Shipping and Live Arrival Policy

We ship live coral and fish once per week via FedEx or UPS Next Day Air for the fastest, safest delivery.

We currently ship to the continental US only — no Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or PO Boxes at this time.

Weather holds: We may delay shipments during extreme temperatures to protect your livestock. We'd rather hold a shipment a few days than risk animals in dangerous transit conditions. We'll notify you if this affects your order.

• Live livestock: $75 flat rate (Next Day Air)
• Free shipping: on orders $499 and above
• Dry goods: Calculated at checkout (ground shipping)
• Local pickup: Available in Boulder, CO by appointment

We guarantee all livestock will arrive alive when shipped Next Day Air and our enclosed care instructions are followed.

To file a DOA claim:

1. Be present for the first delivery attempt
2. Email us within 2 hours of delivery with clear photos of the livestock still in the unopened bag
3. Send to: ashwin@coralmechanics.com

We'll issue store credit for the item value. Shipping costs are non-refundable.

Please note: We can't cover carrier delays, packages left outside, or incorrect addresses.

Hold at location: We recommend having your package held at your local FedEx or UPS facility for early morning pickup — it's the safest option and avoids packages sitting on a doorstep.

Track your package: You'll receive a tracking number when your order ships. Plan to be available when it arrives.

Our quarantined fish go through a separate 6-8 week protocol before they're available and come with their own health guarantee beyond the standard DOA policy.

What's different:

• Each fish has a full quarantine log documenting every treatment, dosage, and test result
• You receive a progress report card at two stages of the protocol
• A 7-day health guarantee applies (in addition to the live arrival guarantee), provided our acclimation instructions are followed and the fish is introduced to a disease-free system

For the full details on what's covered, how to file a claim, and how our protocol works, see our Quarantine Policy page.

If you run into any issues after your order arrives — even outside the DOA window — please reach out. We genuinely care about every animal we send out and want to help however we can. Whether that's troubleshooting, advice, or a store credit if we're able to make it right, just talk to us.

Questions? Reach out anytime at ashwin@coralmechanics.com. We're always happy to help.