Shipping & Live Animal Policy

At YoCamron's Aquatics, every living animal we ship is packed with care and backed by a clear guarantee. Please read this policy in full before placing an order. By purchasing livestock from us, you agree to the terms below.

Shipping Methods

We offer two shipping options for all orders:

UPS Overnight Express — The only shipping method covered by our live arrival guarantee. If your livestock is alive when it leaves us, we guarantee it arrives alive when shipped overnight through UPS.
USPS Budget Shipping (2–5 Business Days) — A lower-cost option for customers on a budget. Live arrival is not guaranteed on USPS shipments. By choosing USPS, you accept full responsibility for any losses during transit. We still pack with the same care, but delays outside our control are common with budget shipping and we cannot be held liable.

Any shipping method other than UPS Overnight is not covered by our live arrival guarantee.

Heat & Cold Packs

When temperatures require it, we include heat or cold packs to protect your animals during transit. There is an additional charge of $6.00 for heat or cold pack inclusion. This will be noted at checkout or communicated before your order ships.

Live Arrival Guarantee — Shipped Orders

We offer a 100% money-back guarantee on livestock that arrives dead when shipped via UPS Overnight Express only. To be eligible, you must meet all of the following requirements:

Your order must have been shipped UPS Overnight.
You must contact us within 60 minutes of your package being delivered. Check your tracking and be ready — the clock starts at the confirmed delivery time, not when you open the box.
You must provide a video showing the sealed, unopened bag as it arrived, then open it on camera and place the animal on a white paper towel so its condition is clearly visible.

Claims without video evidence, or submitted more than 60 minutes after confirmed delivery, will not be eligible for a refund. Contact us immediately through our contact page or call (475) 370-0950 with your order number and video.

Carrier Delays & Damaged Shipments

If your shipment was delayed or damaged by UPS during transit, we will file a claim with UPS on your behalf. Refunds in these cases may take up to 3 weeks to process while we await the carrier's claim resolution. We will keep you updated throughout the process and appreciate your patience.

In-Store Purchase Guarantee

Customers purchasing livestock in store are eligible for a 48-hour guarantee, subject to the following condition:

You must bring in a water sample from your tank prior to purchase for us to test. This ensures your water parameters are suitable for the animal before it leaves our care.
If a water sample is not provided before purchase, the 48-hour guarantee does not apply.

This policy exists to protect both you and the animal. Parameters that are off — even slightly — can cause livestock to decline quickly after being introduced to a new tank.

Premium & Service Customer Guarantee

Customers enrolled in our Premium or Service plans receive a 2-month guarantee on all quarantined livestock purchased through YoCamron's Aquatics. Quarantined livestock has been held and observed by us prior to sale, giving you added confidence in the health of your animals. Contact us if you have questions about our Premium and Service offerings.

Dry Goods Returns

All dry goods (equipment, supplements, accessories, and non-living products) may be returned under the following conditions:

Items must be unopened and in original packaging.
Returns must be initiated within 7 days of purchase.
Opened items cannot be returned.

If your dry goods arrive with a manufacturer defect, we will assist you in getting a replacement or resolution directly through the manufacturer. Contact us with photos or documentation of the defect and we will handle it from there.

Order Cancellations & Refunds

We reserve the right to cancel any order, in whole or in part, at any time and for any reason. Reasons may include pricing or listing errors, suspected fraud, livestock availability, or an order shipping to a state or locality where the species purchased is illegal to keep, own, or import — for example, axolotls in Maine, and other species restricted by certain states. It is the customer's responsibility to know and follow the laws of their state and locality for any species they order; if we identify a species that is restricted for your delivery location, we will cancel that item rather than ship it.

When we cancel an order or item, you receive a 100% refund of the amount paid for the canceled item(s) to your original form of payment. This store-initiated cancellation right is separate from our Live Arrival Guarantee (which governs animals that arrive deceased or distressed) — a cancellation is always refunded in full to your original payment method. If you cancel an order at your own request, it is refunded as store credit, less a 5% restocking fee, rather than to your original payment method.

What Is Not Covered

Livestock shipped on any method other than UPS Overnight.
DOA claims submitted more than 60 minutes after confirmed delivery.
Claims without the required video evidence.
Animals that arrived alive but declined due to improper acclimation, water parameters, or tank conditions after delivery.
In-store purchases where no water sample was provided prior to purchase.
Losses due to missed or refused delivery.
Opened dry goods returns.

Be Home for Delivery

Live animals cannot sit in a box. Please track your UPS shipment and be present at the time of delivery. YoCamron's Aquatics is not responsible for losses caused by animals left unattended for extended periods after confirmed delivery.

Temperature & Weather Policy

We take temperature seriously. Shipping live animals in unsafe conditions puts them at risk and voids any guarantee. Our shipping temperature rules are as follows:

We do not ship if the ambient temperature is below 45°F or above 82°F at either the origin or destination.
We do not ship during large temperature fluctuations within a 24-hour window. Sudden swings in temperature during transit are just as dangerous to livestock as extreme heat or cold, and we will hold shipments when unstable conditions are forecast.
Cool water species (coldwater fish, certain amphibians, etc.) may be shipped at any temperature below 75°F.

If your order falls within a weather hold, we will notify you and hold your shipment until conditions are within the safe range. No additional charges apply for weather holds. We will never ship an animal we believe will not survive transit.