Guarantees & Policies

Applies to online orders, from the moment you order until your order is handed to the carrier or to you. Once it has been dispatched, the Arrive Alive Guarantee (section 2) applies instead.

Every animal, coral and plant in your order is checked by hand again on the day it is packed, not only on the day you ordered.

Live stock is unpredictable. Between the moment you place an order and the moment we pack it, an individual animal may:

• die
• be injured, bitten, stung or killed by a tank mate
• stop feeding, or refuse food in the days before travel
• show early signs of illness, parasites or infection
• lose condition, colour or weight
• be damaged during netting, bagging or handling
• be judged by our staff as not settled or not strong enough to travel safely

Corals and invertebrates may bleach, recede, lose tissue, or be damaged in handling. Live plants may melt, rot, or be found carrying pest snails. Reptiles and frogs may go off their food, have shedding trouble, or be injured in their enclosure.

Occasionally an item becomes unavailable for reasons that have nothing to do with the animal's health. It may have sold in store before your order reached the packing bench, a stock count may have been wrong, or a listing may have carried an error.

If any item in your order does not pass our final pre-pack check, it does not travel. We will not send you an animal we would not be happy to buy ourselves.

What Happens Next

• The item is left out and the rest of your order is packed and sent as booked, on the service you paid for.
• We automatically add store credit to your account for the full amount you paid for that item. You don't need to do a thing.
• Then we'll email you to let you know what was left out and why, and to ask what you'd prefer. You can keep the store credit, or we can refund the item to your original payment method. It's entirely your choice. On busy packing days this email may reach you after your order has been dispatched.
• Your store credit never expires. Use it online or in store, whenever it suits you. It can go towards the same animal when it's back in stock, or towards anything else in the shop.
• Refunds are processed within 2 business days of your request. Please allow up to 10 business days for it to appear, as banks and card providers can take extra time.

One Item Does Not Affect the Rest of Your Order

An item being left out does not cancel or refund the rest of your order. Everything else is sent as booked, so your remaining livestock is not held any longer than it needs to be.

Freight

• Shipping is not refunded. The box, the packing and the freight booking are unchanged whether or not every item travels.
• If removing an item drops a dry goods order below our $250 free shipping threshold, we will not charge you freight after the fact.

Substitutes

Where we have a suitable animal of equal value we may offer you a substitute instead. We will only ever do this with your agreement. We will never swap an animal without telling you.

Reptiles and Frogs

Reptiles and frogs remain in our care until your licence and permit documents have been verified, which can take some time. The pre-pack check above is carried out at dispatch, not on the day you order. If the animal cannot travel at that point, this section applies in full and the animal is credited or refunded to you as set out above.

The no-refund provision in our Reptile & Amphibian Purchasing Policy (section 5) applies only where an order is cancelled because the purchaser is not licensed or has not supplied valid documentation. It does not apply where we are the ones unable to supply the animal.

What This Section Does Not Cover

This section covers stock condition and availability up to the point your order leaves us. Once your order has been dispatched, the Arrive Alive Guarantee (section 2) applies instead. No compensation beyond store credit or a refund of the price paid for the item left out is offered under this section.

This section applies until your order is handed to you or to the carrier. For orders collected in store, the Live Fish Stock Policy (section 3) applies from the time of collection.

This section applies to all online orders, for live fish, corals, invertebrates, live plants, reptiles and frogs, and to dry goods found to be unavailable after ordering.

Applies to livestock purchased online and shipped by air freight. For in-store purchases, see the Live Fish Stock Policy (section 3). For anything that happens before your order is dispatched, see Pre-Dispatch Stock Condition and Availability (section 1).

At Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium, we're committed to supplying healthy, high-quality livestock. Every shipment is packed with care using professional-grade materials and proven handling procedures to minimise stress during transit. Despite best practice in packing and transport, shipping live aquatic animals can occasionally result in losses, particularly with delicate species. In the unlikely event this happens, we offer our Arrive Alive Guarantee on eligible livestock shipments.

Dead on Arrival (DOA)

Eligibility

• DOA coverage applies only to livestock shipped via air freight.
• No DOA guarantee on livestock shipped via Australia Post / Star Track.
• No DOA guarantee on livestock shipped via road freight.

How to Make a DOA Claim

• Take clear photos or video of the deceased livestock in the sealed, unopened inner bag.
• If double-bagged, you may remove the outer bag, but the inner bag must stay sealed.
• Take individual photos or video of each animal once unbagged, where applicable.
• Submit your claim by email or text message only – claims via Facebook Messenger or phone can't be accepted.
• Notify us within 4 hours of receiving your order; supporting photos and videos must also be submitted within that 4-hour window. Claims outside this timeframe may not be accepted.

Each claim must include: your name, order number, approximate time received, number of bags affected, quantity of livestock DOA, photos/videos of livestock in sealed bags, and individual photos/videos once unbagged (where applicable).

If Your DOA Claim Is Approved

• Store credit or replacement of the same item (subject to availability).
• Replacement shipping is covered only if more than 50% of your order arrives DOA.
• Shipping charges and fees are non-refundable.

Death After Arrival (DAA)

• DAA coverage applies only to air freight shipments (not road freight).
• Coverage extends up to 12 hours after airport pickup.
• Proof: clear photos or video, submitted within 24 hours of delivery. Livestock must have been properly acclimated. Claims won't be accepted without clear visual evidence.
• A water test may be required; photos of results must show the current date and meet our water-quality standards (pH appropriate for the livestock purchased).

DAA Exclusions

DAA claims won't be accepted for specimens showing physical trauma, torn fins, scratches or bite marks. Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium is not responsible for: disease outbreaks within an aquarium; parasites or pathogens introduced after arrival; compatibility or aggression between tank inhabitants; losses from improper acclimation or unsuitable aquarium conditions; or deaths after the covered timeframe.

Keeping Your Cover Valid

• Be present at the airport (for pickup) or at home (for delivery) and collect your order promptly.
• Livestock left unattended, returned to a depot, or significantly delayed in collection may void cover.
• We can only ship to a valid residential or business address – not PO boxes or third-party addresses.

Applies to in-store purchases, and to online orders from the time you collect them. For livestock shipped to you, see the Arrive Alive Guarantee (section 2).

We strive to supply hobbyists with the best-quality livestock available. For this reason, we offer all in-store customers a limited 48-hour guarantee on all fish, invertebrate and live plant purchases.

Conditions & Requirements

To make a claim, you must:

• Present your original store receipt.
• Present the specimen.
• Provide a separate 100ml sample of your aquarium water that does not contain the livestock.

How the 48-Hour Guarantee Is Counted

• The purchase date is Day 1 (0–24 hours); Day 2 is 24–48 hours. Anything after 48 hours falls outside our policy.
• For orders placed online and collected in store, Day 1 begins at the time of collection, not the date of purchase. Up until collection, Pre-Dispatch Stock Condition and Availability (section 1) applies instead.
• We must be notified of any losses within this period. If you can't return the purchase in time, call 07 3888 5052 or email sales@nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au.

If Your Claim Is Approved

A replacement or refund will be issued for the purchase.

Conditions of the Guarantee

• Purchases must be taken home promptly; losses due to delays void the guarantee.
• All animals must be acclimated properly, according to NAOT procedure (please ask our team for a copy).
• Replacements cannot be made for specimens showing signs of physical trauma, such as torn fins, scratches or bite marks.
• We reserve the right to exclude any items from this guarantee at any time.

Water Sample Standards

Your water sample must show your aquarium meets Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium water standards:

• pH – specific to the livestock purchased (see an associate for details).
• Ammonia – 0 ppm.
• Nitrite – 0 ppm.
• Nitrate – 40 ppm (fish) / 20 ppm (inverts).
• Salinity – specific to the livestock purchased (see an associate for details).

Our Recommendation

We strongly recommend the use of a quarantine tank to protect both your new selection and your established aquarium. Quarantining new fish greatly reduces the risk of introducing parasites or disease into your existing tank.

Liability

Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever for deaths, conditions, disease or compatibility issues arising in relation to the supply of livestock after 48 hours of sale. We provide general information and referrals to resources that may assist in the management and introduction of new livestock.

At Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium, the health and welfare of our reptiles are our highest priority. All animals are assessed prior to sale and confirmed to be eating, drinking and behaving normally. This policy sets out our health guarantee, requirements and conditions regarding any post-purchase health concerns.

The 7-Day Health Guarantee

Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium provides a 7-day health guarantee covering major health issues proven to have been present prior to sale. To qualify:

• A full veterinary examination and detailed written veterinary report must be obtained within 7 days of purchase.
• The buyer is responsible for all veterinary consultation and report costs.

We will only provide compensation, refund or replacement if:

• the health issue is verified in writing by a qualified veterinarian as pre-existing prior to sale;
• the issue is considered major (not minor, environmental, stress-related or husbandry-related); and
• the condition is confirmed to have originated before the animal left our care.

If the veterinarian cannot clearly determine when the issue arose, or if the condition is considered environmental, stress-related or husbandry-related, the guarantee does not apply.

Where a major pre-existing health issue is confirmed, Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium will either provide a full refund, or offer a replacement animal of equal value (a replacement may be delayed where a contagious condition is involved).

Veterinary Report Requirements

To be considered valid, the veterinary report must include:

• date of consultation;
• species, age (if known) and identifying features of the reptile;
• clinical findings;
• diagnostic tests performed;
• professional assessment of the likely onset and cause of the issue; and
• confirmation of whether the condition is likely pre-existing or developed after purchase.

Failure to provide a complete and detailed veterinary report may result in the claim being declined.

Viral Disease & Respiratory Infection Disclosure

Viral Disease Testing

For transparency, none of our reptiles undergo prior testing for viral diseases, including but not limited to Nidovirus, Sunshine Virus, Adenovirus (ADV), Inclusion Body Disease (IBD), Atadenovirus and other reptile viral pathogens.

Reptile viral diseases may be introduced from various sources, including other reptiles, contaminated equipment, environmental exposure, stress-related immune suppression, poor or incorrect husbandry, and individuals who have handled other reptiles. Many viral diseases can be carried without visible symptoms, making the exact point of exposure impossible to determine.

Respiratory Infections

Respiratory infections in reptiles may be viral, bacterial, fungal, environmental (temperature drops, humidity imbalance, poor ventilation, stress) or husbandry-related. Because they can develop rapidly after transport or due to changes in enclosure conditions, respiratory infections cannot automatically be assumed to be pre-existing.

Guarantee Conditions for Viral Diseases & Respiratory Infections

• Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium does not provide refunds, replacements or compensation for reptiles that test positive for viral diseases at any time, including but not limited to IBD, ADV, Nidovirus, Sunshine Virus or any other reptile pathogen.
• Refunds or replacements for respiratory infections will only be considered where a qualified veterinarian explicitly confirms in writing that the infection was severe, viral in nature, and definitively present prior to purchase. Such determinations are considered extremely rare.

Exclusions – Issues Not Covered

This guarantee does not cover conditions caused by:

• incorrect temperatures or humidity;
• improper enclosure setup, substrate or lighting;
• inadequate quarantine procedures;
• stress from transport or excessive handling;
• failure to follow care instructions provided at purchase;
• injuries occurring after the animal leaves the store;
• failure to seek prompt veterinary treatment; or
• mild or early respiratory symptoms arising after purchase.

Environmental or husbandry-related conditions are not considered the responsibility of Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium.

Preferred Veterinary Clinic

For specialist reptile assessment, Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium recommends The Unusual Pet Vets. Customers may choose any qualified reptile veterinarian; however, the use of a reptile specialist is strongly recommended.

Animal Welfare Commitment

Regardless of the situation, the welfare of the animal remains our highest priority. Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium is committed to working respectfully, fairly and responsibly with all customers to achieve the best possible welfare outcome for the reptile.

Acceptance of Policy

By purchasing a reptile from Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium, the buyer acknowledges and agrees to the full terms of this 7-Day Reptile Health Guarantee.

Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium is committed to the responsible, ethical and fully compliant trade of reptiles and amphibians. Due to strict wildlife regulations across Australia, the following terms apply to all live reptile and amphibian transactions.

These conditions are mandatory and non-negotiable.

Legal Eligibility & Licensing

By placing an order for any live reptile or amphibian, the purchaser warrants and confirms that they:

• hold a valid and current licence appropriate for the species being purchased;
• have obtained all required import, movement or interstate permits;
• are legally authorised to keep the species within their state or territory; and
• are fully compliant with all applicable state and federal legislation.

The purchaser accepts sole responsibility for ensuring ongoing compliance with all licensing, permit, transport and species-specific regulatory requirements. Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium relies entirely on the purchaser's representations when accepting an order.

Mandatory Documentation Prior to Dispatch

Following purchase, the purchaser must provide the following via email:

• a clear copy of their current reptile licence; and
• all required import, movement or transport permits.

Orders will not be processed or dispatched until all required documentation has been received, reviewed and verified. Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium reserves the right to decline or cancel any order where documentation is incomplete, invalid, inconsistent, or cannot be satisfactorily verified.

Animal Condition During the Documentation Wait

Because reptiles and frogs remain in our care until your documentation has been verified, this wait can take some time. Every animal is checked by hand again on the day it is packed, not on the day you ordered. If the animal cannot travel at that point, Pre-Dispatch Stock Condition and Availability (section 1) applies in full and the animal is credited or refunded to you.

Regulatory Responsibility

Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium does not:

• apply for licences or permits on behalf of customers;
• provide regulatory advice specific to individual circumstances; or
• accept responsibility for state-based species restrictions.

We accept no liability for delays arising from missing or incorrect documentation, permit refusals, seizure, confiscation or penalties resulting from non-compliance, or any costs, fines or consequences associated with regulatory breaches. Full legal responsibility remains with the purchaser at all times.

Order Cancellation Due to Non-Compliance

If an order cannot proceed because the purchaser does not hold appropriate licensing, fails to provide required permits, or is not legally authorised to keep the species, the order will be cancelled.

• Refunds will not be issued in these circumstances.
• Store credit may be issued at the sole and absolute discretion of Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium.

These provisions apply only where an order cannot proceed because of the purchaser's licensing or documentation. Where we are unable to supply the animal, Pre-Dispatch Stock Condition and Availability (section 1) applies and the animal is credited or refunded to you.

Customers are strongly advised to confirm licensing eligibility and species approval within their state or territory prior to placing an order.

Right of Refusal

Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium reserves the right to refuse the sale of any reptile or amphibian at its discretion, cancel orders where compliance concerns arise, and request additional documentation where required. These measures exist to protect animal welfare, regulatory compliance and the integrity of our business.

Acknowledgement & Agreement

By completing a purchase, the purchaser acknowledges and agrees that they have read and understood these Terms & Conditions, meet all legal and regulatory requirements, and accept full responsibility for lawful ownership and compliance. Failure to comply with these terms may result in cancellation of the order without refund, subject to the paragraph above.

Content coming soon – QLD wildlife licence guidance (who needs a licence, licence classes, how to apply, and links to the QLD Department of Environment, Science & Innovation).

Applies to all online orders, and to livestock paid for in store.

We do not hold orders. Every online order is packed and sent on the next available dispatch day for the service you paid for. We cannot pack to a date you choose, and we cannot delay an order so that it lands on a particular day of the week.

There is one exception. We will consider holding an order if you arrange it with us before you place the order.

How to Arrange a Hold

• Contact us by email or phone before you order, and tell us what you want to buy and when you want it sent.
• We check our tank space and our shipping schedule, and tell you whether we can do it.
• If we can, we confirm the hold in writing, along with any fee, and you then place the order.
• Nothing is held until you have that written confirmation from us.

Why We Work This Way

Livestock arrives with us weekly, and what we order each week is based on what has sold and what tank space is free. An animal on hold sits in a system that is already committed to the next shipment. Holding also means feeding, water changes and daily checks on an animal that has already been paid for, so the space and the labour both carry a real cost to us.

Holding Fees

A holding fee may apply. Where it does, we quote it to you before you place the order, and you decide then whether to go ahead. We will never charge a holding fee you have not agreed to in advance.

Requests Made After You Have Ordered

If you ask us to hold your order, or to send it on a particular day, after the order is placed, we will usually not be able to do it. Your order will be packed and sent on the next available dispatch day, as booked.

Requested Delivery Dates

We do not ship to a requested delivery date on any service. Transit times are estimates set by the carriers, not by us, so we cannot promise your order will arrive on a particular day. We also avoid dispatching livestock where a delay would leave the box sitting in a freight depot over a weekend.

While Your Order Is on Hold

Every animal is still checked by hand on the day it is packed. If an animal on hold does not pass that check, Pre-Dispatch Stock Condition and Availability (section 1) applies in full. The item is left out, its value goes onto your account as store credit, and the rest of your order is sent as booked.

In-Store Purchases

The same rule applies to livestock paid for in store. We do not hold animals unless it was arranged with us at the time of purchase.

Our Right to Decline

We may decline a hold request at any time, before or after agreeing to it, if tank space, animal welfare, a shipment change or the weather makes it unsafe or impractical. If we have taken a holding fee and we are the ones unable to go ahead, that fee is refunded in full.

No Guaranteed Delivery Date or Time

We can tell you the day your order leaves us and the service it travels on. We cannot guarantee the day or the time it arrives. We do not offer delivery on a nominated date, and we cannot accept an order on the condition that it arrives by a particular day.

Every transit time shown on this website, in the delivery estimator, at checkout or in an email from us is an estimate published by the carrier. It is not a promise from them and it is not a promise from us.

Once your parcel is lodged it is in the freight company's hands. Things that can delay it, none of which we control:

• weather, including heat, storms, cyclones, flooding, fog and bushfire
• flight delays and cancellations, and freight bumped to a later aircraft
• a missed sort at a depot, so the parcel misses its connection
• vehicle breakdown, accident, or a driver being short on the run
• road closures, roadworks, detours and regional access problems
• depot backlogs, peak periods, public holidays and industrial action
• an incorrect, incomplete or changed delivery address
• nobody at the address, a failed delivery attempt, or a redirection
• security, biosecurity or quarantine inspection, including entry into Western Australia and Tasmania
• carrier system outages, lost paperwork, and labels that scan wrongly
• anything else outside our reasonable control

How a Delay Affects Your Cover

• Cover is set by the service you chose, not by how long the journey took. Dead on Arrival cover applies only to livestock shipped by air freight. There is no cover on Australia Post or Star Track, and none on road and door to door services. A delay does not create cover on a service that never carried it, and does not extend cover on a service that does. See the Arrive Alive Guarantee (section 2).
• The DOA claim window is 4 hours from when you receive your order, no matter how late it arrives. The Death After Arrival window is 12 hours from airport pickup, with photos or video submitted within 24 hours. A late delivery does not extend either window.
• Cover is void where livestock is left unattended, returned to a depot, or not collected promptly, and that includes a parcel that has run late. If a delay means you cannot be there, contact us and the carrier before delivery is attempted.
• Freight is not refunded because a delivery ran late. Shipping charges and fees are not refundable on any approved claim.
• We are not liable for loss beyond the animals themselves, for example a tank left running, time taken off work, or a missed event.
• A claim about a late delivery is a claim against the carrier. We will help you chase it with your consignment number.

Before We Send

If we can see before we pack that weather or a carrier problem makes travel unsafe, we will not send the animals. We will contact you and send on the next safe dispatch day.

Your Rights

Nothing in this policy limits any right you have under the Australian Consumer Law. This policy sits alongside those rights, not instead of them.

Applies to every coral, anemone and clam sold as WYSIWYG, meaning what you see is what you get, and to every coral photo on this website and on our social media.

Every WYSIWYG coral is photographed here in our store, in our own system, under our own lights. We use an Olympus TG-7 camera through a 20K coral lens, under Red Sea ReefLED lighting running full blue. That setup is standard across the coral trade because it makes the fluorescent pigments in a coral show clearly in a photograph. It is also the reason the same coral will not look identical in your tank.

What Changes the Colour You See at Home

• your light, its brand, its spectrum, its intensity, and how high it sits above the water
• your blue to white ratio, since more white light washes fluorescence out of both a photo and the eye
• your glass, your water clarity, and the depth the coral sits at
• your phone or camera, and whether it is shooting through an orange coral filter
• time, because a coral shifts colour over days and weeks as it settles into your light and your water chemistry

What We Guarantee

The coral you receive is the exact coral in the photograph. We photograph the animal you are buying. We never photograph one coral and send another.

What We Do Not Guarantee

We do not guarantee that a coral will look the same under your lighting as it does under ours, or that it will hold the colour it arrived with. A coral looking different in your tank is not a fault and is not grounds for a claim. The Arrive Alive Guarantee (section 2) and the in-store 48 hour guarantee in the Live Fish Stock Policy (section 3) cover an animal that arrives dead or dies. They do not cover colour, colour change, or a photograph looking brighter than your tank.

The full explanation, with worked examples, is in our guide Why Your Coral Might Look Different at Home.

Applies to everything that is not a live animal or a live plant: equipment, food, salt, test kits, tanks, lighting, hardscape and consumables.

• Check your parcel when it arrives. Do not throw the packaging out.
• Damage in transit must be reported within 24 hours of delivery, by email to sales@nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au, with your order number, photos of the damaged item, and photos of the outer carton it travelled in.
• Keep all packaging until the claim is settled. Carriers can require it before they will pay a damage claim.
• Where a claim is accepted we will arrange a replacement, a repair or a refund in line with our Refund Policy.
• A late or missed delivery is a claim against the carrier. Our position on delivery timing is set out in section 7.

This section does not apply to anything alive. For live fish, corals, invertebrates, plants, reptiles and frogs, see the Arrive Alive Guarantee (section 2) instead.

The rest of our published policies and guides sit on their own pages.

• Refund Policy
• Shipping Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service
• Shipping & Delivery, the full guide
• Acclimation Guide
• Contact Us

Nothing in these policies limits any right you have under the Australian Consumer Law. They sit alongside those rights, not instead of them.

Applies to all online orders.

If you realise you've forgotten something after placing an order, you don't need to contact us first. As long as your original order hasn't been dispatched yet, you can place a second order for the extra item any time up until 6am the day after your original order was placed. We'll automatically combine it with your first order and waive the shipping on the second one.

If your original order has already been dispatched, or the 6am cutoff has passed, the new order will be charged shipping as normal, since it will need to travel separately.