Mail Order Tropical Fish – Terms & Conditions

Before you place an order with Wildwoods, please consider the following:

Many of our fishes are rare or may have very specific requirements, please do not order fish unless you are certain that you are able to look after them correctly and house them appropriately when they are adult.

Please do not order too many fishes at once and ensure that your aquarium is fully matured before adding new arrivals.

Please ensure that the fishes that you purchase are compatible with each other or with your existing livestock as we are unable to exchange them after purchase. If you have any queries about the suitability of specific fishes for your aquarium, please contact us.

Please contact us before you place orders to ascertain the correct water parameters and feeding requirements for fishes that you are not familiar with.

Wildwoods award winning Fish House has been supplying the UK hobbyist for more than thirty years; we care about our fish and will only supply stock that we believe to be in top condition and fit to travel.

Wildwoods will attempt to correctly identify all species of fish supplied but cannot be held responsible for incorrect identification. Fish sizes given are approximate although we will attempt to be as accurate as possible. Fishes are measured from nose to the tip of the tail. Where requested we will attempt to correctly sex fishes but cannot guarantee this.

At this time Wildwoods only ship freshwater or brackish tropical livestock; not marines.

Packing

Prior to dispatch, your order will be packed in at least two appropriately sized polythene bags with the correct amount of water. The bags will be fully inflated with pure oxygen and secured with rubber bands. Certain aggressive fish such as piranhas may also be packed inside a bite proof container.
Your bags will be packed in polystyrene fish boxes and taped for security. Excess space will be filled with inflated bags to stop movement during travel and aid insulation. During cool periods, we will add a heat pack to stop the temperature falling too low.

All mail ordered tropical fish from Wildwoods will be supplied with a Water Parameter Sheet. This sheet will provide you with details about the water that the fish has been kept in prior to dispatch to aid you with the acclimatisation process when you receive your order.

Large, aggressive or spiny fishes will always be packed individually. Although our delivery is a next day service, all fish are packed to survive a 48 hour journey as a failsafe.

We will attempt to pack all orders in the same box but large shipments or quantities of larger fish may require packing in more than one box. All charges are on a per box basis.

Wildwoods do not charge extra for packing, polystyrene boxes or heatpacks.

Shipping

All livestock from Wildwoods is shipped by APC Overnight. Unless requested, your order will arrive before noon on the day after it is shipped. It is possible, at additional cost, to request a ‘before 9 am’ delivery. Please tell us when placing your order if you wish to take this option.

The standard Wildwoods Mail Order Tropical Fish service is only available to addresses in Mainland Britain excluding the Scottish Highlands.

We may be able to ship to Northern Ireland, The Scottish Highlands or The Isle of Wight for an extra charge – please contact us for further details

You must be available to accept your fish and to sign for delivery

Wildwoods Livestock Guarantee only applies to fish that are delivered at the first attempt.

All costs must be paid in full before fish are despatched. Each box is charged for separately.

The cost for sending one box of fish up to 15Kg in weight is £15

Small Orders of less than £35 (excluding carriage) will incur a £5 surcharge.

Upon Arrival

Your order should reach you in perfect condition although certain species may appear quiet or pale – this is perfectly normal. Do not worry if your fishes appear unwell or torpid, this is often a fish’s natural reaction to the stresses of shipment. As long as you acclimatise your new stock correctly, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Float the bags (still sealed) containing your new arrivals on the surface of your aquarium with the lights off for a period of 20 – 30 minutes to allow the water temperature to stabilise.

When the water temperature has equalised, open the bags and roll the tops back so they are still floating before adding a cup or two of aquarium water. Continue mixing water every few minutes for a further ten minutes, before releasing your new fish by netting them from the bags. You may find it easier to carefully pick them out by hand if they are large or spiny fish. Remove the bags of shipping water for disposal.

It is important that all new fishes are properly covered after arrival as they will often jump and gasp air from the surface as they settle into their new environment.

Do not be surprised if your new fishes hide away for the first day or two; this is perfectly normal. Don’t worry if they aren’t interested in food straight away either. If you have any queries about your order, please contact Wildwoods for advice.

Guarantee

Whilst every effort will be made to ship healthy fishes in the best possible condition, there are occasions when something goes wrong. For this reason, Wildwoods Mail Order Tropical Fish service carries a 24 hour guarantee.

All claims for dead fish must be made by telephone within 24 hours of signing for the delivery.

Any guarantee claims must be supported by a digital photograph of the casualty and we may also ask you to post back the dead fish, please do not dispose of them until we ask you to. Dead fish can be kept in a small sealed plastic bag in a freezer.

No guarantee will be offered on any fishes that are not signed for at the first attempted delivery.

Any fish loss that qualifies for our guarantee will be replaced or refunded at our discretion.

Guarantees extend only to the value of the livestock and do not include the cost of shipping.

Certain species are considered delicate and will only be shipped at the ‘buyers risk’ and with no guarantee. Buyers will be made aware of a fish’s guarantee status prior to purchase.