Founded in 1999 and based in Portland, Oregon, The Wet Spot Tropical Fish is the largest freshwater-only fish store on the West Coast. Our mission is to make the aquarium hobby fun, approachable, and accessible to everyone. We’re known for our incredible selection, healthy fish, and knowledgeable, friendly staff. Unlike many retailers, we don’t transship—our fish are housed in a dedicated holding facility to recover from travel before being offered for sale. Every tank in our store is individually filtered to maintain ideal conditions and prevent disease. With over 400 tanks and thousands of freshwater species, we serve both local and nationwide customers. We’re also one of the only online fish retailers with a full brick-and-mortar store you can visit in person. Whether you’re a beginner or a lifelong fish-keeper, we’re here to support your aquatic journey.
Terms and Conditions
We guarantee live arrival on all overnight shipments, provided they arrive on the projected day of delivery. Only overnight deliveries come with this guarantee.
We do not guarantee live arrival on shipments sent via slower shipping methods. Shipping charges of any kind are not covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee or by Shipping Insurance. Guaranteed fish* determined to have arrived DOA will be awarded as credit on your next order, equal to the value of the fish lost. Shipping costs are not included. No refunds will be given for DOA livestock.
Any order issues must also be reported and documented with our department within 4 hours of delivery (incorrect fish, incorrect numbers, damage, etc.).
At least two clear photographs of DOA or incorrect livestock in the un-opened bag are required to receive credit.
DOA or order issue documentation should be submitted online via our DOA/Order Issue Form provided on the red sheet in your package.
Images must clearly show the deceased or incorrect/subpar fish in the unopened bag. These images must be received within 4 hours of package delivery.
Late photographs or those depicting fish outside of the shipping bag (e.g. in a bucket or tank; out of water) are not acceptable documentation and will not result in credit.
Opening the shipping bag(s) ends the ‘arrival’ period and, without appropriate photographs, indicates that the fish are acceptable in the condition they arrived. We stand behind the health of our fish, and as such, once the bag is opened you are responsible for the care and health of the fish. We cannot offer credit for fish that die after they are released from the shipping bag.
Unless you purchase shipping insurance, we are unable to offer any credit for DOA fish that arrive later than the projected date of delivery. UPS does not insure “perishable” items, and we have a special insurance policy with them that we can extend to your package for a fee. Shipping insurance can be purchased for $5.00 per package.
Please be aware that unless a fish is listed as a specific size on the fish’s page (e.g., 3″+, 5″+, etc.) that the sizing is an estimate and not exact. Our fish are measured using total length, meaning they are measured from the tip of their snout to the end of their caudal (tail) fin.
Fish listed as an “attempted pair” do not come with a guarantee that you will receive a male and female fish. We will do our best to select a male and female for you, but a pair is not guaranteed unless the fish is listed specifically as a “pair (♂♀)”.
The fish shown are representative of the fish you will receive and not the exact specimens. Please be aware that wild caught fish may come with imperfections such as torn fins, missing fin rays, etc. Fish are likely to change color during shipping as the stress can cause them to temporarily lose color. Please give them time to color up in your tank!
If you cancel your order 24 hours before the confirmed shipping day, a 10% restocking fee will be charged for the entirety of your order. Fish removed from your order on the day of shipping are subject to a 10% restocking fee.
Please be sure to check out ourFAQand Policy pages for answers to frequently asked questions and the full list of our Terms and Conditions.
PLEASE NOTE –As we are shipping live animals, we will not ship your package until you respond to our email asking if a specific date is acceptable. We want to make sure someone will be available to receive the fish. If we do not hear back from you within 3 days of our shipping date email, we will cancel your order.
We require all interactions with our staff, via phone or email, to be conducted in a respectful and professional manner. We uphold a zero-tolerance policy for any form of disrespect, hateful speech, harassment, inappropriate comments/behavior, or mistreatment of our staff. The Wet Spot Tropical Fish reserves the right to refuse service if we feel an interaction has been disrespectful or inappropriate. Violation of this policy will result in a blacklist status and future orders and communication will not be accepted.
By placing your order with us, you agree that you understand these terms and conditions and will follow policy to report any DOAs or order issues.
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