General Care & Support

Do I need to be a customer to get advice?

No — you don’t need to buy anything to ask for help. I love sharing knowledge and helping people experience the joys of aquatics, whether you’re keeping shrimp, snails, nano fish, stick insects, or building bioactive setups.

Do you offer care advice after purchase?

Absolutely. I’m always happy to help with tank cycling, water parameters, feeding, setup tips, species compatibility, or any troubleshooting you may need.

What water parameters do your livestock prefer?

All livestock are kept in local tap water rather than “perfect” lab-style parameters. This helps ensure the animals adapt better to most home aquariums. Our tap water sits around pH 7.4, with slight variations depending on aquasoil, stone, and tank setup.

Can I mix different shrimp, snails, or fish species?

It depends on the species. Send through your tank details and we can help recommend safe combinations.

General Business Information

Are your shrimp, snails, fish, and insects home-bred?

Yes — everything is ethically bred in-house to ensure strong genetics, health, and long-term success in your aquarium or enclosure.

How do I contact Aquarelle Aquatics?

For the fastest response, message me on Facebook or call/text 0423 620 518. If I miss your call, please send a message letting me know you're a customer. Email and Instagram messages are also welcome.

Can I request custom colours, breeds, or specific animals?

Often yes — depending on current breeding cycles and availability.

Shipping & Orders

Do you ship livestock?

Yes. We ship aquatic livestock (shrimp, snails, fish) and invertebrates (stick insects, leaf insects, springtails, etc.) throughout QLD, NSW, VIC, and SA, using packaging designed to maximise animal safety.

How are live animals packed for shipping?

We take shipping safety seriously:

• Aquatic livestock: packaged in insulated boxes with pure oxygen in the bags when required.

• Snails: shipped in ventilated, padded containers with damp paper towel.

• Stick/leaf insects: shipped in ventilated tubs with fresh leaves.

• Clean-up crews (springtails, isopods, etc.): shipped with appropriate substrate.

• All parcels are filled with ample stuffing to prevent tipping or damage during transit.

When do you ship?

We ship most orders on Mondays and Tuesdays to avoid weekend delays.
Dry goods may be shipped outside these days when possible.

Do you ship during extreme weather?

If temperatures risk animal safety, we may delay shipping. You’ll always be notified if this happens.

How much is shipping?

Shipping costs vary depending on what you order:

• Shrimp and aquatic livestock require heavy bags of water, insulated boxes, and oxygen — making them more expensive to send.

• Stick insects and smaller inverts are lighter and often cheaper to ship.

• We’ve done our best to keep shipping as cost-effective and close to flat-rate as possible while maintaining safety.

Can I pick up my order?

Yes! Contact me and we can organise a time for local pickup.

Do you offer DOA (Dead on Arrival) guarantees?

Yes — we offer a DOA guarantee with clear photo/video proof sent within the required time frame.

Products & Kits

What’s included in your starter kits?

Each kit includes everything listed on its product page. If you'd like a more detailed breakdown, just message and I can help.

Do your bioactive kits include clean-up crews?

We offer versions both with and without clean-up crews.
If you'd prefer lower shipping, you can order your springtails or isopods later.

Policies

What is your refund or return policy?

Live animals cannot be returned, but we have a DOA policy and are committed to ensuring a positive experience.

What happens if my parcel arrives late?

If delays are caused by the courier, we handle these situations on a case-by-case basis, especially when livestock are involved.