Shipping, Returns & Guarantee Policy

Payment

• Payment is required in full when an order is placed.
• Applicable sales tax will be collected at checkout.
• Livestock orders are subject to the shipping, pickup, and holding requirements outlined below.

Livestock Local Pickup

FREE same-day local pickup is available during normal business hours.

Fish, coral, and other livestock purchased for local pickup must be collected within 7 days of purchase, unless prior arrangements have been approved by Lush Corals.

Beginning on the 8th day, a holding fee of $5 per livestock item, per day will apply to every item remaining in our care.

Customers requiring additional time must contact Lush Corals and receive approval before the original seven-day pickup period expires. Extended holds are subject to available space and livestock-care capacity and are not guaranteed.

Orders that remain unclaimed for an extended period without prior arrangements may be considered abandoned, and the livestock may be returned to available inventory.

Any refund or store credit under these circumstances will be at the discretion of Lush Corals and may be reduced by applicable holding fees.

Please wait until you receive confirmation that your order is ready before visiting the store.

Livestock Shipping

All livestock is shipped via FedEx Priority Overnight within the contiguous United States.

Every livestock shipment is professionally prepared using an insulated shipping container, oxygen-filled bags, and temperature-control materials when needed. Packaging is selected based on the livestock, destination, weather, and expected shipping conditions.

During checkout, customers must select their preferred shipping date using our shipping calendar. The selected date is the date the order leaves Lush Corals—not the delivery date. Delivery is generally expected the following day.

Livestock Shipping Rates

Regular Livestock Orders

• Orders under $100: $45 within Florida or $55 nationwide
• Orders of $100–$398.99: $35 within Florida or $45 nationwide
• Orders of $399 or more: FREE Priority Overnight Shipping

Only regularly priced livestock counts toward the $399 FREE Priority Overnight Shipping threshold. Sale and auction livestock do not count toward the $399 minimum.

Dry goods cannot be combined with livestock to reach the livestock shipping thresholds.

Auction Livestock

Auction livestock uses separate flat-rate Priority Overnight shipping:

• Florida Priority Overnight Shipping and Packaging: $40
• Nationwide Priority Overnight Shipping and Packaging: $50

Multiple auction purchases belonging to the same customer may be combined into one shipment when scheduled for the same shipping date.

Customers must purchase or select the applicable auction shipping option as instructed on the auction page. Only one auction shipping and packaging charge is generally required for auction items combined into the same shipment.

Auction purchases do not count toward regular livestock shipping discounts.

Shipping Destinations

We ship livestock only within the contiguous United States.

We do not ship livestock to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or international destinations.

Livestock Shipping Schedule

Available shipping dates are based on the day an order is placed:

• Orders placed Wednesday through Sunday must generally be scheduled to ship the following Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.
• Orders placed Monday may generally be scheduled to ship Tuesday, Wednesday, or the following Monday.
• Orders placed Tuesday may generally be scheduled to ship Wednesday, the following Monday, or the following Tuesday.

Livestock normally ships Monday through Wednesday to reduce the risk of weekend carrier delays.

Thursday shipping may occasionally be available with prior approval from Lush Corals. Because a carrier delay on a Thursday shipment could postpone delivery until Monday, Thursday shipping is offered only at our discretion.

Shipping dates outside the available scheduling window require prior approval. Extended holds are subject to availability and may incur additional holding fees.

All requested shipping dates remain subject to livestock condition, weather, carrier conditions, holidays, and other circumstances that could affect the safety of the shipment.

Lush Corals reserves the right to postpone a shipment if weather, carrier conditions, livestock condition, or another circumstance could place the animals at unnecessary risk.

Livestock Live Arrival Guarantee

We take every reasonable precaution to help ensure livestock arrives safely.

In the unlikely event that livestock is Dead on Arrival (DOA), the following requirements apply.

Reporting a DOA

Customers must:

• Contact Lush Corals within 2 hours of the recorded delivery time.
• Provide at least two clear photographs showing the deceased animal.
• Retain the livestock, shipping container, bags, and all packaging until instructed otherwise.
• Not dispose of the livestock before receiving authorization from Lush Corals.

Failure to follow these requirements may void the Live Arrival Guarantee.

Once an eligible claim is approved, Lush Corals will issue store credit for the purchase price of the affected livestock. Shipping and packaging charges are not refundable.

Guarantee Requirements

To qualify for the Live Arrival Guarantee:

• The first delivery attempt must be successful.
• Someone must be available to receive the shipment promptly.
• The shipment must be delivered to the address submitted with the order.
• The shipment must not be redirected, refused, or held at another location without prior approval.
• Any requested change to the shipping date or delivery address must be approved by Lush Corals before shipment.

The Live Arrival Guarantee does not cover loss resulting from:

• An unsuccessful first delivery attempt
• An incorrect or incomplete delivery address
• A shipment being left unattended after delivery
• An unauthorized delivery change, rerouting, or carrier hold
• Failure to follow acclimation instructions
• Livestock being introduced into unsuitable water conditions
• Aggression from existing aquarium inhabitants
• Equipment failure after delivery
• Circumstances occurring after the livestock has arrived alive

Lush Corals is not responsible for carrier delays caused by weather, mechanical failures, routing errors, service interruptions, or other circumstances beyond our control.

We will work with affected customers and the carrier whenever possible, but resolutions involving carrier delays will be determined individually.

Dry Goods Local Pickup

FREE local pickup is available during normal business hours.

Most in-stock dry goods are ready for pickup within one business day. Products transferred from another location, special ordered, or shipped by a manufacturer may require additional time.

Please wait until you receive confirmation that your order is ready before visiting the store.

Dry Goods Local Pickup

FREE same-day local pickup is available during normal business hours for most in-stock dry goods.

Products transferred from another location, special ordered, or shipped by a manufacturer may require additional time.

Please wait until you receive confirmation that your order is ready before visiting the store.

FREE Overnight Shipping on Eligible Dry Goods

Dry-goods orders containing at least $399 of eligible dry goods qualify for FREE Overnight Shipping.

Only eligible dry goods count toward the $399 dry-goods threshold. Livestock cannot be combined with dry goods to reach this minimum.

Qualifying dry goods will display:

🚀 FREE Overnight Shipping

The qualifying subtotal is calculated after discounts and before taxes and shipping charges.

Sale items, oversized products, freight items, drop-ship products, and merchandise specifically identified as excluded do not count toward the $399 threshold unless expressly stated otherwise.

If an order contains both eligible and excluded dry goods, the eligible dry goods must independently reach the $399 minimum. Additional shipping or freight charges may apply to excluded items.

Standard Ground Shipping

• FREE Ground Shipping is available on most eligible dry-goods orders of $100 or more.
• Only eligible dry goods count toward the $100 ground-shipping minimum.
• Livestock cannot be combined with dry goods to reach the $100 minimum.
• Orders generally ship by UPS Ground unless another available shipping method is selected during checkout.
• Delivery estimates are provided by the carrier and are not guaranteed.
• Oversized, heavy, freight, drop-ship, sale, or otherwise excluded products may not qualify for free ground shipping.

Oversized and Heavy Items

Certain oversized or heavy products do not qualify for free shipping.

Excluded products will be identified with language such as:

Oversized Item – Free Shipping Excluded

Shipping charges will be calculated during checkout whenever possible.

In some cases, Lush Corals may contact the customer after purchase with available shipping options and pricing.

Freight Delivery

Large aquariums, complete aquarium systems, and certain oversized products require freight delivery.

These products may be labeled:

Freight Delivery – Shipping Calculated After Purchase

Unless otherwise stated, freight charges are not collected during checkout. After an order is placed, Lush Corals will contact the customer with available freight options, pricing, and estimated delivery times.

Additional charges may apply for:

• Residential delivery
• Lift-gate service
• Inside delivery
• Limited-access destinations
• Appointment delivery
• Redelivery or storage

Freight delivery does not include assembly, installation, placement inside a home or business, or disposal of packaging unless those services are specifically included in writing.

Drop-Ship Products and Aquariums

Certain products ship directly from the manufacturer or distributor.

Shipping costs, processing times, inventory availability, and delivery schedules vary by manufacturer and destination. Estimated availability displayed on our website does not guarantee manufacturer inventory.

Tracking information may be provided separately after the manufacturer processes and ships the order.

Drop-ship products may arrive separately from other merchandise included in the same order.

Damaged or Missing Shipments

Please inspect every shipment immediately upon delivery.

Shipping damage, missing merchandise, or incorrect merchandise must be reported within 3 days of delivery.

Customers must:

• Retain the product and all original packaging.
• Provide photographs of the product, shipping carton, shipping label, and visible damage.
• Make the product and packaging available for carrier inspection when requested.

Failure to report damage within the required timeframe or retain the original packaging may limit our ability to submit a carrier claim.

Any resolution requested after the reporting period will be at the discretion of Lush Corals.

We will assist with eligible shipping claims whenever possible.

Return Policy

Livestock

All livestock sales are final except as expressly covered by the Livestock Live Arrival Guarantee.

Standard Products

Eligible standard products may be returned within 30 days of purchase.

Returned products must:

• Be new, unused, and unopened
• Include all original packaging, manuals, parts, and accessories
• Be in resalable condition
• Have an approved Return Authorization

Approved returns are subject to:

• A 10% restocking fee
• Customer-paid return shipping
• Deductions for missing, damaged, used, or incomplete merchandise

Original shipping charges are nonrefundable.

Opened, installed, used, special-order, clearance, final-sale, and custom products are not returnable unless defective or otherwise required by law.

In-Store Aquariums

Aquariums purchased in-store may be returned within 5 business days, provided:

• The aquarium has not been used.
• Water has never been added.
• The aquarium and all included components remain in new and resalable condition.
• The customer provides return transportation.

Approved aquarium returns are subject to a 25% restocking fee.

No refund will be issued once:

• The aquarium has been delivered.
• The stand or cabinet has been assembled.
• The aquarium has been installed or filled with water.

Drop-Ship Aquariums and Special Orders

Drop-ship aquariums, custom products, and special-order merchandise are considered final sale once the manufacturer or distributor accepts the order.

Cancellation requests submitted before shipment may be considered individually but are not guaranteed.

Manufacturer cancellation charges, freight expenses, payment-processing costs, and other nonrecoverable expenses may be deducted from any approved refund.

Return Authorization

All returns require a Return Authorization issued by Lush Corals within the applicable return period.

• The Return Authorization number must be clearly visible on the outside of the package.
• Customers may not use Lush Corals shipping accounts for return shipments.
• Returns sent without authorization may be refused.
• Missing parts, manuals, packaging, or accessories may result in a reduced refund or denial of the return.

Approved refunds are generally processed within one week after the returned merchandise has been received and inspected.

Financial institutions may require additional time to post the refund.

Equipment Warranties and Liability

Manufacturer warranties and warranty claims must be handled directly through the manufacturer unless otherwise stated by Lush Corals.

Lush Corals is not responsible for aquarium damage, livestock loss, property damage, or other losses resulting from equipment malfunction, improper installation, misuse, lack of maintenance, power failure, or failure to follow manufacturer instructions.

Pricing, Inventory and Information Accuracy

We strive to keep the pricing, inventory, availability, product descriptions, photographs, and other information on our website accurate and current. However, errors may occasionally occur.

Lush Corals reserves the right to:

• Correct errors, inaccuracies, or omissions
• Update pricing and availability without notice
• Limit purchase quantities
• Verify order and payment information
• Refuse or cancel an order
• Issue a refund when merchandise is unavailable or incorrectly priced

An automated order-confirmation email acknowledges that an order was received but does not constitute final acceptance of the order.

Contact Us

Questions regarding shipping, pickup, returns, or livestock guarantees may be directed to:

📧 info@lushcorals.com

📞 561-620-6000