Dead on Arrival Policy & Shipping Protection Info
Live Arrival Guarantee
Corals Anonymous offers a limited Live Arrival Guarantee on qualifying shipped livestock orders only. By placing an order with Corals Anonymous, the customer acknowledges and agrees to this policy, our shipping terms, and our Terms of Service.
Approved claims are resolved by store credit only. Store credit applies only to the value of the affected livestock and does not include shipping charges, box charges, taxes, or shipping protection.
Response Times
Response times are typically 24–72 hours during business hours (Monday–Friday). Messages are handled in the order received.
Submitting multiple messages or emails will not speed up response time and may delay processing.
How to Submit a DOA Claim
All DOA claims must be submitted within 4 hours of the confirmed UPS or FedEx delivery time.
Provide clear photos of the affected livestock for review.
The video must show the animal visibly deceased before the bag is opened.
Use your claim form and provide any additional proof requested by Corals Anonymous.
Missing items, wrong items, or damaged non-livestock items must be reported within 4 hours of delivery.
Required Claim Documentation
- Clear photos of the affected livestock
- A clear, unedited video showing the animal inside the sealed bag
- The video must clearly show the animal visibly deceased before the bag is opened
- For fish, seahorses, and invertebrates, unedited video is required for all DOA claims
We may request additional photos or video during the review process. All affected livestock must remain available for verification until the claim is resolved.
Failure to provide clear documentation within the required timeframe will result in denial of the claim.
DOA Credit Terms
Approved DOA claims may be resolved through issuance of a DOA credit code at the sole discretion of Corals Anonymous.
DOA credits are claim-based courtesy credits and are not gift cards, gift certificates, or stored-value cards. They are issued only in connection with an approved livestock claim.
DOA credits apply only to the value of the affected livestock, exclude shipping, handling, and taxes, expire after 90 days, are non-transferable, and cannot be redeemed for cash.
These DOA credits are not purchased, sold, or issued as retail stored-value products. They function only as replacement credit for the value of the affected livestock and are provided as a discretionary resolution under our Livestock Guarantee.
Issuance of a DOA credit constitutes resolution of the approved claim under the Corals Anonymous Livestock Guarantee.
Orders purchased in whole or in part with store credit are not eligible for refund, and any additional remedy remains at the sole discretion of Corals Anonymous.
Local Pickup Orders
All local pickup livestock purchases are final sale.
Corals Anonymous does not offer DOA credit, refunds, returns, or exchanges for local pickup livestock orders.
Shipping Disclaimer
Corals Anonymous takes every precaution to safely pack livestock for transit. However, we are not responsible for delays, mishandling, losses, or damage caused by UPS, FedEx, weather, mechanical failures, routing issues, or other carrier-related events, except as expressly stated under Shipping Protection.
If an order arrives delayed, damaged, or leaking, the customer is still required to accept delivery.
Do not refuse shipment. Do not return the package. Corals Anonymous does not accept returns of livestock.
Orders arriving later in the day on the scheduled delivery date are not considered delayed for purposes of this policy.
Shipping Address Responsibility
Customers must review their order confirmation and update any incorrect shipping address before the order ships.
Once an order has been picked up from our facility, the address cannot be changed and the order cannot be canceled or refunded.
- Forwarded shipments void the Live Arrival Guarantee
- Rerouted shipments void the Live Arrival Guarantee
- Intercepted shipments void the Live Arrival Guarantee
- Orders delivered to a different address void the Live Arrival Guarantee
The shipping address provided at checkout must be the final delivery destination.
Corals Anonymous does not perform address change requests on behalf of customers after an order has shipped.
Shipping Protection does not cover customer-entered address errors, incomplete addresses, forwarding, rerouting, interception requests, or delivery changes after shipment.
Customer Responsibility After Delivery
Customers are solely responsible for proper acclimation and ongoing care of all livestock after delivery.
Corals Anonymous is not responsible for losses caused by improper acclimation, poor husbandry, unstable or unsuitable water parameters, salinity, alkalinity, pH, nutrient, or temperature issues, improper lighting, improper water flow, coral aggression or incompatibility, predation, pests in the customer’s system, insufficient tank maturity, or stress related to transfer into a new environment.
Shipping stress is normal, and livestock may require time to recover and adjust to a new system.
All livestock purchases assume the customer has at least intermediate reef keeping experience.
Macroalgae and Hitchhiker Disclaimer
We make every reasonable effort to inspect livestock and remove pests and hitchhikers. However, because marine organisms are natural products, Corals Anonymous cannot guarantee that macroalgae, coral, rock, or other livestock will be completely free of pests, eggs, algae, hitchhikers, or other unwanted organisms.
Lost, Stolen, or Misdelivered Packages
Orders reported as lost, stolen, or misdelivered despite carrier Proof of Delivery are not covered under the Corals Anonymous DOA policy or Shipping Protection.
Customers must contact UPS or FedEx directly to initiate a lost package claim.
Corals Anonymous may, at its discretion, assist by providing shipping documentation.
If the carrier issues reimbursement directly to Corals Anonymous, any reimbursement to the customer, if any, will not exceed the amount actually received by Corals Anonymous.
Shipping Protection
Eligible carrier-related delay or transit damage, subject to all DOA timing and documentation requirements.
Incorrect addresses, reroutes, refused delivery, stolen packages after delivery, or losses caused by acclimation or tank conditions.
Shipping Protection is an optional add-on intended to provide additional eligibility for store credit in the event of qualifying carrier-related delay or transit damage.
Shipping Protection does not guarantee delivery, does not function as insurance, and does not create liability beyond the remedies expressly stated in this policy.
Shipping Protection cannot be canceled or refunded starting at 8:00 AM Pacific Time on the scheduled ship date.
Customers who opt out of Shipping Protection acknowledge that Corals Anonymous cannot be held responsible for carrier-related delays or damage during transit beyond any rights otherwise required by law.
❄️ Alaska (AK) Shipping
Due to extended transit times, limited carrier routes, and increased temperature fluctuations, all Alaska shipments carry significantly higher risk.
By placing an order to Alaska, you acknowledge and agree that:
- DOA (Dead on Arrival) Guarantee is waived
- Shipping Protection does not apply to DOA claims and will be refunded if purchased
- All livestock is shipped at the customer’s risk
We take every precaution when packing your order, and highly recommend having your package held at a UPS or FedEx Ship Center to help increase the survivability of your order.
Quick FAQ
Do approved claims get refunded?
No. Approved claims are resolved through store credit only, at the sole discretion of Corals Anonymous. We do not offer returns on livestock. We do not refund or credit any shipping costs or box fees. We do not cover any shipping costs for store credit livestock orders.
Can I open the bag before taking the video?
No. The video must show the animal visibly deceased inside the sealed bag before the bag is opened.
What if my shipping address is wrong?
You must contact us and update it before the order ships. After carrier pickup, the order cannot be canceled, refunded, or address-corrected by us.
Are DOA codes gift cards?
No. DOA codes are claim-based courtesy credits tied to approved livestock claims. They are not gift cards, gift certificates, or stored-value cards.
How long does it take to hear back about my claim?
Response times are typically 24–72 hours during business hours Monday through Friday, and messages are handled in the order received.
Does the DOA Guarantee apply to Alaska orders?
No. Alaska orders require acknowledgment that the DOA Guarantee is waived, Shipping Protection does not apply to DOA claims, and if Shipping Protection was purchased for that purpose it will be refunded.
Fraud, Abuse, and Reservation of Rights
Corals Anonymous reserves the right to deny, limit, or void any claim if the claim is incomplete, submitted late, unsupported, missing required documentation, if the livestock is discarded before verification, if the bag is opened before proper documentation is recorded, if evidence suggests improper acclimation or handling, if evidence suggests fraud, abuse, or repeated questionable claims, or if the circumstances indicate the livestock was not DOA upon arrival.
All claim determinations are made at the sole and final discretion of Corals Anonymous.
Corals Anonymous also reserves the right to cancel orders, refuse service, or limit future purchases from customers suspected of fraud, abuse, harassment, or misuse of our policies.
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Corals Anonymous shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to any livestock purchase, shipment, delay, loss, acclimation issue, system issue, or customer husbandry practice.
Any liability of Corals Anonymous, if established, shall not exceed the amount paid for the affected livestock in the original order.
Chargeback and Dispute Resolution
Customers agree to contact Corals Anonymous first regarding any order issue before initiating a chargeback or payment dispute.
Submitting a chargeback or payment dispute after receiving livestock, while ignoring or misrepresenting the terms of this policy, may be considered abuse of this policy and may result in refusal of future service.
Policy Updates
Corals Anonymous reserves the right to update or modify this policy at any time without prior notice.
The version of the policy in effect at the time the order is placed will apply to that order.