Terms & Conditions

Customer responsibilities

When you order live animals from Nexus Aquatics, you accept the following responsibilities:

• You will provide accurate shipping and contact information. We are not responsible for delays or losses caused by incorrect addresses.
• You will be available to receive the package on the scheduled delivery day or arrange for someone to accept it indoors.
• You will acclimate all animals according to our published arrival protocol before placing them in your display tank.
• You will maintain appropriate water parameters, temperature, lighting, and flow for the species you ordered.
• You will quarantine new fish in a separate system before introducing them to your main display.
• You will research the compatibility, temperament, and care requirements of every species before ordering.
• You understand that keeping live animals involves inherent risk, including disease, aggression, and natural mortality.

Proper acclimation requirement

Our DOA policy and Live Arrival Guarantee require that you follow proper acclimation procedures. Failure to acclimate animals correctly voids your eligibility for replacement or credit if the animal dies after arrival. Proper acclimation includes:

• Floating sealed bags for 15 minutes to equalize temperature.
• Drip acclimation at 2–4 drops per second for 45–60 minutes (or until bag volume has tripled).
• Netting livestock out of the bag — never pouring shipping water into your tank.
• Dimming or turning off tank lights for the first 24 hours to reduce stress.
• For corals: inspecting, dipping, and rinsing before placement.

Water parameter expectations

You are responsible for ensuring your tank is cycled, stable, and within acceptable parameters before adding new animals. We are not liable for losses caused by:

• Ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate spikes in your system.
• Incorrect salinity, pH, or temperature for the species ordered.
• Overstocking, incompatible tank mates, or aggressive behavior from existing livestock.
• Copper, medication, or chemical contamination in your tank.

Risks inherent to keeping live animals

Aquarium keeping is a living hobby. By ordering livestock, you acknowledge and accept the following risks:

• Live animals can carry parasites, bacteria, or viruses that may not be visible at the time of sale.
• Stress from shipping, handling, and environmental change can weaken an animal's immune system and lead to delayed mortality.
• Color, pattern, and polyp extension can vary based on lighting, diet, and stress levels. The photos on our site represent healthy specimens under ideal conditions; your animal may look different as it settles in.
• We do not guarantee long-term survival, growth rate, or breeding success — only that the animal is healthy upon arrival.

Liability limitations

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• Nexus Aquatics' total liability for any order is limited to the purchase price of the items in that order.
• We are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including but not limited to damage to other livestock, equipment, or property in your home.
• We are not liable for losses caused by carrier delays, weather events, power outages, or other circumstances beyond our control.
• Our policies (DOA, Live Arrival Guarantee, Shipping, and Refund) are the exclusive remedies available for any issue with your order.

Order acceptance

We reserve the right to refuse or cancel any order for reasons including but not limited to: suspected fraud, insufficient stock, animal health concerns, extreme weather, or destination restrictions. If we cancel an order, you will receive a full refund to your original payment method.

Accounts and use of your information

When you create an account, place an order, or shop in our store, you agree that Nexus Aquatics LLC may collect, store, and use the information you provide — including your name, email, phone number, addresses, order and purchase history, rewards activity, and any photos or messages you submit — to run our business. This includes processing and shipping orders, customer service, rewards, receipts, order updates, marketing you can opt out of, record keeping, fraud prevention, and meeting legal requirements. We do not sell your personal information. Details are in our Privacy Policy.

You are responsible for keeping your login details private and for all activity on your account. Information you give us must be accurate.

E-gift card termsTérminos de las tarjetas de regalo

• Use online at nexus-aquatics.com or in store for livestock, plants, dry goods, water, services and sales tax.
• Gift cards cannot be used to pay for shipping.
• Non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for cash.
• Non-transferable and cannot be resold.
• Balances cannot be reloaded or added to.
• More than one gift card can be used on an order.
• Refunds on items paid with a gift card go back to the gift card or store credit, never cash.
• Lost or stolen? Contact us: we deactivate the old code and reissue the unspent balance only. Spent amounts cannot be recovered.
• No expiration date and no fees. Treat your code like cash.

Check a gift card balanceConsultar saldo · Buy an e-gift cardComprar una tarjeta de regalo

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Nexus Aquatics LLC, its owners, employees, and partners from any claims, losses, damages, or expenses (including reasonable attorney fees) arising from your use of our products, website, or services, your violation of these terms, or your violation of any law or the rights of another person.

Disputes and governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida. Please contact us first so we can try to resolve any problem informally. Any dispute that cannot be resolved informally will be handled in the state or federal courts located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and you agree to that location. To the extent permitted by law, claims must be brought individually, not as part of a class action. If any part of these terms is found unenforceable, the rest remains in effect.

Changes to terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The terms in effect at the time of your order apply to that order. We encourage you to review this page before placing each order.