Angelfish Gardens

Angelfish from Angelfish Gardens are shipped in a small amount of water that has been treated with an ammonia neutralizing product, electrolytes and slime coat protector, and a mild sedative. I use Breathing Bags™ from Novalek-Kordon®, which are made of a material that allows oxygen to pass through the walls of the bag into the water while allowing carbon dioxide to pass out of the bag, maintaining an environment in which fish can live for weeks, not days or hours as is the case with traditional non-porous bags. I've tested these bags with young angelfish, and after five days they were just as alert and perky as they were when I first sealed them into the bags. The ammonia measurement after 5 days was nearly zero. I encourage you to take a few minutes to read more about Breathing Bags™ at the Novalek-Kordon® web site.

Each young angelfish is packed in an individual bag of water, about the size of a tennis ball, with no air space. These small packs greatly reduce the weight and size of the shipping container, saving transportation costs. The small quantity of water provides greater exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide through the walls of the Breathing Bags; the closer the gills are to the wall of the bag, the better the "breathability." The shipping box is lined with one inch Styrofoam® and a leak proof liner, also breathable. The rigid Styrofoam adds thermal insulation and strength to the outer cardboard box. Finally, foam packing peanuts fill any empty spaces and stabilize the fish bags. Oxygen and CO2 pass easily through Styrofoam, paper, and cardboard. With no airspace in the bags, the fish do not "slosh" about as their box is handled by shipping employees. With only one fish per bag, "sloshing" stress is minimized, as well as injuries from slamming into the sides of the bag or fighting among frightened bag mates. A heat pack is included in the package if weather conditions dictate. I may, at my option, delay shipping your order during extremely cold weather. I ship Monday and Tuesday only for UPS. UPS doesn't deliver on Saturday or Sunday in many areas. If your package is, for some unexpected reason, delayed, the extra day will not cause your package to get stuck for another 24 - 48 hours in a warehouse or truck during a holiday or weekend.

( See Guidelines for acclimation with Breathing Bags )

Please place your order at least 48 hours before expected shipping date so that I will have time to prepare your angelfish by fasting them for 48 hours prior to shipping. This will greatly reduce fish waste in the shipping water.

Live Arrival Plus Five is guaranteed. In the unlikely event that you receive one or more dead fish, please notify me by email immediately. If any of your fish die within 5 days of delivery, as determined by the shipper's delivery time stamp and the time stamp on the email you send to notify me. I will replace your fish or refund your money, your choice, and you will be responsible for any shipping fees for the replacement fish. You must follow the Angelfish Gardens acclimation procedures, and if you are concerned that one or more of your fish appears sick, notify me immediately via email for instructions. Please include your water test results for pH, Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates along with the size of your tank, a list of other species in the tank, and water temperature. Do not dispose of dead fish. I will need to see them before I replace them. If I ask you to return the dead fish to me, let them dry out, sprinkle salt on them and return them to Angelfish Gardens in an ordinary first class envelope. This procedure may be skipped if you send me a clear photo showing the dead fish with the tail completely cut off at the caudal peduncle, or base of tail via email or snail mail at the address I will provide for you. The Five day guarantee will apply only to the original order of fish. If your fish die a second time, then either you or Angelfish Gardens has a serious problem and further replacements will most likely be an exercise in futility.