Ordering, Shipping & Company Information

Hours of Operation:

We are an Internet retail operation.  We do have a retail location with weekend hours.  (See our store hours and directions.)  Customers can contact us to arrange pick at other times up by appointment.

 

Emails will be answered mornings and evenings.  We try to answer all emails within 24 hours.  We will post a notification on our web site for times that are closed due to vacation. 

Customer Feedback:
We welcome your comments and look forward to hearing from you.  Please send you comments to us in writing by US mail or email.  See our contact page for the address.

 

How to Place an Order:

We hope you find our site easy to navigate.

 

You should never have the problem of getting lost in the Reef and Tails Online Store, as the navigation bar is always there for you, ready to take you to the section of your choice. The simple category breakdown is visible in the left hand navigation area.  Please let us know if you experience difficulty with our site navigation. 

 

When you find an item you wish to purchase, you simply make a note of the item number and the price.  Upon completion of browsing the website and making your selections, simply complete the order page and include all of your selections in your email order to us.  Or you may email us with the order.  We will send you a confirmation email for the verification of your order and for you to keep for your records.

A few simple clicks is all it should take for you to find what you are looking for, and if we do not have something you seek, simply send us a request.   Most likely we can get it for you. We have done our very best to make our website extremely easy to use, and we are always open to feedback from customers on how to make the total experience an even better one.

 

Accepted Payments:

We accept PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, Money Order, Cashier's Check and Cash (only if picking up the order) as methods of payment.  When using credit cards, just call or email us with the information.  All information is kept confidential and used for order processing only.  See our privacy policy below.

 

Photos and Presentation:

We understand that ordering online is not the same as buying from your local fish store.  This is why we assure you we only ship only healthy specimens from our inventory. When ordering, we guarantee that the item you pick is the item you will receive. All pictures of the livestock are taken by us at our facility.  The color and descriptions are based on our lighting. Coral coloration do appear different under different lighting and tank  conditions.  We cannot guarantee the colors will appear the same as in our tanks.

 

Packing and Shipping:
We go to great lengths to insure that your order arrives alive and undamaged. We have researched the best methods used in this industry and take great pride in packing your order.  All livestock is packed in 3 individual 2 MIL poly bags to ensure that there is no leakage.  Fish are packed with oxygen.  Corals are wrapped to cover sharp edges if necessary.  Some corals are floated on styrofoam to prevent damage in shipment.  We then line your shipping box with a 2 MIL poly box liner.  Heat or cold packs are added depending on the season and location requirements.  Each shipment is packed in a corrugated shipping box with an insulated styrofoam box liner to resist any effect from extreme temperatures.  Please consider weather conditions when requesting shipment.  Although we do add appropriate heat packs in the winter, if the temperature is below freezing, the water could become too cold, resulting in the death of the livestock.  We recommend making shipments when the weather is between 40 and 90 degrees.  Shipping in extreme temperatures or during bad storms will increase the risk of loss and is not recommended.  Live animal inside and This side up stickers are placed on the outside of your box to notify the shipper to take care with the shipment.  A $10.00 fee is charged for all box sizes on all orders. 

 

Shipping couriers do not offer insurance on any perishable items such as live animals, fish or coral and we state that here so you are aware of their policy.

 

We recommend that you have the package shipped to a place where you are available to receive the package upon the first delivery.  If you refuse delivery or do not sign for the package, you bear the risk of loss.  You can have your package held at the shipper’s station for pickup.  Please tell us in your order if you would like us to make these arrangements for your shipment.

 

All of our livestock can be shipped through any shipping company the customer prefers.  Overnight shipping rates are expensive.  It is our policy to charge you the exact cost that we are charged by the shipping company.  We will pass on to you the benefit of any volume shipping pricing that we receive.  If you already have an account with a shipping company, you may use your own account if you wish.  If no preference is given, then we will select the best method of shipment at the lowest cost.  Please tell us if you have a preference at the time of order.  We use various shippers, including USPS Express, UPS, DHL and FedEx.  If you would like Saturday delivery please send us an email stating this. For Saturday deliveries we ship using USPS because there is no extra charge with them.

 

Some areas offer overnight shipping that is titled “end of day” and is inconclusive as to delivery times.  In those cases it may be necessary to deliver to a facility closest to you for you to pickup.  This matter is out of our control and depends on the specific region.  We will notify you in advance of shipping in these cases.

  

Livestock Guarantee:
Reef and Tails will do our very best to assure your livestock arrives to you in the same excellent health it was in when it leaves our facility.  We will not send out any marginal livestock.  It does neither of us any good to send you something on its deathbed.  We value you as a customer and we value our hard earned reputation throughout the Reef Keeping Community.  We will take all precautions to preserve that integrity.  It is our job to ensure that your online experience is a pleasurable one.

 

Due to the nature of the livestock and the nature of the shipping industry, your shipment may encounter unforeseen trouble that is out of our control such as plane malfunctions, weather, or human error.  If your package is damaged please take a photo and have the delivery person mark it on your delivery receipt.  If any of your livestock is dead upon arrival, please notify the shipping company immediately.  Do not dispose of the package or livestock before contacting us.  (Put it in a plastic bag and freeze it.)  The shipping company may request the package.  Please contact us via email within 6 hours of receiving the package and include the photo.  If we find that the damaged livestock is due to the shipping companies fault we will file a claim with the shipping company (please see complete explanation below).   If damaged livestock is found to be our fault we will take care of it in a matter that is satisfactory for the customer.  If you purchased any type of dry good and there is a problem, please contact us for the manufacturer contact information.

Livestock - Ground Shipments:
We will offer one day ground/priority shipping on livestock to destinations in the one day delivery zone. Most areas include Eastern half of PA, NJ, lower NY, most of MD, CT upper VA, and the eastern tip of WV.  If you are unsure if you reside in the one day ground shipping zone please contact us for verification.  If you would like this service please contact us so that we may send you an updated invoice for payment.

 

Acclimation
Please follow the directions below to acclimate your new corals:
Step One: Remove all outer bags and float the inner closed bag in tank or sump for 30 minutes. This will allow the water temperature in bag to equal water temperature in your tank.
Step Two: Carefully empty the contents of the bag into a clean water container. Make sure that your container is small enough so that your specimen will be completely covered with water from bag. Add tank water to this container in small amounts over a one-hour period. A slow drip method is best.  Take your time!
Step Three: Do not add water from the container into your tank. This is always a good practice to avoid unwanted contamination.

Step Four: Add your new animal to your tank.   Acclimate the coral to your lights. Placement is very important. It is best to start them lower and move them up in the tank over time.  Start your new animal no higher than mid tank and in an area of medium current. After three to four days you may place your new animal in its final location. Make sure to research the proper environment for your new animal before arrival.

Damaged Shipments:
Upon receiving your shipment, please inspect the package for any damaged items. We and/or manufacturer must be notified of any damages within 6 hours of delivery. Please see guarantee paragraph above.

 

If your package is damaged please take a photo and have the delivery person mark it on your delivery receipt.  If any of your livestock is dead upon arrival, please notify the shipping company immediately.  Do not dispose of the package or livestock before contacting us.  (Put it in a plastic bag and freeze it.)  The shipping company may request the package.  Please contact us via email within 6 hours of receiving the package and include the photo.

Return Policy:
We do not offer any type of return or refunds on livestock.  Please refer to our guarantee statement above.

 

Defective Merchandise/Warranty Policy:
If you receive a defective item, please notify us within 6 hours of delivery. We will advise you of the procedure of getting your item repaired or replaced.  All manufacturers prefer to deal directly with the customer.  If you are required to return the defective item, please include the original box, all paperwork, and all accessories.

Order Cancellation:
Orders cannot be cancelled after they have been shipped.  Refused orders are subject to a 20% restocking fee, as well as shipping charges and return freight charges.  Orders cannot be refused or cancelled due to shipping delays.

Product Pricing and/or Description changes:
From time to time, manufacturers and/or livestock suppliers change product designs and pricing.  All pricing, pictures, and descriptions on our site are subject to change without notice and we maintain no liability for unintentional errors.

Claims that are filed with shipping companies:
We will notify the customer when a claim has been filed with the shipping company.  When we are notified by the shipping company in regards to if the claim has been accepted or not accepted we will immediately notify the customer.  Shipping companies only refund the sender of the shipment.  If the refund is approved and is submitted to us, we will send replacement livestock.  The customer will receive copies of all documentation no matter if the claim was approved or not.  It is very unlikely for a shipping company to deny a claim if they are found at fault.  If  the claim is denied, we will do our best to work with the customer to satisfy their needs.

 

Privacy Policy:

Contact information, including email address, telephone number, address, etc. which is provided by the customer is used solely for the purposes of Reef and Tails and will be kept confidential.  Financial information, including credit card numbers, expiration dates, billing addresses are used solely to process and bill the customer for their order.  We do not sell this information.

 

CAUTION - Corals and fish can be Toxic, Handle with Care: 

Many corals and fish are known to carry toxins within their tissue and slime.  Corals and fish are from the ocean and we cannot be held responsible for any related allergic reaction or health risk when handling these creatures.  We recommend the use of latex gloves when handling all marine animals.  Fish have spines that can pierce latex gloves.  Handle all marine animals with extreme caution, and keep away from children and pets.  The buyer accepts all risk with the purchase of all marine livestock.