Plant - Hygrophila Difformis Wisteria

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How to acclimate your fish and shrimp

Fish and Shrimp will be stressed and will not show normal colours right out of the bag from shipping. They will need to acclimate in their new home for several days in stress-free conditions to begin to show true colours

We acclimate fishes or shrimp from shipping to prevent losses due to changing water conditions, it is necessary to carefully acclimate your new fishes and shrimp to their new homes to ensure your success

If your fish were packed in Breathing Bags, do not float the bags in your aquarium or pond.

The Breathing Bags cannot breath in water, only in air. If you have Breathing Bags, there will be no air in the bags and they will have writing on them that says they are Breathing Bags. Non-breathing bags will have air in them that the fish are using to get oxygen. Follow the breathing or non-breathing instructions as needed for your shipment:

Method for Breathing Bags

Do not float the Breathing Bags in the aquarium or pond. The fish will not have sufficient oxygen if the Breathing Bags are floated. Open the bags and pour out 1/3 of the water into a clean bucket. You may use an aquarium net to prevent the fish or shrimp from falling out of the bag. Replace the water removed from the bag with water from your aquarium or pond. After five minutes, repeat the 1/3 volume replacement procedure. After another five minutes, replace 1/3 of the volume again. Finally, after waiting five more minutes, the fishes or shrimp can be moved from the bags to the aquarium or pond.

Method for non- breathing bags

After turning the lights off to reduce stress, Place the fish or shrimp in their plastic bags in the aquarium where they will reside. Allow the bags to float in the tank for about 15 - 30 minutes. If the fish appear distressed, open the bags and roll down the top of the bags so that they are open and floating at the surface. A small portion of tank water may be added to the bags. After 15 - 30 minutes, the fish can be released into the aquarium.

If you need any additional help with acclimating your new fish, just ask. Email us at support@handpickedaquatics.com 

We care about the environment, the animals in our care, the ethical sustainability of our business.

As a small business I have taken the following actions to ensure your purchases to not needlessly add to the global carbon footprint.

• Our location is 100% powered by the Queensland sun
• Water is recycled and reclaimed where practical
• Packaging, where possible, is biodegradable

If you have suggestions on how we could do more, or have ideas on we can further reduce dependence on single use plastics or other packaging product please contact us at support@handpickedaquatics.com 

Shipping rates

Flat rate: $20 Australia-wide

Every livestock including live plants and food orders are shipped express, so your livestock arrives as quickly as possible. Most East Coast orders arrive within 1 to 3 business days.

Where I ship

I ship livestock (fish, shrimp, plants, and live food) to the East Coast of Australia:

• Queensland (QLD), New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC), Australian Capital Territory (ACT), South Australia (SA)

I am unable to ship live fish, plants, and shrimp to WA, NT, or TAS due to biosecurity and state restrictions. If you are in one of these states and are after non-livestock items (essentials, botanicals, accessories), email me at elyza@handpickedaquatics.com and I will sort it out for you.

How I pack your order

Every order is hand-packed by me. Here is what goes into it:

• Each fish and shrimp is individually health-checked before packing
• Livestock is packed in breather bags that maintain oxygen levels during transit
• Insulated packaging with heat or cold packs depending on the season
• Plants are wrapped carefully to prevent damage
• Everything is packed to minimise stress and maximise survival

I don't cut corners, these are living creatures and I want them to arrive healthy and happy.

Weather holds

Because I am shipping live animals, the weather matters. If there is extreme heat or severe weather between my location and yours, I may contact you to hold your order until conditions are safe for shipping. I would rather delay your order by a day or two than risk your animals arriving stressed or worse. I will always keep you updated if this happens.

100% live arrival guarantee

Every order comes with a 100% live arrival guarantee on all fish, plants, and other aquatic life.

In the unfortunate event that something in your order arrives dead or is missing:

1. Take a photo of the animal in the shipping bag (this is important, I need to see the original packaging)
2. Email the photo and your order details to elyza@handpickedaquatics.com
3. Contact me within 24 hours of your order arriving
4. I will arrange a refund or replacement at my discretion

Please note that shipping costs are non-refundable.

Acclimation

How you introduce your new arrivals to your tank is just as important as how they're shipped. I have put together a detailed acclimation guide to give your fish and shrimp the best start:

→ How to acclimate your fish and shrimp

Questions?

Not sure if I can ship to your area, or have questions about how your order will be packed? Just email me at elyza@handpickedaquatics.com, I am happy to help.