Shipping Policy DOA Guaruntee

Effective August 22, 2026

Reef Culture Co Live Coral Arrival Guarantee

We stand behind the health of the corals we ship and will work quickly and fairly when a coral is truly dead on arrival. This is an arrive-alive guarantee only, not a post-arrival survival guarantee.

Strict two-hour DOA window

A DOA claim must be submitted to info@reefcultureco.com within two (2) hours of the delivery time posted by the carrier. If an order is held at a carrier location, the two-hour window begins at the carrier's pickup scan. This deadline is firm. Claims received after the two-hour window are outside our guarantee.

Inspect and document before opening or dipping

Inspect every coral immediately under white light while it is still in its original sealed shipping bag. If a coral appears dead or severely damaged, stop and document its condition before taking any other action.

• Do not dip, medicate, frag, cut, remove from its plug or base, glue or remount, brush or clean, or expose the coral to aquarium water, quarantine water, or any other customer-supplied water or treatment before the claim is fully documented.
• Any coral that has been dipped, treated, altered, or exposed to customer-supplied water before adequate documentation is provided is not eligible for DOA coverage.
• Keep the coral, original bag, original shipping water, box, and packing materials until the claim is resolved. Do not discard or return anything unless Reef Culture Co authorizes it in writing.

If we need the coral removed from the bag for additional proof, we will instruct you to photograph or video it in the original shipping water. Do not alter or treat the coral while the claim is being reviewed.

What to include with your claim

• Your order number and the name of the affected coral.
• Clear white-light photos or an unedited video showing the entire coral inside the original sealed bag before it is opened.
• Clear close-ups of the claimed damage or death, plus a photo of the shipping bag and packing slip or outer box.
• A short description of what you observed when the shipment arrived.

Blue-light-only images, blurry images, altered livestock, an opened or discarded bag without sealed-bag proof, or disposal of the specimen before authorization may prevent us from verifying the claim and may void coverage. We may request additional photos or video before making a decision.

What counts as DOA

DOA means the coral is dead when the shipment is delivered. A coral that is stressed, retracted, sliming, discolored, closed, or dislodged from its plug is not automatically DOA. If you are unsure, submit photos or video within the two-hour window before dipping or otherwise handling the coral so we can help evaluate it.

Conditions of coverage

• Someone must be available to receive and inspect the shipment promptly. A refused shipment, missed delivery, delayed pickup, incorrect or incomplete address, or failure to retrieve a held package promptly may void the guarantee.
• Carrier delays, weather events, mechanical failures, misrouting, and other events outside our control are reviewed case by case and are not automatically covered.
• Once a coral is dipped, treated, altered, or introduced to customer-supplied water or a customer system, its care and condition are outside our control and the standard DOA guarantee ends.
• A coral dislodged from its plug during transit is not, by itself, considered DOA.
• This shipped-livestock guarantee does not apply to local pickup orders, which are inspected and accepted at pickup.

Approved claims

For a verified DOA, Reef Culture Co will, at our option, issue store credit equal to the price actually paid for the eligible coral or offer a replacement of the same, similar, or equal-value coral when available. Livestock purchases are not eligible for cash refunds. Shipping charges, taxes, fees, promotional items, and free items are not credited or refunded. Replacement shipping is the customer's responsibility unless the replacement ships with a new order that qualifies for free shipping under the terms then in effect.

Each eligible loss receives one remedy. Once store credit or a replacement is accepted, that claim is settled in full. Availability of the same WYSIWYG coral is never guaranteed.

Goodwill outside the guarantee

We want to have a real conversation and help whenever we reasonably can. If a claim is late or does not meet these requirements, Reef Culture Co may still offer advice, credit, or another accommodation as a one-time gesture of goodwill. Any such accommodation is entirely at our discretion and does not create an obligation, extend this guarantee, establish a precedent, or waive these terms for any other order.

Corals held at the customer's request

We may agree to hold a purchased coral for a later shipment or pickup date. The customer is responsible for contacting us and arranging release of the order. If a held coral is lost while in our care, the only remedy is store credit; no cash refund will be issued. Holding periods longer than 30 days may be subject to a care fee agreed before the extended hold continues.

Questions or claims: info@reefcultureco.com

Nothing in this policy limits any rights that cannot legally be excluded under applicable law.