customers should monitor their tracking information and, wherever possible, ensure someone is available to receive livestock on the expected delivery day.

Live animals should be collected, unpacked and attended to as soon as possible following delivery.

Fish Hut Aqua is not responsible for livestock deterioration occurring after delivery as a result of circumstances including:

• The parcel being left unattended for an extended period
• Delayed collection by the recipient
• Failure to monitor tracking
• Incorrect acclimation
• Unsuitable aquarium conditions
• Unsuitable water parameters
• Failure to attend to the livestock within a reasonable period after delivery

Shipping Charges

Shipping charges are non-refundable once an order has been dispatched, except where required by applicable Australian consumer law.

Where a replacement shipment is approved, the customer may be required to pay the shipping cost for the replacement unless otherwise agreed by Fish Hut Aqua or required by applicable law.

Courier Delays

Once a parcel has been handed to the courier, the physical transportation and delivery of the parcel are managed by the courier.

Delays may occur due to circumstances including:

• Weather events
• Transport disruptions
• Public holidays
• Regional or remote delivery routes
• Courier network congestion
• Operational delays
• Biosecurity or quarantine inspections
• Events outside Fish Hut Aqua’s reasonable control

Estimated delivery dates are estimates only and Fish Hut Aqua cannot guarantee courier delivery timeframes.

Where a parcel is held by a government biosecurity or quarantine authority, Fish Hut Aqua will provide reasonable assistance where possible, including providing information regarding the contents of the consignment when requested.

However, the timing of an inspection, assessment and release of a consignment is controlled by the relevant authority and is outside Fish Hut Aqua’s control.

Tracking

Tracking information is generally emailed automatically once your order has been dispatched.

Customers purchasing livestock are strongly encouraged to monitor tracking regularly so that the parcel can be received and attended to promptly upon delivery.

If you have not received your tracking email, please check your junk or spam folder before contacting us.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about shipping, livestock eligibility, WA delivery restrictions, bulky products or the most suitable shipping option for your location, please contact us before placing your order.

We are happy to assist wherever possible and want to help ensure your order has the safest and most appropriate journey to you.

nishal@fishutaqua.com.au