We offer a Live Arrival Guarantee when shipping insurance is purchased. Check our shipping page for details.
Open the box carefully, ensuring the fish bag is not punctured.
Keep the bags out of direct sunlight.
Float unopened bags in your quarantine tank or pond for 20–30 minutes to equalize temperature.
Open the bags, then gently transfer the fish using a clean net or hand (avoid transferring shipping water into your tank).
During their journey, Koi can experience stress that may temporarily affect their appearance and behavior. Here’s what you might observe:
Faded Color: Black color especially may lighten but will return over time.
Veiny Skin: Visible veins, particularly in the white areas of the skin.
Behavioral Changes: Fish may appear underactive (minimal movement) or overactive (jumpy). These behaviors are a response to stress and should subside with time.
We primarily ship Koi using Southwest Cargo for fast and reliable delivery. In certain circumstances, we may use UPS as an alternative. Visit our shipping page for more information about shipping your koi.
Although optional, we highly recommend quarantining your new Koi for at least 30 days before introducing them to your pond.
Maintain water at 70°F or higher (82°F is ideal for healing).
Use 3–5 pounds of un-iodized salt per 100 gallons to maintain salinity.
Avoid mixing new fish with those from other farms or stores to prevent cross-contamination.
Cover quarantine tanks, as new fish may jump.
Helpful Products for Quarantine and Care
Koi Pharma Pure Broad Spectrum
Use at water temperatures of 50°F or higher.
Treats parasites like Ich, Costia, and Trichodina.
Koi Pharma Pure Broad Spectrum: Use at water temperatures of 50°F or higher. Treats parasites like Ich, Costia, and Trichodina.
Shipping Information
Koi Market Shipping Koi
Koi Market uses Southwest Cargo for all of it’s shipping. On Occasion when necessary we will ship UPS
SORRY BUT THERE ARE NO RETURNS OR REFUNDS ON FISH SALES. All fish are sold as is and final. We will give a credit for Koi based on certain circumstances.
We only guarantee live arrival when insurance is taken on the shipment and you must be present at the time of delivery to accept the fish and sign for it. The time the koi is delivered is documented by the shipping company. If we do not receive a call within (1) hour of the boxes documented arrival (516-547-0164) all liabilities or damages shall be forfeited.
Assuming Insurance was taken, if the fish died upon delivery we will replace it with another fish of equal value. You must notify us immediately within (1hr) of the documented time from the shipping carrier by email or phone in the unfortunate event that the fish died when you received it. A digital picture of the full dead fish must be taken with the tail cut off of the fish and emailed to sales@koimarket.com as proof. We cannot accept responsibility for shipping delays or damages done by the carrier. If a replacement for this fish is not available a credit will be given to be used on a future fish.
If anything should happen to your fish within the holding period before the fish are shipped example: illness and/or death, NO replacements will be given. We will issue a store credit towards your next purchase. Store credit must be used within 6 months from the date of issue (extensions are given on a case-by-case basis).
NOTE: Koi Market is a Bio Secure Facility, all koi sales are final, koi cannot be returned. Keeping our koi and facility as clean as possible is critical to assure delivery of clean and healthy koi to our customers. Therefore, once the koi leaves our facility and has experienced other waters, we do not allow any koi to come back for any reason. Avoiding cross contamination is the best practice.
If a credit is given for a new koi following the unfortunate death of the koi during shipping. Customer must pay shipping cost for the new koi delivery. Koi Market is not liable for future shipping costs.
Shipping Methods
Southwest Cargo
Southwest Positives
Southwest Cargo is our preferred shipping method, although it takes us time to drive the koi to the airport, we feel this method is the most reliable and safest method. The koi box goes on a pallet and it generally does not get touched until it arrives.
Insurance is also cheaper than other shipping methods at $1.00 per $100 overall value
Shipping rates are more cost effective on Southwest Cargo and we ship Free Shipping when you spend $500 or more.
Southwest Negatives
Airport to Airport
Although we setup a time with you for a shipment to take place, the time the plane actually takes off and lands can change, this happens often. A flight can also be cancelled due to a mechanical problem with the plane, weather or other unforeseen issue. We have no control over this situation, there is nothing we can do other than work with the airline to ensure the package eventually arrives safely.
Southwest doesn't ship to all airports so sometimes it cannot be used as a shipping method.
UPS Overnight
Positives
It ships Door to Door
Negatives
Shipping with UPS is very expensive, sometimes double to triple the cost of shipping southwest cargo
Insurance is $2.50 per $100 spent
Boxes are often mishandled, they fall and or get tossed around in the trucks and going through the HUBS and Airports resulting in damaged or dead fish.
Why Do I have to get Insurance?
We have no control over what happens to your koi once it leaves our possession, there is no refund and the purchase is at your own risk if you do not get insurance.
Can I get a refund on shipping if shipping is delayed?
No, Sorry, There is no cancellation or refund of your koi order because a shipment time did not meet the expected delivery day/date/time that was discussed or paid for. We have no control over shipments once they leave our facility. If the flight is canceled or is late, a new day/date/time will be setup for your shipment.
Are All Koi Purchases Final?
Once we receive your order, your koi selection is moved to a separate holding tank where the koi is checked for any possible issues or if the fish has changed at all since the photo/video was originally taken. If there are any changes, we will contact you to confirm that you would like to proceed with the order. Koi are shipped in an oxygenated box for them to survive 24-48 hours depending on the environment.
What Can I expect When my koi is delivered?
Certain physical changes may occur from the time the koi is packed to when you receive it. During this long travel time, it is common that the koi may show signs of illness but not to worry it is just stress.
Here are a list of things you may experience:
Faded color, black color especially may get lighter due to its stress, but it will come back over time.
Veiny skin (commonly seen in the white areas of a koi’s skin)
Behavior - Under active: No/Minimal movement, Over active: Jumpy
They are just exhausted and stressed from the long journey, they will recover over time.
Koi Gender Is Not Guaranteed
Please understand, we cannot guarantee the sex of the Koi even though we use our very best judgment with the expertise and experience we have. We try to check the signs and indication of sex, but some of our koi fish for sale are very difficult to distinguish between male or female. This is why even the breeders are not always accurate on the sex of their Koi.
Koi Health Procedures
Although we cannot guarantee that a fish shipped from us is 100% free of a parasite or pathogen, All Koi shipments at Koi Market are quarantined for a minimum of 30 days, no exceptions.
During this process, koi are scraped and scoped for parasites and prophylactically treated using Salt at .6% (6lbs per 100 gallons), Proform C broad spectrum treatment, Praziquantel, Dimlin and Nitrofurazone. Additionally, all koi tanks with new arrivals are tested for KHV using the PCR test by Kennebec Labs.
