Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
WHEN CAN I EXPECT MY ORDER TO ARRIVE?
We ship fish, snails, plants and active filters Monday through Wednesday each week. Delays in getting these orders shipped can happen with these sensitive items sue to weather, holidays or heavy order levels. We generally arrange shipping dates with the customer on weekends.
Other products are shipped Monday through Friday. Transit time will depend on the carrier and service level you select. Many mistake Priority Mail as a guaranteed service. It is not and we find that priority can take much longer than estimated on a high percentage of orders.
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CAN I ORDER FISH AND PRODUCTS TOGETHER SO I CAN SAVE ON SHIPPING?
Sorry, but we don't ship fish and products together. First, it would usually cost more, since the fish are being shipped by overnight rates, additional weight or box size (dimensional weight charges), would add greatly to the cost, making it more expensive - sometimes a lot more. Second, we don't want to compromise the safety of the fish in any way. Many products would not ship well with fish. Besides, the hatchery is not in the same location as the warehouse, so it would be very inconvenient when it comes to packaging everything together. Our shopping cart will allow you to add them to the same order, but the shipping is figured based on two packages. One for the fish by Overnight services, and one for the product at the least expensive rate for that package.
CAN I PICK UP MY FISH AT YOUR LOCATION?
For those who want to pickup an order at our location, there is an order pickup fee of $20.00. The pickup fee is applied towards the order total if you order at least $100. The fee has to be paid in advance and is not applied to the order if you don't show up at the appointment time. Sorry for the strict rules, but most people do not show up, much less be on time, so these conditions are necessary. Pay Pickup Fee
DO YOU ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL ORDERS?
No, we can only ship to U.S. locations. Orders can be picked up at any UPS location if you can get to the States.
WHEN WILL YOU HAVE A BREEDING PAIR AVAILABLE?
Unfortunately, this is not something we can predict. We do not sell them until they are proven fertile with a good hatch rate and produce fry that swim vigorously. As soon as we see this, we post them as available. Before that, we don't know how close they might be to being "proven", or if they'll ever be good. We announce all new pairs (along with other fish becoming available) on Facebook, so if you follow us there, you will see the post in your feed.
YOU ARE OUT OF STOCK ON THE FISH I WANT. CAN YOU PUT ME ON A WAITING LIST OR NOTIFY ME WHEN THEY ARE READY?
Sorry, this is far too time consuming, so we do not keep waiting lists or notify people when something is back in stock.
DO YOU HAVE RED KOI?
No, we do not. Our koi are orange. Some of the best adults can develop a reddish hue to the orange, but they are still not red. So, what about all the other people advertising red koi? Well, all we can say is that we think you'll be disappointed if you are expecting red-colored fish to arrive. Keep in mind that photography can fool you in regards to color. It is very easy to make a fish look like you want on the internet. You can read about this issue in more detail here.
WHAT TANK SIZE CAN YOUR SPONGE FILTERS HANDLE?
Filters are designed to handle bio-load, not a particular tank size. Although companies tend to rate their filters to tank size, this is not accurate. Filters are capable of containing a certain number of nitrifying bacteria that will consume a particular volume of ammonia and nitrites. A certain sized bio-load in a small tank will require approximately the same filtration as the same bio-load in a large tank. However, since the tank walls and other items also contain nitrifying bacteria, the same bio-load in a smaller tank will require a slightly larger filter size than the large tank.
To rate our filters, try to compare the volume of sponge used and the density of the sponge compared to other filters. Our opinion is that bio-filtration is typically not a limiting factor in most tanks. It is more important to get a filter with a good design. The best filters are made with waterproof reticulated foam and designed to get the sponge close to the bottom of the tank, which will improve water movement to the filter and gas exchange at the surface. When raising fry, you also need a filter that small fry will not get trapped under. Our sponge filters handle this combination of factors better than any other, in our opinion. It's easy enough to add more if you think you need them.
MY FISH WILL NOT EAT. WHAT IS WRONG?
First, it's very important to determine why it isn't eating. Stress can come from many sources that might cause them to stop feeding. It may simply be frightened. Are there any symptoms other than not eating? If the fish swims normally, looks normal and acts normal, then it's not likely a bacterial infection or an external parasite. It could have an internal parasite such as a nematode, flagellate or another parasite. It could also be recovering from the stress of transportation or many other possible issues.
Unless you have a microscope and the knowledge to identify the possible parasites, then the best course of action is to see if changing simple things might help - like turning off the light, covering the sides, making sure the bottoms and tank sides are dark, reducing current, adding more hiding places, etc. If nothing else seems to work, then maybe it's a parasite (this would not be the case if you recently got the fish from us). A heat treatment might be the next choice if you are sure it's a parasite. Caution: do not use heat if the fish is bloated, fins are clamped, has a thick slime coat, has ragged fins or red streaks in the body/fins. The heat helps with parasite problems, but is harmful if bacteria, fungus or viruses are the issues.
Raise the temperature over a period of 24 hrs to 95-96° F. Hold it there for 7-10 days. Make sure aeration is good. When feeding, offer only one bite to each fish. It's very important to not offer more, even if they eat the bite. If they don't eat it within 2 minutes, remove the uneaten food. If you do not, then expect to fail. Food left in water of this temperature will spoil very quickly and will likely turn the fish off to that particular food forever. If the fish does eat the bite, then repeat this procedure every few hours for the next 2 days. After that, slightly increase the amount of food offered each day until it is eating normally. After 10 days, slowly lower the temperature over 24 hours.
I DON'T HAVE AN EXTRA TANK TO QUARANTINE THE NEW FISH. WILL THEY BE OKAY IF I ADD THEM TO MY EXISTING TANK WHEN THEY ARRIVE?
They probably will be fine, but it's somewhat risky to skip the quarantine procedure. They will be stressed from shipping. This stree will make them more vulnerable to all kinds of problems when you first receive them. First, there may be pathogens in your tank that the existing fish are immune to, but the stressed fish will not be. Second, existing fish may have territories they want to protect and can pick on the new arrivals, who won't even know where the hiding spots might be. Another important factor is the food you will be putting in for your existing fish. The new arrivals should not be fed for around 48 hours and then only very lightly for the first week. You have no way to control this if they are mixed in with fish you are feeding normally. Quarantine for at least 30 days is highly recommended for the long term health of your new fish.