Big Fish Aquarium
Shipping Policy
Great Livestock. Fast Shipping. No Surprises.
Dry Goods
$5 Flat-Rate Shipping
Free shipping on orders $49+
Includes aquarium supplies, equipment, accessories and other eligible dry goods.
Livestock
$34.95 Flat-Rate Shipping
Free shipping on orders $150+
Fish, coral and eligible invertebrate shipments include insulated packaging, oxygen and temperature-appropriate heat or cold packs.
Frozen Foods
$39.99 Flat-Rate Shipping
Frozen food orders ship with dry ice and thermal packaging to help maintain temperature stability during transit.
Shipping & Logistics
How We Ship Your Order
Big Fish Aquarium currently ships within the continental United States using FedEx. Orders may arrive in multiple shipments depending on product availability and warehouse location.
Live livestock shipments are sent using FedEx Overnight to reduce time in transit and help protect specimen health.
01
Professional Packaging
Live shipments use insulated packaging designed to help protect aquatic livestock throughout transit.
02
Seasonal Temperature Control
Heat or cooling packs may be used based on seasonal conditions and expected transit temperatures.
Weather Protection
Weather Delays
To protect the health and safety of aquatic livestock, Big Fish Aquarium may delay live shipments during extreme temperatures, severe weather or other shipping disruptions.
If your order is affected, you’ll be notified by email with an updated shipping date.
Livestock Information
General Stock & WYSIWYG Livestock
General Stock: Product imagery for general-stock livestock represents the species and may not show the exact individual animal you’ll receive. Natural differences in color, markings, size and appearance should be expected.
AI Imagery: Some product imagery may use generative AI to illustrate the potential appearance of a mature, thriving specimen. These images do not represent the specific individual animal you’ll receive.
WYSIWYG: Customers who want the specific individual shown in the listing should shop our WYSIWYG Collection .
Livestock Protection
Live Arrival Guarantee
We stand behind the health of our livestock and offer a Live Arrival Guarantee on qualifying overnight shipments delivered on time.
To qualify:
- Contact us within 2 hours of delivery at bigfish@bigfishaquarium.com .
- Include clear photos of any DOA livestock while still inside the sealed shipping bag.
- The shipment must be received on the first delivery attempt.
Please note:
- Shipping fees are non-refundable.
- The guarantee is void when delivery is missed on the first attempt.
- The guarantee may be void when appropriate post-delivery acclimation or care standards are not maintained.
Online Inventory & In-Store Availability
General-stock online items may be fulfilled through trusted third-party partner locations. Online inventory is different from the livestock and products currently available in our Chicago store. For local availability, visit Big Fish Aquarium at 6622 W. North Ave., Chicago, IL 60707 or contact the store before your visit.