Shipping costs
- Orders over $50 — Free shipping NZ-wide on dry goods (equipment, food, supplies).
- Orders under $50 — Shipping calculated at checkout based on size, weight, and destination.
- Live fish & livestock — Shipped separately with special handling. Costs shown at checkout. Free shipping thresholds do not apply to livestock.
- Rural addresses — A rural delivery surcharge may apply, shown at checkout.
Dispatch times
- Dry goods (equipment, food, supplies) — Typically dispatched within 1–2 business days of your order. You will receive tracking by email once dispatched.
- Live fish & livestock — Dispatched Monday to Wednesday only, so your animals never sit in a depot over the weekend. We may hold your order for the next suitable dispatch day — this protects your fish.
- Weekends & public holidays — Orders placed on weekends or public holidays enter the queue on the next business day.
Dispatch times are estimates, not guarantees. Courier delays, weather events, and peak periods can affect delivery times. If there is any delay with a livestock shipment we will contact you before dispatch.
Delivery Timeframes
Estimated from the date of dispatch, in business days:
| Region | Dry Goods | Live Fish |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland | 1–3 business days | Overnight |
| North Island | 2–4 business days | Overnight |
| South Island | 3–6 business days | Overnight — where available |
| Rural addresses | Add 1–3 extra days | Contact us before ordering |
Live Fish Shipping
- Health check & fasting - Fish are health-checked and fasted before travel to keep water quality high in the bag.
- Oxygenated bags & insulated box - Each fish is bagged with oxygen and packed in an insulated polystyrene box with heat or cool packs as the season requires.
- Overnight courier - Dispatched Monday – Wednesday via overnight courier. You receive tracking the evening of dispatch.
- Be home for delivery - Someone must be available to receive the delivery.
- Acclimatise your fish promptly on arrival — never leave the box sitting outside. Our Live Arrival Guarantee requires the box to be opened on the day of delivery.
Tracking & Missed Deliveries
- You will receive a tracking number by email once your order is dispatched. Allow up to 24 hours for it to activate.
- If you miss a dry goods delivery, follow the courier card or tracking instructions for redelivery or pickup.
- For live fish, we strongly recommend being home on the delivery day. Fish left in transit or at a depot are not covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee beyond the day of delivery.
- If tracking has not updated for more than 3 business days, contact us and we will chase it with the courier.
Click & Collect
Prefer to pick up? Choose Click & Collect at checkout and collect from our store, free of charge:
Creature Culture
6/781 Te Atatu Road,
Te Atatū Peninsula,
Opening Hours:
Tuesday: 10 am–5:30 pm
Wednesday: 10 am–5:30 pm
Thursday: 11 am–7 pm
Friday: 10am–5:30pm
Saturday: 10 am–5:30 pm
Sunday: 10 am–5:30 pm
Monday: Closed
*Hours may differ on public holidays.
We will email you when your order is ready to collect — please wait for that confirmation before coming in.