shipping to anywhere in the U.S. for as little as $15

PACKING AND SHIPPING

The problem with buying a few fish over the Internet is the the shipping cost.  It is not unusual for the shipping cost to equal the cost of the fish.  We have put a lot of effort into developing a packaging and shipping process which minimizes these costs. 

They will be shipped via Federal Express Second-Day Air.  The fish leave Hawaii Wednesday evening and arrive on the East Coast on Friday - usually about mid-day.  Even though they are sent Second-Day Air, customers in western states often receive their fish on Thursday.  There is an extra charge of $10 to guarantee overnight delivery to the West Coast. 

We ship to all fifty states in the US.  Shipping costs are found to the right of the price of the fish.  We now also ship to Canada, but the shipping costs are 1-1/2 times higher.

We pack very conservatively to insure they will arrive in the best of condition.  Even if the unthinkable should happen and the fish are in transit for an additional day, they will still be fine and will arrive safely.  Our testing indicates that the fish can be in the shipping box for over a week (although we certainly would not recommend it). 

We use several box sizes so you do not have to pay any more for shipping than is absolutely necessary.  Every corrugated box is insulated with expanded polystyrene (styrofoam) insulation.  Inside the foam box your fish will be double-bagged. 

There is a flat rate for packaging, handling and shipping to the continental United States which depends on the size of the box.  The smallest box is $15, the medium box is $30 and the large box is $60.  There are no hidden charges or handling fees.  The large box holds three times more fish than the medium box and nine times more fish than the small box.  This dramatically reduces the shipping costs if you want a large number of fish or are able to combine orders with others in your community.  Mention this to your local club members.

The number of fish of a particular size and variety which can be packed in each of the three box sizes is noted on the fish sales pages under the column labeled "flat-rate shipping".  You will see the number of fish which can be sent for each of the box sizes - $15, $30 and $60.  Your shipping and packaging costs do not increase when additional fish are purchased as long as they do not exceed the maximum number for that box size.  We try to simplify shipping costs as much as possible but realize it can still be a little confusing.  If there is any question about the number of fish which can be packed in a box, just drop us an e-mail.

Our usual shipping day is Wednesday.  Shipping any other day of the week costs us more so there is an additional charge of $20 to ship on any other day and an additional charge of $20 for Saturday delivery.

Most deliveries occur about mid-day but FedEx will only commit to delivery between 8:00 am and 7:00 pm.  Deliveries to a business address (as opposed to a residential address) usually arrive earlier in the day.  You are encouraged to take delivery at your place of business, but do not open the bag until you get home.  You can also have your box held for pick-up at any FedEx location or any Kinko's store.  If it is very hot or very cold, or if you just do not want the box left at your door while you are not at home, have it held for pick-up at your local FedEx or Kinko's and pick it up on your way home.  You can find your nearest FedEx/Kinko's location through their web site.

Prior to shipping, your fish will be isolated, checked for parasites, and will not be fed for several days to purge them.  This step dramatically improves water quality during shipping.  However, this also means that in order to receive your fish on Friday, you must confirm the order by noon (your time) on Monday.

You will receive an e-mail with FedEx tracking information before the fish arrive. 

PAYMENT

Send us an e-mail and we will confirm the total cost with shipping.  We usually send a PayPal request which will securely process your credit card.  Payment must be received prior to shipping. You can mail a check if that works better for you:

I guess we should have a shopping cart system - or at least an order form.  But, we don't.  Just send us an e-mail listing the item number(s) for the fish you are interested in, how you are paying, and when you would like to receive them.  We check e-mail twice each day and will reply promptly.  Of course, we will need your shipping address too as well as a daytime phone number in case Federal Express has a hard time finding you.

UNPACKING & ACCLIMATING AFTER ARRIVAL

Think about where you will put your new goldfish ahead of time.  We recommend that all new fish are quarantined for several weeks before they are added to your existing collection.  At Rain Garden, we pride ourselves on the health of our goldfish and do not believe you will find a safer source of supply.  Nonetheless, the shipping, new surroundings, and different water source creates some stress.  Just like you and I, goldfish are most likely to become ill after being subjected to stress.  It is best to let them recuperate and adjust in a quarantine tank before being introduced to your existing fish.  Every goldfish tank has a social order which we are not privy to and your new addition will adjust to the tank mates better after it rests up  a few days.

Your fish will arrive in a sealed corrugated box.  Inside the corrugated box will be your invoice and a insulating expanded polystyrene (styrofoam) box.  Remove the foam box from the corrugated box and cut the tape all the around the top to open it.  You will find the fish inside doubled plastic bags.  Take a peak at the fish inside the plastic bags but do not open the bag quite yet.  If you are not ready to acclimate the fish and place them in your tank or pond it is probably best to put the bag back into the foam box and close the lid.  The fish will be more comfortable in the dark box and the foam will avoid unnecessary temperature changes.

Place the unopened bag of fish into the tank or pond and let it float there for at least 30 minutes.  The unopened bag should float in the tank/pond until the temperatures have equalized.  Once the temperatures are the same, open the outer and inner plastic bags and immediately transfer the goldfish directly to the tank or pond.  Some people insist on slowly adding tank water to the bag.  In our experience, this is counterproductive so if you are going to do it, please do it over the course of a few minutes, not a few hours.

Shortly after being placed in the tank or pond the fish will really perk up and start looking around for something to eat.  Feed them very lightly for the first day or so.  Enjoy!

contact us at raingarden@hawaii.rr.com 

49-041 Kamehameha Highway

Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744 USA

808-294-3973 for goldfish

808-294-1921 for flowers & vacation rental