Shipping Policies

  • 🕒 Order Processing Time

    At Elly’s Freshwater Fish, we take great care in preparing your live fish order to ensure safe and healthy delivery. Here's what you can expect:

    • Standard Processing Time: Orders are typically processed within 1–3 business days after payment is received.

    • Live Animal Shipping Days: To prioritize the well-being of our fish, we only ship Monday through Wednesday to avoid weekend delays. ( It depends if overnight or 2 days )

    • Order Cutoff Time: Orders placed after 12 PM (noon) on Wednesdays will be processed and shipped the following week to ensure safe transit.

    ✅ Health & Quality Guarantee

    Before shipping, each fish undergoes a 24-hour observation period to ensure it's healthy and ready for its journey. We carefully pack all live animals using industry-leading methods to maintain optimal temperature, oxygen levels, and minimal stress.

  • We only ship Mondays through Wednesdays every week.

  • 🚚 1. Overnight Shipping (Preferred & Most Common)

    • Carrier: UPS Next Day Air, FedEx Priority Overnight

    • Delivery Time: 1 business day (typically by 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM)

    • Why it's used: Minimizes stress and risk to the fish

    • Best For: All live fish, especially delicate or high-value species

    ✅ Recommended as the default method for live fish shipping.

    🚛 2. 2-Day Shipping (Select Cases Only)

    • Carrier: UPS 2nd Day Air, FedEx 2Day

    • Delivery Time: 2 business days

    • When to use: For hardy species (e.g., guppies, bettas and mollies) and shorter-distance deliveries

    • Risks: Higher DOA (Dead on Arrival) risk; usually not recommended in extreme temperatures

    🔒 Offer with restrictions or waiver acknowledgment.

    🏠 3. Local Delivery or Pickup

    • Delivery Time: Same day or scheduled

    • Who it's for: Customers within your local area (zip code-specific)

    • Benefits: No shipping stress, no box fees, often allows in-person inspection

    📦 Often paired with local fish shops or personal delivery services.

    🌍 4. Air Cargo via Airport-to-Airport

    • Carrier: Southwest Cargo (for larger or bulk orders)

    • Delivery Time: Same-day pickup from airport

    • Best For: Wholesale, large fish, or shipping to remote areas

    💡 Requires customer to pick up from a nearby airport.

  • We cannot ship international.

    Also we do not ship to Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Alaska.

    For stingrays, we do not ship to the following states:

    • Arizona

    • California

    • Florida

    • Georgia

    • Hawaii

    • Mississipi

    • Nevada

    • Oklahoma

    • Texas

    • Utah

    For more questions, please visit the Contact Us page to submit an inquiry form to us.