Returns & Refunds

At a glance

  • Dry goods - Change of mind -  7 days from delivery. Unused, unopened, original packaging. Store credit only.
  • Dry goods - Faulty Equipment -Contact us with photos. Repaired or replaced if a fault is confirmed on inspection.
  • Live Arrival Guarantee Livestock guaranteed to arrive alive. Photograph the unopened bag on delivery day and contact us immediately in the case of any issue.

1. Live Arrival Guarantee — Fish & Livestock

Please note we have not launched our live fish shipping at this point - all live fish must be collected in store.

We take great care packing and shipping live animals, and we guarantee your fish will arrive alive. If a fish arrives deceased, we will provide a store credit or replacement for that fish, subject to the conditions below.

To make a claim, all of the following must be met

  • You contact us on the day of delivery — same-day, as soon as you open the box
  • You provide a clear photo of the deceased fish in the original unopened bag
  • Someone was available to receive the delivery on the first delivery attempt
  • The order was delivered to a residential or business address (not left at a depot for later pickup, unless we agreed to that in advance)

What the guarantee provides

  • Store credit or a replacement fish for the affected animal — your choice, subject to availability
  • The guarantee covers the price of the livestock only — shipping costs are not refunded

What the guarantee does not cover

  • Losses reported after the day of delivery
  • Claims without a photo of the fish in the unopened bag
  • Deliveries left unattended, uncollected, or refused
  • Losses after acclimatisation — once fish are introduced to your aquarium, survival depends on your water conditions, tank mates, and husbandry, which are outside our control
  • Losses caused by incorrect acclimatisation, unsuitable water parameters, or incompatible tank mates

 

Why the same-day requirement matters

Fish are perishable and stress-sensitive. The condition of a fish on arrival can only be fairly assessed at the moment of delivery — this is standard practice across the aquarium industry in New Zealand and protects both you and us.

Live animals cannot be returned without prior confirmation from us.

Please get in touch if you wish to return a live animal. We reserve the right to refuse any request for live animal returns for animal welfare and biosecurity reasons, we often cannot accept live fish back once they have left our store, and we cannot accept returns of any livestock for change of mind.

Please choose carefully and ask us for advice before you buy — we're always happy to help you pick suitable fish for your setup.


2. Change of Mind — Equipment & Supplies

For dry goods (equipment, food, water care, and other supplies), we offer a 7-day change of mind window as a voluntary goodwill policy.

Conditions — all must be met

  • You contact us within 7 days of receiving your order
  • The item is unused, unopened, and in its original packaging
  • You have received written approval from us before sending anything back

What you receive

  • Store credit only — change of mind returns do not qualify for a cash refund
  • Return shipping is at your expense
  • Original shipping charges are non-refundable
  • If the item arrives back in a worse condition than described, we may reduce or decline the store credit

Not eligible for change of mind returns

  • Live fish, plants, or any livestock
  • Opened fish food, medications, or water treatment products (for safety and contamination reasons)
  • Used or assembled equipment
  • Items with damaged or missing packaging
  • Items returned without prior written approval
No exceptions after 7 days
We cannot accept change of mind returns after 7 days from delivery. Please inspect your order promptly on arrival.

3. Faulty or damaged equipment

If equipment arrives damaged in transit, develops a fault during normal use, or does not match its description, contact us as soon as possible with clear photos or video.

Transit damage

Take photos before unpacking further and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. Delayed reporting makes transit damage claims difficult to investigate with the courier.

Faults during use

If a genuine manufacturing fault is confirmed after inspection, we will:

  • Cover return shipping for the faulty item
  • Repair or replace the product, depending on the fault
  • Cover shipping back to you once resolved
If no fault is found: return shipping back to you will be at your expense. We will always contact you before taking further action.

4. How to make a return or claim

Do not send anything back without written approval. Unapproved returns may not be processed.

Contact us first
Email or phone us with your order number, the reason, and clear photos or video. For live arrival claims: photo of the fish in the unopened bag, on the day of delivery.

Wait for our response
We will assess your request and reply with a decision and instructions. For live arrival claims we usually resolve same day.

Return the item (dry goods only)
If a physical return is needed, pack the item securely with your order number inside and send it to the address we provide.

Resolution
Once received and inspected, we process the agreed outcome — store credit, replacement, or repair — promptly.

5. Refund processing

Store credit — issued once your return is received and confirmed to meet the conditions, or once a live arrival claim is approved.
Refunds (faulty goods) — where a refund is appropriate, processed to your original payment method within 3–5 business days of approval, plus your banks processing time.
Shipping fees — non-refundable unless the item was delivered faulty, damaged, or incorrect.

6. Contact us

Unsure whether your situation is covered? Get in touch before sending anything back — we will give you a straight answer.

Creature Culture
6/781 Te Atatu Road, Te Atatū Peninsula, Auckland 0610
Phone: 026 650 0013
Or use our contact form