Buccochromis heterotaenia

The majority of fish on our website will NOT look like their photos upon their unboxing. Fish change in appearance depending on many factors, including mood, age, gender, and social status. Fish will naturally lose color during shipping and may appear faded upon arrival. Pictures are used as examples only. Pictures may be of mature fish with full color or juvenile fish without color. We encourage you to research the species as much as possible prior to ordering in order to familiarize yourself with the various appearances they may take on. Many species have females that look drastically different to their male counterparts, and many juveniles will not have as much color (or different colors) as their adult forms. If you have questions about how the fish will look, please review their information and email us if you have any questions.

Research the product descriptions on our website and use Google search to help decide which fish can go together. PLEASE do your research and email us if you have any questions. Also, we have a very active Facebook group called Imperial Tropicals Fishkeepers where you can learn from knowledgable and experienced fishkeepers.

We've been shipping live fish for over 50 years. we use specialized packaging and techniques to ensure their health. See how we do it.

We provide premium next day air shipping at affordable flat rates to minimize transit time for the health of the fish.

Minimum order for all shipping is $50 for mainland US, $100 elsewhere. Saturday delivery available for an extra $30. Shipping to Alaska and Canada is not flat rate and can be subject to additional fees based on location.

Important order and shipping info

Allow 2-4 business days to process and pack your order. You will receive a notification when it actually ships. Order cancellations are subject to a 10% restocking fee. Order changes cannot be made. However, if you wish to add to your order within 24 hours, you may place a second order with a request to combine the shipments. We will do our best to accommodate, however once an order is packaged and sealed it cannot be reopened.

Your order is covered by our Healthy & Happy Arrival Guarantee.

We need 2-4 days to select and pack your fish, you'll get a notification when it ships along with tracking info. It will arrive the next day or day after, depending on your location. See our Shipping Policy for full info.

We ship hundreds of packages a week, and most are delivered without any issues thanks to our experienced team and premium air courier service. Our high-tech packaging is designed to sustain the animals a minimum of 2-3 days in the box, and in some cases longer, depending on the breed.

However, sometimes delays do occur. If this happens to your order, please document and contact us promptly following our inspection and documentation policies above in order to receive credit.

Orders can be changed or cancelled within 24 hours, subject to a 10% restocking fee. Shipping is stressful for the animals and we cannot open boxes once they have been prepped and packed.

We can hold for a few days, but not beyond a week as inventory changes rapidly. Please only place your order when you know you will be ready to receive them.

First, please check the box and packaging thoroughly. If you are sure an item is missing please contact us immediately.

Yes! Just specify local pickup as your shipping option in checkout and we'll let you know when it is ready.

97% of our orders arrive without an issue. But if something goes wrong, no worries! You're covered under our Healthy & Happy Arrival Guarantee