Livestock first

Shipping & live-arrival guarantee.

Live-animal shipping is different from ordinary ecommerce. Reef Effect prioritizes animal welfare and may adjust a ship date when weather, carrier conditions, or destination temperatures make transit unnecessarily risky.

Live arrival / DOA process

  1. Receive the shipment on the first delivery attempt and bring the package inside promptly.
  2. Inspect livestock before discarding bags, water, or packaging.
  3. If there is an arrival issue, contact Reef Effect promptly with your order number and clear photos or video showing the livestock and bag.
  4. Do not dispose of affected livestock until Reef Effect confirms that documentation is complete.
  5. Approved claims may be resolved by store credit, replacement, or another remedy stated at the time of approval. Shipping charges are generally not credited unless Reef Effect states otherwise.

Weather holds

We may hold an order when origin, hub, or destination weather creates avoidable risk. A short delay is better than gambling with livestock.

Delivery responsibility

Someone should be available to receive livestock. Missed delivery attempts, incorrect addresses, or packages left outside for extended periods can affect claim eligibility.

Acclimation

Follow the acclimation guidance appropriate for the species. Shipping water chemistry can change quickly after a bag is opened.

Before launch: review this policy for your final shipping carrier, service level, claim window, and refund/credit rules. The store’s legal policies should also be completed in Shopify Settings → Policies.