Refund policy

📦 Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee Policies

Lightning Aquatics World

At Lightning Aquatics World, we are dedicated to offering high-quality freshwater fish, carefully selected and responsibly handled. Our top priority is ensuring each fish arrives in excellent condition to its new home, and that every customer has a safe, smooth experience. Below you'll find our full shipping, live arrival, and customer responsibility policies.

🚚 Shipping Options

All live fish are shipped exclusively via UPS or FedEx, using services designed to prioritize the safe and fast transport of live animals:

  • Express Shipping (Next Day Air®) – arrives in 1 business day (🔹 Recommended)

  • Expedited Shipping (2nd Day Air®) – arrives in 2 business days

While we offer a live arrival guarantee for both methods, we highly recommend Express (Next Day) shipping, as it is the safest option, especially for more delicate species.

📅 Processing & Shipping Days

  • Next Day Shipments are processed and shipped Monday through Thursday.

  • 2-Day Shipments are processed and shipped Monday through Wednesday.

  • Orders placed after cutoff times will ship the following Monday to avoid weekend delays.

❄️ Extreme Weather Conditions

During periods of extreme cold or heat, we may delay or suspend shipments to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the animals.

  • We do not ship if minimum temperatures in Texas (our location) or at the destination are 0°F or below.

  • We may also delay shipments if daytime highs exceed 90°F.

🔔 You will receive an email notification when your shipping label is printed. This will be the day your order ships, and it will include your tracking number.

🛡️ Live Arrival Guarantee (DOA Policy)

We complete hundreds of shipments every week and have an exceptionally high success rate. Still, we understand that shipping live animals carries some risk, and we offer a Live Arrival Guarantee under the following conditions:

Guarantee Conditions:

  1. The order must be shipped using UPS or FedEx, with Next Day or 2nd Day Air service.

  2. The package must be received on the first delivery attempt.

  3. You must contact us within 2 hours of package delivery.

How to Report a DOA (Dead on Arrival):

Send an email to  with the following:

  • Clear photos or videos of the fish inside the sealed bag.

  • Photos or videos of the outer packaging.

  • Your order number.

  • Subject line: DOA #your_order_number

Compensation Options:

If the claim is valid, you may choose one of the following:

  • Full refund for the value of the fish.

  • Replacement (based on availability).

  • Store credit for a future purchase.

We’ll contact you to coordinate the most appropriate solution based on your preferences and our stock availability.

While we honor DOA claims for 2nd Day shipments, we strongly recommend using Next Day shipping for optimal fish health.

📦 Customer Responsibility at Delivery

  • Claims are void if the package is not received on the first delivery attempt.

  • We are not responsible for losses caused by delays due to missed or rescheduled deliveries.

  • We strongly recommend tracking your shipment using the tracking number provided in your shipping confirmation email to ensure someone is available to receive the package.

Shipping Address Accuracy:

  • Customers are responsible for providing a complete and correct shipping address at checkout.

  • We are not responsible for issues caused by incorrect or incomplete addresses.

  • Most orders are processed the night before shipment, giving customers a brief window to request address corrections.
    If you need to make an urgent correction, contact us immediately at:
    📧 info@stormwaveaquatics.com

⚖️ Species Legality & Post-Delivery Responsibility

It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that the species purchased are legal in their state or region.
Lightning Aquatics World is not responsible for:

  • Shipment holds, confiscations, or penalties imposed by federal or state authorities.

  • Losses related to regional restrictions on species.

Once the order is delivered, care of the fish is fully the customer’s responsibility, including but not limited to:

  • Maintaining appropriate water quality.

  • Providing proper nutrition.

  • Ensuring compatibility with tankmates.

  • Creating and maintaining a suitable habitat.

❤️ Thank You for Choosing Lightning Aquatics World

We’re passionate about what we do and honored to be a part of your aquatic experience.
If you have any questions about species, compatibility, or shipping, don’t hesitate to reach out:

📧 info@stormwaveaquatics.com