Shipping, Pick Ups & Returns
Serviced Areas
Dry goods and live fish can be sent Australia-wide. A few state rules apply:
| Location | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| NT | An S11 Permit is required to receive live fish. Permit info here. |
| TAS | A fish dealer's licence is required. Licence info here. |
| WA | Invertebrates and live plants cannot be sent to WA under WA biosecurity laws. Live fish are fine. |
Orders usually arrive overnight for metropolitan areas and within 2–3 nights for regional areas. Delivery timeframes are estimates only, as delays can occur due to courier breakdowns and quarantine checks (WA & TAS customers). A tracking number is provided with every order.
We ship with GoPeople (Sydney metro), StarTrack and Virgin Airlines. During the colder months, a heat pack is included in your box at no extra charge.
If there are events in your area that may affect delivery (weather, holidays, local disruptions), please email us before placing your order and we can arrange to ship around them or hold your order.
We don't have a showroom for browsing, but local pick-up is available by appointment. See Local Pick-Up below for how it works.
Shipping Costs & Free Shipping
Shipping is calculated at checkout from your delivery state and the packed weight of your order.
Free shipping thresholds
| Delivering to | Free shipping on orders over |
|---|---|
| NSW & ACT | $200 |
| VIC | $250 |
| QLD & SA | $300 |
| WA, NT & TAS | Not available, freight is calculated at checkout |
Why the thresholds differ. Freight costs differ by distance. A box to Sydney travels overnight by road; the same box to Perth, Darwin or Tasmania goes by air. Couriers charge us based on multiple factors, from actual weight and cubic weight to distance.
Some remote areas may attract a surcharge; we will contact you before shipping if this applies to your address.
Shipping costs are not refundable.
Shipping Schedule
| Order type | Dispatch days |
|---|---|
| All Livestock | Monday – Wednesday |
| Live fish to WA | Monday only |
| Sydney metro (GoPeople) | Monday – Wednesday, delivered the same day we dispatch |
| Dry goods | Monday – Friday |
Sydney metro same-day: GoPeople orders still follow our Monday – Wednesday shipping schedule. "Same-day" means your fish arrive on the same day we dispatch them, not the day you place your order.
Order cut-off: live fish orders placed after Tuesday 11:59pm AEST will generally ship the following Monday, though we'll get them out sooner if we can.
If you'd prefer a specific dispatch day, just contact us. Otherwise we'll send your order out as soon as possible.
You'll receive an email confirmation when you order and a tracking number when your order ships. If either doesn't arrive, please check your junk/spam folder. Please also double-check the delivery address in your confirmation email and let us know straight away if anything needs correcting.
If your tracking shows no movement, or your box isn't marked as onboard for delivery the day after dispatch, please contact us or the courier promptly so we can chase it up.
Curious how your fish are packed? See our packing and postage guide.
Local Pick-Up
We're online only and don't have a showroom for browsing, but local pick-up from our warehouse is available by appointment.
How it works
- Place your order online through the website as normal.
- Wait for our email to arrange a pick-up date and time, or email us directly at sales@7fishs.com.au if you'd rather sort it yourself.
- We'll confirm a date and time together, along with the warehouse address and access details.
Weekdays only. We're not staffed on weekends, so pick-up appointments are only available Monday to Friday.
Please don't come by without a confirmed appointment, there might be no-one available to attend the door outside a booked time or the order might not be ready for pick up yet.
DOA (Dead on Arrival) Policy
All fish are checked to be healthy before shipping. In the unlikely event a fish arrives deceased, we'll refund the full price of that fish, provided the claim meets the conditions below.
To make a valid DOA claim
- Contact us on the day the fish arrive.
- Claims can be sent by email to sales@7fishs.com.au.
- Provide a short video of the fish still in the unopened bag, recorded in water.
- If an extended DOA period has been agreed, provide a video of the deceased fish in water.
DOA claims cannot be processed without clear video evidence.
The DOA policy is voided if
- The fish were left outside because no one was available to receive them, or left overnight at a post office or courier depot.
- A non-recommended shipping method was chosen (e.g. courier delivery selected where airport-to-airport was recommended).
- Dispatch on a Thursday was requested against our recommendation. Thursday shipments risk fish being held over the weekend and are sent at the customer's own risk.
- An incorrect delivery address was provided at checkout, causing extended transit time.
- The fish died after arrival. Once fish are in your care, they are your responsibility, deaths or disease after arrival are not covered.
Shipping is stressful for fish and proper aftercare, including acclimation, is essential on arrival.
We strictly do not support impulse purchases of live animals. Please have all equipment and preparations ready before purchasing. We reserve the right to refuse a sale if proper care cannot be provided.
Refund Policy
Faulty items: if a non-live item arrives damaged or develops a fault, please contact us as soon as possible with a description and photos of the issue. We'll provide a return label and offer a repair, replacement or refund in accordance with the Australian Consumer Law.
Change of mind: exchanges (not refunds) are available on non-live goods only. The item must be returned in its original packaging with return postage at your cost, and the exchange is processed once we receive it. Postage of the replacement item is also at your cost.
Store credit or a replacement may be issued at Seven Fishes' discretion in place of a refund. All items remain the property of Seven Fishes until paid for in full.
Additional Terms
Fin damage in transit
Long-finned bettas (Halfmoons, Dumbos) and guppies can chew/damage their own tails from shipping stress, and fin damage can occur in transit. This is not covered under the DOA or Refund policies. Fins regrow with good care.
Marble-variety bettas
Grizzle, Marble and Koi bettas carry the "marble" gene, so their colours and patterns can change as they age. We cannot guarantee a fish will keep its photographed colouring for life, and colour change over time after arrival is not covered under any policy.
Order holds
We're happy to hold your order so your fish arrive to a tank that's ready for them. We can hold orders for up to one week; beyond that, held orders are unable to be refunded, so please only place your order when you're close to ready to receive your fish.
Undersize claims
Size claims must show the fish in a wet transport bag against a ruler. Comparisons to other objects, or photos taken at a distance, cannot be accepted. Credit is provided for significant discrepancies (more than 1 cm).