SUPPORT FOR A LIVING FISH
Guppy health support after arrival.
A guppy arrived alive but now looks unwell? Check the aquarium, record the timeline and send clear observations. This page helps you prepare an order-support request; it does not add a disease-free guarantee or replace veterinary care.
Choose the right route before sending evidence.
Living-fish concern
Use the checklist below for a fish that arrived alive but shows a concern. Send the shipment stage, timeline, water readings and current observations.
International-leg DOA
HiGuppy’s current DOA policy covers Vietnam to the professional transshipper. Its two-hour window begins at the transshipper’s physical inspection and verification, not the later domestic delivery.
Domestic arrival problem
The separate transshipper-to-buyer leg follows the transshipper’s own live-arrival terms. Contact the party handling that leg and preserve the relevant records.
Immediate welfare concern
Check equipment and water and seek appropriate professional help. Do not delay care for a living fish while waiting for an order-support decision.
Take these first steps without changing everything at once.
Check the receiving aquarium
Record temperature and water-test numbers, and confirm that the filter, heater and aeration are operating.
Use a prepared observation setup
Keep the affected fish separate from established livestock when a suitable, stable quarantine arrangement is available. Avoid repeated chasing or unnecessary transfers.
Reduce disturbance
Keep handling minimal and check that current and tankmates are not preventing the fish from resting or swimming normally.
Record the current condition
Take clear photos and a steady video showing the full fish, breathing, posture, fins and swimming, plus the aquarium.
Record what already changed
List water changes, acclimation steps, foods, conditioner, salt or medication, with the amount and timing actually used.
Send one complete message
Use the order-support contact route below, including the order number, shipment stage, timeline, observations and readings.
A photo cannot establish every cause. Avoid combining treatments or assuming an appetite change is only a food problem. The disease-signs guide explains why water, history and the pattern of signs should be considered together.
Describe the pattern rather than guessing a diagnosis.
- State whether one fish, a group or several aquariums are affected.
- Note when the sign first appeared and whether it is improving, unchanged or worsening.
- Show breathing and swimming in a steady video; include the full fish rather than only a very close crop.
- Report visible changes to fins, skin, body shape or posture, plus appetite and behaviour.
- Record any chasing, nipping or inability to reach food.
- Do not dismiss a persistent or severe sign as shipping stress. Use the professional-help guidance below.
Check the aquarium as part of the support request.
Water quality, oxygenation, equipment, maintenance and tankmate behaviour are part of the review. “The water looks clean” is not a test result.
- Send actual temperature, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH readings, with units and test method.
- Check recent source-water changes, conditioner use, filter cleaning and equipment interruptions.
- List aquarium volume, age, cycling history, stocking and whether the fish is in quarantine.
- Record any possible exposure to cleaners, sprays or other contaminants.
Use the Water Parameters Guide to record readings and the Water Change Guide when reviewing maintenance. These care resources do not determine claim eligibility.
Include these details in the first message.
Order & shipment stage
Order number and buyer name; international or domestic leg; relevant tracking; receipt and inspection times available to you.
Timeline & observations
When the concern started, whether it is changing, the number of fish affected, and clear current photos or video.
Water & equipment
Aquarium volume and age, exact readings with units, filter/heater/aeration status, recent maintenance and source-water changes.
Acclimation & products
The transfer and acclimation steps followed, quarantine/tankmates, and every conditioner, salt or medication already used with amount and timing.
Send order details privately through Contact HiGuppy or email hello@higuppy.com. Do not post personal order information in public reviews, and do not include passwords or payment-card details.
What a remote order-support review can establish.
HiGuppy can review the available order record and submitted timeline, media, water data and aquarium context. Support may request clarification and explain which published guide or policy applies.
Media alone cannot reliably confirm every pathogen, internal condition, prognosis or complete treatment plan. Examination or diagnostic testing by a qualified professional may be needed.
Know when the fish needs more than order support.
Seek qualified aquatic-veterinary or fish-health help promptly for severe breathing distress, repeated loss of balance, significant injury, rapid deterioration, multiple unexplained losses or suspected poisoning. Do not wait for an email response if appropriate care is urgent.
Provide the professional with the same observations, water-test results, recent changes and product history. General guidance is available in the Merck Veterinary Manual’s fish-health reference; it is not a diagnosis of your individual fish.
Health support FAQ.
Does this page provide a separate health guarantee?
No. It explains support for a living-fish concern. It does not add disease-free certification, a new guarantee period or automatic compensation to the applicable order terms.
Is this the same as the DOA claim process?
No. HiGuppy’s current DOA policy concerns the international leg to the professional transshipper and has specific inspection-time and evidence requirements. The later domestic leg follows the transshipper’s own terms.
Can HiGuppy diagnose a disease from a video?
Video helps describe signs, but it may not establish a pathogen or an internal condition. A qualified professional may need examination or diagnostic testing.
Should I medicate before contacting support?
Do not add or combine treatments automatically. Record water and equipment readings, recent changes and anything already used. Seek qualified guidance when a condition is severe or unclear.
What happens after I send the information?
Support reviews the available order details and submitted context, may ask for clarification, and explains the appropriate next step or applicable policy. Sending a request is not approval of a specific resolution.
What should I do while waiting for a reply?
Maintain suitable conditions, keep observations and follow appropriate care guidance. Seek prompt professional help for severe signs; order support is not an emergency veterinary service.
Send a clear record, not a guess.
Order timeline, current video and actual water readings. Send those details together so the concern can be reviewed in context.
Related: quarantine and observation, DOA claim steps and the shipping route. Content reviewed September 12, 2026. This page is support guidance, not an individual veterinary assessment or an additional warranty.
