Shipping policy

Shipping Policy — Live Fish & Aquarium Supplies Delivered Australia-Wide

At N8 Aquatics, we ship healthy livestock, plants, and aquarium supplies safely across Australia — expertly packed and backed by our Dead-on-Arrival (DOA) Guarantee. Based in Rockhampton, Queensland, we take the welfare of every fish seriously, so your order arrives exactly as it should.

What We Ship Australia-Wide

  • Live fish & shrimp — packed for safe transit and backed by our DOA Guarantee
  • Aquatic plants
  • Live food — Artemia / brine shrimp (one-time and subscription)
  • Dry goods — filters, pumps, and aquarium accessories

How We Ship Live Fish Safely

Every fish is individually bagged with oxygen, cushioned, and packed in an insulated box with heat packs added as needed for the season. Live orders are sent via express delivery to minimise time in transit, and we dispatch all livestock every Monday, so your fish travel at the start of the week and never sit in a depot over the weekend.

Dead-on-Arrival (DOA) Guarantee

We stand behind the health of every fish we ship. In the rare event a fish arrives deceased, take a clear photo or video of it in the unopened, sealed bag and send it to us within 24 hours of delivery. Once we've received your evidence, we'll arrange a replacement or refund for the affected fish.

Please note our guarantee covers fish that arrive dead — not fish that look stressed, faded, or sluggish on arrival. That's completely normal after express transit; fish almost always recover their colour and activity within a few hours to a few days once acclimated into a calm, stable tank. So don't panic if they look a little rough straight out of the box — give them time to settle in before judging them.

Shipping Rates

Live fish & shrimp

  • Spend $150 or more on fish → free shipping Australia-wide
  • Under $150 → $40 flat-rate live shipping (covers insulated packaging, heat packs, and express transit)

Plants, dry goods & live food

  • Orders under $50 → $10 flat-rate standard shipping
  • Orders $50 and over → free shipping Australia-wide

Artemia Monthly Subscription — free shipping, always included

Delivery Times

  • Live fish & shrimp — express delivery, typically 1–3 business days depending on your location
  • Plants, dry goods & live food — standard delivery, estimated 5–11 business days

Delivery times may vary during peak periods or due to carrier delays outside our control.

Order Processing

Orders are processed within 1–2 business days, and you'll receive a confirmation email with tracking information once your order has been dispatched. As all livestock ships on Mondays, live orders are held until the next available Monday dispatch to keep your fish safe in transit.

Questions?

If you have any questions about shipping or live delivery to your area, email us at n8aquaticsau@gmail.com and we'll be happy to help.