We here at the House of Cichlids are passionate about what we do - the keeping and breeding of some of the most beautiful and captivating creatures the world has ever known, the African cichlid. Our goal is to share knowledge with beginning and experienced keepers of these fish to promote their safe keeping so far from their home, to bring species into our region that may be hard to find, and to h
elp where we can in the community through education and philanthropy where possible. These living, breathing examples of biodiversity are what make our house their house as well. Shipping Rates and Terms of Service
In order to make delivery of your pets less expensive and more fish friendly, House of Cichlids has implemented the following way we process shipping. Our charges for shipping will be first based on location of the customer, then determined in the best interest of the animal. In an effort to reduce the chance of fish from arriving to you as DOA, the following Terms of Service (ToS) are in effect – All shipping is done via UPS or USPS overnight to ensure safe and healthy arrival of your fish. If you decide on using another delivery service instead, there will be no guarantee of live arrival after 2 days.
**Live Arrival Guarantee - In the instance a fish shows up DOA, pictures of the fish must be taken in the original bags within 2 hours of receipt of package. It is your responsibility to be available (or have someone scheduled to be available) to receive your new pets. Send an e-mail with the photo to [email protected] of the fish that didn't make it to you alive and attach the photo. You will be given in-store credit for a future purchase once this is done. No refunds will be issued on DOA fish or shipping. Credit given for DOAs cannot be used for future shipping charges.**
Contact us any time for a quote on shipping. All that is needed is your address/zip code and the number of fish you are interested in. With this information, we can give an approximate quote for the total of your invoice. When an order is submitted, we will calculate exact shipping costs and send an invoice via PayPal. Once payment is submitted and verified, your fish will be shipped per our ToS. In addition, to ensure the safe arrival of your new pets, we are only going to ship on Mondays and Tuesdays. At this time, we cannot ship outside of the U.S. Shipping Policies
House of Cichlids uses UPS or USPS overnight shipping unless otherwise specified by the customer. 2nd day air and ground shipping are available upon request, but the live arrival guarantee will only apply in cases where the order arrives within 2 days. It is the responsibility of the customer to be home (or have someone else be home) to receive the fish. We do not require a signature at delivery so if no one is there the package will be left at the door by the delivery driver. If this occurs, then the live arrival guarantee is null and void. House of Cichlids is not responsible for delays of the shipment due to inclement weather or acts of God. If there is a delay in shipping due to problems with the shipping company, a claim must be placed with said shipping company. FAQs
Is it safe to ship fish this way? In order to ensure the safe arrival of healthy pets, we use insulated boxes with heat packs in the colder months, 2X3mil bags for larger individual fish, Bag Buddies to provide a more peaceful trip, medical grade oxygen, and hand packaging. Plus, you have nothing to worry about due to our LIVE ARRIVAL GUARANTEE (See above). Why is shipping so expensive? House of Cichlids method of shipping is UPS overnight (unless another shipping method has been opted for). Heavy packages sent overnight are not cheap to send, and there is also the expense of bags, heaters during winter, insulation and Styrofoam, but we make absolutely no money on any form of shipping; what we are charged is exactly what you are charged. When can I expect to receive my fish? Once an order is received and the invoice has been paid we will send your fish according to the Terms of Service. We fast our fish for 48 hours before packing them for delivery; this ensures minimal waste (ammonia) from the fish in the shipping bag ensuring clean (non-toxic) water for the trip. Once the order is sent, we will let you know the approximate arrival date.
