Ordering Live Saltwater Fish During the Holiday Season

It's that time of year again! We know nothing is merrier than some new family members during the holidays.

As the weather gets cold and the holidays approach, there are several things that you should know about ordering live fish during this time of year.

Rest assured, with 30 years of experience shipping live saltwater fish and all the tricks that come with that, the team packing your order is bar-none, the best in the business. 

Shipping in Cold Weather

We ship using insulated, multi-layered boxes with multiple heat packs rated for up to 40 hours of full power heat generation. We check the weather both in transit, and at the destination, for every single package we ship, and take that into consideration with how we pack.

We can confidently ship in temperatures as cold as 15-20F if we are shipping to metro areas (will deliver before noon). We will let you know if conditions will prevent us from guaranteeing the safe and healthy delivery of your livestock.

NOTE: If you live in a rural area and temperatures are below freezing, we kindly ask that you have your packages held for pickup at a UPS Access Point. Rural deliveries often spend an additional 4-8 hours in the back of the freezing metal truck, which is a considerable amount of time exposed to the cold. We unfortunately cannot guarantee your livestock if you choose to have them shipped to your door under these conditions.

Increased Risk of Shipping Delays

There's no sugarcoating it--there is a higher risk of shipping delay when ordering close to the holidays. Carriers handle 4x their normal volume during this time of year, and mother nature plays a greater role in suddenly causing delays.

While we pack all orders with delays in mind, it is more important than ever to opt-in for Delay Protection for your peace of mind.

We've got it handled.

As always, healthy delivery of your livestock is our top priority. A huge part of our job this time of year is watching out for delays, packing extra carefully, and taking care of our customers, and we are geared up for it! 

We simply ask for your patience as our team does everything possible to ensure success while shipping under these conditions. 

Your livestock will be in the best hands with our team here at Reef Beauties.