Live plants and fish: receiving and acclimation

In short

• Live fish and aquatic plants: local delivery only, by our team, within a 150 km radius of Nodebais. Only plant kits, dry-packed plants, and water lilies are shipped everywhere, at the beginning of the week.
• Open the package upon receipt, even if you cannot install everything right away.
• Fish: float the sealed bag on the surface of the pond for 15 to 20 minutes before releasing them.
• Plants: keep them moist, in the shade, then plant them quickly.
• Damaged package: refuse it or make a reservation with the carrier, then write to us with photos.

Upon receipt of live plants or fish, open the package immediately. Place the plants in the shade in the pond water. For the fish, float the sealed bag on the pond for 15 to 20 minutes to equalize the temperature, then release them gently. Here is how to prepare for delivery and succeed at every step.

How shipping works

Live fish and aquatic plants are sold only with local delivery: our team delivers them personally within a 150 km radius of our store in Nodebais (Belgium). They are never entrusted to a carrier. Exceptions shipped everywhere: plant kits, dry-packed plants, and water lilies.

Shippable plants (kits, dry-packed, water lilies) leave in the early part of the week. This way, the package does not remain in transit over the weekend. You receive a tracking link by email at the time of shipping, and the carrier notifies you of the delivery day.

Transport time after shipping, in business days, for purely indicative and non-guaranteed purposes:

• Belgium: 1 to 2 days.
• France and Luxembourg: 2 to 4 days.
• Other countries delivered: 3 to 6 days.

Bulky packages may leave on a pallet, especially to France, Spain, and Portugal: transport is then longer. We only commit to the shipping date, never to a delivery date.

Before delivery: prepare yourself

1. Be present on the scheduled day, or arrange for someone to receive it. A live package must not wait in the sun or cold.
2. Prepare the pond. For fish, the water must be stable and the filter running for some time. A water test before arrival is a good precaution.
3. Prepare the planting equipment: planting baskets and soil for aquatic plants.
4. Have a landing net ready and, if possible, a quarantine tank for the new fish.

Checklist to prepare the day before

• Someone is present to receive the package on the scheduled day.
• The filter is running and the pond water has been checked.
• A landing net is within reach, near the pond.
• A shady spot is identified by the water to float the bag.
• A clean bucket is ready to keep the plants in the pond water.
• Baskets, soil, and gravel are ready for planting.

Prepare the water before the fish arrive

The best acclimatization does not compensate for unstable water. Before introducing new fish, make sure the pond is ready to welcome them: this is the part that matters even before delivery.

1. Let the filter run. The bacteria established in the filter convert the fish waste. A recently started or thoroughly cleaned filter needs time to recolonize.
2. Test the water a few days before. A measurement of the main parameters tells you if the pond is ready. Our guide for performing a water test of your pond details the method.
3. Correct if necessary, then wait. In case of a discrepancy, correct before delivery rather than on the same day, so that the water is stable again when the fish arrive.
4. Avoid major changes just before. A complete cleaning or a major refill the day before arrival changes the water at the time you need it to be stable.

Upon receipt: check the package

1. Examine the package in front of the delivery person. If it is visibly damaged or soaked, refuse it or make a reservation with the carrier.
2. Open it upon receipt.
3. Take photos of the package and the contents if something is wrong.
4. Write to us as soon as possible at support@foudebassin.com with your order number and the photos.

What to do when opening the package?

On delivery day, everything happens fast. This diagram summarizes the right reflexes, from checking the box to the first decision for the fish and for the plants.

Aquatic plants: the steps

1. Take the plants out of their packaging. Do not leave them in the closed box.
2. Place them in the shade, in a bucket filled with pond water, if you are not planting them right away.
3. Remove the leaves damaged during transport. It is normal for a plant to arrive a little tired.
4. Plant in a basket with suitable soil. Cover with gravel to prevent the soil from dispersing.
5. Install at the right depth. Shore plants in shallow areas, oxygenating plants submerged. For water lilies, start less deep and lower them gradually.
6. Give time for the plant to recover. New shoots generally appear after a few weeks depending on the season.

Discover our aquatic plants.

At what depth to place each plant?

A plant placed too deeply can languish, even if it is in perfect health upon delivery. Each type of plant has its zone in the pond: the shore, the shallow shelves, or the bottom.

On the labels, the planting depth is read relative to the water surface. A "+" means that the plant's crown is placed above the water level; a "-" that it can be underwater. Our article on planting depths and the floating basket explains this notation with examples.

• Shore and marsh plants: on the shallow shelves or at the edge. See our shore plants.
• Oxygenating plants: entirely underwater, in a basket or weighted. See our oxygenating plants.
• Water lilies: placed first on a support so that the leaves reach the surface, then lowered gradually as the stems lengthen.

Your pond does not have a shallow area? A floating basket or a stack of bricks under the basket allows to raise the plant to the right height.

Fish: step-by-step acclimatization

A fish tolerates poorly a sudden change in temperature or water quality. Acclimatization serves to give it time to adapt.

1. Open the box upon receipt, away from direct sunlight. The fish are stressed after transport: avoid bright light.
2. Place the sealed bag on the surface of the pond. Let it float for 15 to 20 minutes. The temperature of the bag water meets that of the pond.
3. Shade the bag if it is hot: the water of a bag in the sun heats up quickly.
4. Open the bag and gradually add a little pond water, in several times.
5. Transfer the fish with the landing net into the pond. Avoid pouring the bag water into the pond.
6. Do not feed on the same day. Wait until the next day, then give small quantities.
7. Observe the fish the following days: swimming, appetite, breathing.

Quarantine: a wise precaution

If you already have fish, a period in a separate tank limits the risk of transmitting a disease to the rest of the pond. See our quarantine and care tanks and our fish care products.

Why the bag water does not go into the pond

During transport, the fish breathe and release their waste in a small closed volume of water. Upon arrival, this water no longer has the quality of that of your pond. Pouring it is equivalent to introducing into the pond what the journey accumulated, as well as what could accompany the new fish.

This is the reason why pond water is added to the bag, and not the reverse: the fish gradually get used to their new water, then they are transferred alone, with the landing net.

During the operation, keep the bag in the shade and handle the fish as little as possible. A fine mesh landing net with a large net facilitates a quick and gentle transfer.

The useful equipment upon arrival

Some equipment simplifies the delivery day. They are to be planned before the arrival of the package, not the same day.

The mistakes to avoid

• Leave the package closed for several hours after delivery.
• Empty the fish bag directly into the pond.
• Let the bag float in full sun.
• Feed abundantly upon arrival.
• Leave the plants dry in the box.

Mixed order: plants, fish and equipment

An order of several items leaves in a single package, at the time of the longest item. If you wish to receive certain items already available without waiting for the others, ask us for a two-time shipment. For the shipped plants, the departure remains scheduled for the beginning of the week.

Returns and live products

Live plants and fish cannot be returned. In case of a problem upon receipt, notify us quickly with your order number and photos of the package and the contents.

A question before or after delivery?

We help you prepare the arrival of your plants and fish.

Phone: +32 10 86 03 54 – Email: support@foudebassin.com. Response within business days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why wasn't my plant order shipped on a Thursday?

Shipped plants (in kits, dry-packed, or bare root) are sent at the beginning of the week so they do not get stuck in transit over the weekend.

My plants arrived a little wilted: is that serious?

Most of the time, no. Cut off the damaged leaves and put them in water quickly. If a plant seems lost to you, send us a photo with your order number.

How long should I float the fish bag?

15 to 20 minutes, with the bag closed, in the shade. Then, gradually mix the pond water before releasing the fish.

I won't be there on the delivery day: what should I do?

The carrier will notify you of the delivery day. Arrange for a relative or friend to receive it. If that is not possible, contact us before shipping.

Can I pour the water from the bag into the pond?

No. The transport water has accumulated waste from the journey. Transfer the fish alone using a net and empty the water from the bag outside the pond.

When should I feed the fish after their arrival?

Not on the same day. Wait until the next day, then give small amounts while observing the fish's swimming and appetite.

I cannot plant them right away: how can I keep the plants?

Take them out of the box and place them in the shade in a bucket filled with pond water, then plant them quickly.

Is quarantine necessary if the pond does not have any fish yet?

Quarantine is mainly used to protect the fish already established. In a pond without fish, the main thing is stable water and a filter that has been running for a while: check the water before the fish arrive.

Read also

• How many fish to put in a 10 m³ pond?
• How to prevent fish mortality in the pond?
• How to properly feed pond and lake fish?