Livestock Shipping FAQ's

FAQ – Livestock shipping & ordering

  1. Will I receive the same fish as in the photographs?
    The simple answer is no; however the picture we use are of the actual fish for sale and not from stock photos. So it may not be the exact one in the picture but it will be very close to it and from the same group. If the sale item is of fry or juvenile fish then we will use the parent fish as the main photo.

 

  1. Can I add tropical fish to my new aquarium straight away?
    We would advise not; we would advise to allow the aquarium to run for at least a week then start to add fish a few at a time so not to over load the aquarium with waste before the filters have a chance to colonise to deal with the waste load of the fish.

 

  1. Can I use tap water to fill my tank?
    Yes if it’s to start a new aquarium; once filled leave to settle for a week and any chlorine will have gassed off by then and if using for water changes use a good quality de-chlorinator to make the tap water safe to use. Also remember that Chlorine can kill off beneficial bacteria in you filters hence the need to use De-chlorinator or stand the water for a minimum of 24 hours before adding your aquarium. If you are planning to keep more specialised fish then we recommend you do your research before to find out what water they require as you may require an RO (reverse osmosis) unit to create soft water; such fish include Discus.

 

  1. Do I really need a quarantine tank?
    We would recommend you Quarantine all fish, shrimp and snail for your own peace of mind and then best thing to use is a separate well established quarantine tank.
  2. How often should I change my water?

It depend of the individual aquarium i.e. quantity of fish stocked plants present, filter system. As a rule of thumb we would recommend a minimum of 10-20% per week.

  1. How often should I feed my fish?
    1-2 time a day and little often is better than one big feed. Aim for enough that they consume it all in 5-10 minutes

 

  1. I have recently setup my tank and now my tropical fish are dying?
    The aquarium hasn’t been cycled enough and the bacteria in the filter can’t deal with the waste load of the aquarium; perform regular (twice daily if needed) water changes, reduce feeding add filter start to help and test water for all parameters to see what is going on
  2. Is there a minimum order?
    There is no minimum order; although, due to the cost of packaging we have to add a £6 surcharge to any orders under £20. Very sorry for this but it can’t be avoided!!

 

  1. What size will my fish be?
    We do our best to give as close of measurement as we can and the measurement we give is as close as we can get without taking the fish of the water!

 

  1. How should I introduce my new fish?
    When your fish arrive, turn off your aquarium light. Inspect your new fish in the bags and float the bag on the tank for a period of about 20 minutes to help equalise the temperatures. Then remove the rubber band and roll the top of the bag down so the bag can float in the aquarium. Add a small amount of your aquarium water to the bag and leave for a further 5 minutes. Repeat this one more time before releasing your fish into a holding container. Then net the fish from the holding contain into the aquarium disposing of the old bag water down the sink. Do expect your new fish to hide a few days!
  2. If I order my fish today will I receive them tomorrow?
    We ideally like to ship fish on Wednesday to arrive with you Thursday but other days day can be arranged (but not Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays) if this doesn’t suit your schedule. Please be aware the all fish deliveries are sent at our own discretion and we will not send if we feel it is unsafe to do so i.e. weather to hot/cold, unforeseen courier strikes, bank holidays, and any issue from our end such as if we have had a power cut in the last 24 hours we will delay posting to avoid added stress to the fish.