📋 Claim Eligibility & Resolution

What This Guarantee Covers

The Live Arrival Guarantee covers live animals and aquatic plants only. Hardscape (rocks, driftwood, cholla, etc.), substrate, food, equipment, dry goods, botanicals, and promotional or free items are not covered under this policy.

Who Can File a Claim

Claims must be submitted from the email address on the original order. We cannot process claims from third parties, gift recipients, or alternate email addresses for verification reasons.

Claim Response Time

Claims are reviewed within 2 business days of submission. If you have not heard from us within that window, please reply to your original email so we can confirm receipt.

Form of Resolution

Approved claims are resolved through one of the following options. Buyers may choose their preferred option, subject to inventory and shipping conditions:

• 1

  Refund to original payment method for the affected animals.

• 2

  Store credit at 150% of the claim value (refund amount plus 50% bonus credit).

• 3

  Reshipment at the buyer's expense for partial losses. Total losses on expedited orders are reshipped at no charge.

Photo Retention

Photos and videos submitted as part of a claim become part of our business records. We retain claim documentation for use in carrier insurance claims, payment processor disputes, and our own quality control records. Submitting a claim constitutes consent to this retention.

One Claim Per Order

Each order is eligible for one claim, submitted in the first communication within the 2-hour window. All losses must be reported in that initial message. Additional losses, supplemental photos, or new claim items reported in follow-up messages after the initial claim are not covered. Once a claim is resolved (refund issued, credit applied, or reshipment sent), the order is closed and cannot be re-opened.

Acclimation Requirement

During the 2-hour claim window, animals must remain in the original shipping bag for photo documentation and inspection. Animals that have been acclimated, drip-acclimated, transferred to a holding container, or added to a tank are no longer eligible for a claim, regardless of when the losses are reported.

What Counts as a Loss

A "loss" means an animal that is confirmed deceased on arrival. Stressed, lethargic, pale, or unresponsive animals are not considered losses. Shipping stress is normal and most animals recover within 24 to 48 hours of arrival in a stable tank. An animal is not a covered loss until it is confirmed deceased, and that confirmation must occur within the 2-hour claim window.

Photo Authenticity

Submitted photos and videos must be of the actual order received and must include the shipping label or invoice in at least one image for verification. Stock photos, edited images, screenshots, or photos from previous orders disqualify the claim. We compare submitted documentation against our packing records.

Order Accuracy at Checkout

It is the buyer's responsibility to verify species, quantity, variant, and shipping address at checkout. Orders are packed exactly as placed. Claims based on buyer-side selection errors (wrong species ordered, wrong quantity selected, wrong variant chosen) are not covered.

Order Modifications After Shipping

Once a shipping label is generated, the order is locked. Address changes, species substitutions, and add-on requests are not possible after label generation and are not grounds for a claim. Please double-check your shipping address and order contents before completing checkout.

Returns

Returns are accepted only with prior written authorization. Contact us at support@superiorshrimpaquatics.com before sending anything back. Unauthorized returns will be refused at the door and treated as a total loss.

All returns are at the buyer's expense, including return shipping, packaging, and any heat or ice packs required for safe transit. Original shipping charges are non-refundable.

Returned items must arrive in the exact same condition they were sent, including all original packaging, with no signs of use, damage, or alteration. Items received in any other condition will not be refunded and may be returned to the buyer at their expense or discarded.

Live Animal Returns

Live animal returns are permitted with prior authorization but are strongly discouraged due to the stress shipping places on animals. If approved:

• The buyer is responsible for safely packing the animals to our standards for live transit, including bags, oxygen, insulation, and seasonal heat or ice packs as conditions require.
• The buyer must select an expedited shipping method. Ground shipping for return livestock will not be accepted.
• The animals must arrive alive and in identical condition to how they were sent. Losses during return shipping are the buyer's responsibility and not eligible for refund.
• Refunds are issued only after the animals have been received, inspected, and confirmed to be in original condition.

Dry Goods Returns

Unused, unopened dry goods (food, equipment, accessories, hardscape, botanicals) may be returned within 14 days of delivery with prior authorization. Items must be in their original, unopened packaging. Used, opened, or damaged items are not eligible for return.

Return shipping is the buyer's responsibility, including packaging the item safely to prevent damage in transit. We recommend using the original shipping box or equivalent protection. Items that arrive damaged, opened, or in any condition other than how they were sent will not be refunded and may be returned at the buyer's expense or discarded.

🐾 About the Animals You're Receiving

Sensitive Species

Certain species are inherently more sensitive to shipping stress than others. Where applicable, individual product pages will note when a species is shipped at heightened risk or carries reduced guarantee coverage. Please review the product page before ordering.

Natural Variation

Live animals are sold as-is and naturally vary from one individual to the next. Color intensity, pattern, size, sex, and temperament can all differ within a single species or even a single morph. Photos on product pages are representative examples, not guarantees of any specific individual's appearance.

Unless a listing specifically states otherwise, all orders are mixed grade. We do our best to select healthy, attractive animals for every order, but we do not grade individuals or guarantee a specific quality tier.

Behavior also varies. Some animals are bold, others are shy. Some hide for days after arrival before becoming visible. None of these variations are grounds for a claim under this guarantee.

What to Expect After Arrival

Shipping is stressful for live animals, even with our best packing. Stressed animals are normal and expected after arrival. Common signs of shipping stress include:

• Washed-out coloration in shrimp, especially Caridina and high-grade Neocaridina. Color typically returns over several days to weeks as the animals settle.
• Lethargy or reduced movement in the hours following acclimation. Most animals become more active within 24 to 48 hours.
• Hiding behavior. Many animals retreat into plants, hardscape, or substrate and may not be visible for days.
• Reduced or no feeding for the first day or two as animals adjust to new water parameters and surroundings.
• Snail dormancy. Snails frequently hibernate or aestivate during shipping and may take several days to become active again.

These are normal post-shipping conditions and are not grounds for a claim. A stable, established tank with appropriate parameters is the single most important factor in helping your new animals recover. Stress-related losses that occur after the 2-hour claim window are not covered by this guarantee.

Hitchhikers & Pest-Free Arrival

Aquatic livestock and plants are live biological products. We quarantine all incoming livestock and inspect orders before packing, but microscopic eggs, snail eggs, and other small hitchhikers can occasionally arrive in any shipment. Pest-free arrival is not guaranteed.

As a general best practice, we recommend quarantining anything entering your established tank.

📦 Once It's In the Carrier's Hands

We pack every order with great care and ship promptly on our scheduled ship day. Once a package leaves our facility, however, it is in the hands of a third-party carrier (USPS or UPS) and is subject to their handling, routing, and timelines. We cannot influence what happens to your package between drop-off and delivery.

First Delivery Attempt Only

The Live Arrival Guarantee applies to the first delivery attempt only. Packages that are redirected, held for pickup beyond the carrier's first attempt, or delayed by carrier issues outside of our control are not covered.

Local Pickup Orders

For local Duluth pickup orders, the order is inspected together at the pickup location at the time of handoff. The guarantee window closes at handoff. Issues identified after the buyer leaves the pickup location are not covered.

For our full shipping practices, including delivery date disclaimers, shipping refund policy, safe temperature ranges for livestock, lost or delayed package procedures, cutoff times, and heat/ice pack requirements, please see our Shipping Info & Practices page.