FAQs

Choose the livestock or products you would like, complete checkout, and select the appropriate shipping or pickup option.

If you are continuing to shop or combining purchases from another Aqua SD sales platform, your order may be held until you are ready to schedule shipment.

Add your items to your cart, proceed to checkout, enter your delivery information, and select your shipping method.

Please double-check your email, phone number, shipping address, and requested delivery information before submitting your order.

The shipping cost is primarily about protecting the livestock, not simply transporting a normal package.

Corals, fish, and marine invertebrates are living animals. We use overnight services whenever possible so the shipment can travel from our facility to your door in roughly a 12-hour transit window.

The cost helps support fast overnight transportation, insulated packaging, temperature control, careful packing, and the shortest reasonable amount of time inside the box.

In other words, the shipping method is selected for the safety of the livestock.

You can purchase or win items during our Whatnot live shows and continue adding items over multiple shows during the allowed hold period.

Shipping is not automatically scheduled simply because an item was purchased. A shipping module or confirmed paid shipping is generally required before we schedule the combined order.

Palmstreet orders may be combined while you continue shopping, subject to the current Aqua SD hold and shipping policies.

Once shipping is paid or your order qualifies for free shipping, we can schedule the livestock for delivery.

Yes. In many cases we can combine purchases from AquaSD.com, Whatnot, and Palmstreet into one shipment.

Please make sure the same customer information is used whenever possible so our team can locate and combine your purchases correctly.

Your eligible purchases are grouped into one shipment so you do not have to pay overnight shipping separately for every livestock purchase.

Once shipping is paid or the applicable free-shipping threshold is reached, we can schedule the combined order.

If you purchased livestock through a live-sale platform and shipping has not already been paid, purchase the appropriate Aqua SD shipping module when you are ready to receive your order.

If you are unsure whether you already paid shipping, contact us before purchasing another module.

Check your order confirmation and previous purchases for a shipping charge or shipping module.

If you are still unsure, contact Aqua SD with your name, email address, platform username, and order numbers and we can verify it for you.

Our standard minimum for a shipped livestock order is $100 in merchandise.

AquaSD.com: Free shipping at $350.

Whatnot: Free shipping at $500.

Palmstreet: Free shipping at $500.

Whatnot + Palmstreet: Free shipping at $500 combined.

Website purchases combined with Whatnot or Palmstreet may qualify at $350 when at least $200 of merchandise was purchased through AquaSD.com.

Yes. We allow customers to hold eligible livestock purchases for a limited period so they can continue shopping and combine items into one shipment.

Hold periods depend on the platform and current Aqua SD policy. Website orders generally have a shorter hold period than live-sale purchases.

Please contact us if you are unsure of the deadline for your specific order.

Orders that remain unshipped beyond the permitted hold period may no longer be guaranteed to remain available.

For certain live-sale purchases, items that remain unshipped beyond the platform hold period may become eligible to be released or reauctioned.

Once your order is complete and shipping has been paid or qualified for free shipping, contact us with your preferred delivery date.

Our team will confirm availability before the shipment is finalized.

Our standard livestock shipping days are Monday through Thursday, depending on carrier service and destination.

Yes. You can request a preferred arrival date and we will do our best to schedule it, subject to livestock readiness, carrier service, weather, and available shipping days.

Saturday delivery may be available in eligible areas for an additional $25 Saturday delivery charge.

Availability depends on the carrier and destination ZIP code.

Tracking information is normally sent electronically after your shipment has been prepared and the carrier label has been created.

Please monitor the tracking closely on the scheduled arrival day.

Carrier delays are outside Aqua SD's direct control and are not covered in the same way as an Aqua SD packing or livestock issue.

Contact us as soon as possible if tracking shows a significant delay so we can help review the shipment.

Someone should be available to receive the package as soon as possible on the scheduled delivery day.

Refused shipments, unattended deliveries, or extended periods outside after delivery can jeopardize the livestock and may void Live Arrival coverage.

We strongly recommend having livestock delivered directly to the approved delivery address.

Carrier holds can add additional time before the livestock reaches you. Extended carrier holds may void Live Arrival coverage.

Yes. Local pickup is available for eligible orders at Aqua SD in San Diego.

Select local pickup when available or contact our team to arrange pickup.

Please wait for confirmation that your order is ready before coming to the store.

Open the package promptly and inspect all livestock immediately.

If you notice a problem, take clear photos before discarding bags, water, livestock, or packaging.

Acclimation requirements vary by coral, fish, and invertebrate.

Match temperature and appropriate water conditions, avoid sudden parameter changes, and place new coral under conservative lighting before gradually increasing intensity.

Take clear photos immediately and contact Aqua SD as soon as possible.

For a DOA claim, photos must be submitted within the required reporting window.

Eligible livestock is covered for live arrival when the shipment and claim comply with Aqua SD's shipping and DOA requirements.

If an eligible animal arrives dead, contact us promptly with the required documentation so our team can review the claim.

DOA claims must be reported with clear photos within 2 hours of delivery.

Please send clear photos showing the affected livestock and enough of the specimen and packaging for our team to identify and evaluate the issue.

Do not discard the livestock or packaging until the claim has been reviewed.

Approved DOA claims are generally resolved through a replacement or Aqua SD store credit.

A cash refund is not automatically provided under the standard Live Arrival Guarantee.

No. Replacement livestock may be provided for an approved claim, but replacement shipping is not included.

Replacement items can often be combined with a future order to avoid purchasing a separate shipment solely for the replacement.

Contact us with your order number and the name of the missing item.

Our team will review the order and determine the appropriate resolution, which may include a replacement, store credit, or another applicable adjustment.

Take a clear photo of the item you received and contact us with your order information.

We will compare it with the original order and help correct the issue.

Contact us as quickly as possible if you need to cancel.

Orders that have already entered packing, shipping, or fulfillment may no longer be eligible for cancellation.

In many cases, yes, as long as the order has not already been finalized for shipment.

Contact us with your order number and the requested change.

Yes. As long as your shipment has not already been finalized, additional purchases can often be combined with the existing order.

Because we work with live animals, rare situations can occur where livestock becomes unavailable before shipment.

If that happens, our team will work with you on an appropriate replacement, credit, or other resolution.

Many corals and marine animals are individually unique. Exact replacements are not always available.

When possible, we will try to provide a similar item of appropriate type and value.

Aqua SD store credit can be used toward eligible future purchases.

Credit may be issued for approved order adjustments, claims, or other customer-service resolutions.

No. Aqua SD store credit does not expire.

If store credit is already associated with your account, use the available credit during checkout when applicable.

If your credit requires manual assistance, contact us before completing your order so we can verify the balance.

For WYSIWYG listings, the photographed specimen is the coral being offered unless the listing specifically states otherwise.

Listings for multiples, multi-head pieces, or representative inventory may vary slightly between individual specimens.

WYSIWYG means “What You See Is What You Get.”

The photographed coral is the individual specimen associated with that listing.

Some listings represent multiple available pieces or coral with multiple heads.

The listing description will indicate the quantity, size, or head count where applicable. Natural differences in shape and coloration can occur between individual specimens.

Clearance items are discounted livestock or products offered at reduced pricing.

Availability is limited and clearance pieces may sell quickly.

Yes. Eligible clearance items can generally be combined with other purchases, subject to the same hold and shipping requirements as the rest of the order.

Contact our customer-service team through the Aqua SD website or your original sales platform.

Providing complete order information helps us locate your purchases faster.

Please include as much of the following information as possible:

Your full name
Email address
Order number(s)
Whatnot or Palmstreet username, if applicable
Photos, when reporting livestock or order issues
A short description of what you need help with

The more information we receive initially, the faster we can review the order.