Certified Aquatic Partner Certification

Certified Aquatic Partner Certification

$60.00

  • Recognizes breeders and retail fish stores that meet high standards for fish health, ethics, and care

  • Requires clean, transparent tank setups with current photos submitted for review

  • Enforces a minimum 14-day quarantine for all incoming fish, shrimp, and livestock

  • Allows sale and shipment of healthy, properly conditioned animals only

  • Requires ethical sourcing from responsible breeders, wholesalers, or approved importers

  • Sets strict shipping standards, including 2-day shipping and a live arrival guarantee (if shipping)

  • Requires clear acclimation and species-specific care instructions for all livestock

  • Includes professional post-sale customer support and defined DOA policies

  • Certification is valid for one year and requires annual recertification

  • Certified partners are listed with contact information at the end of every long-form 10 Gallon Fish Tanks YouTube video, posted Sundays at 12:00 PM (Central Time)

Purchase & earn 60 points!
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Description

Certified Aquatic Partner – Certification Requirements

To become and remain a Certified Aquatic Partner, all breeders and retail fish stores must meet and maintain the following standards set by 10 Gallon Fish Tanks:

1. Facility & Tank Transparency

  • Provide current photos of all fish, shrimp, and plant holding tanks
  • Photos must clearly show:
    • Tank size and setup
    • Filtration and heating (if applicable)
    • Stocking density
    • Overall cleanliness and fish condition
  • Photos must be updated:
    • During initial certification
    • At annual recertification
    • Upon request for audit or review

2. Quarantine Process

  • Maintain a minimum 14-day quarantine for all incoming fish, shrimp, and livestock before sale or shipment
  • All partners must clearly document:
    • Length of quarantine
    • Medications used (if applicable)
  • Fish must be treated with a standard medication triowhen needed, such as:
    • Antiparasitic
    • Antibacterial
    • Antifungal treatments
  • Any livestock showing signs of illness must be held back and treated, not sold

3. Fish Health & Ethical Sourcing

  • Only healthy, properly conditioned livestock may be sold or shipped
  • Fish must be sourced from:
    • Ethical breeders
    • Responsible wholesalers
    • Approved importers following humane practices
  • No visibly sick, injured, or severely stressed animals may be sold

4. Shipping Standards

  • All shipped livestock must use 2-day shipping or faster
  • Shipments must include a live arrival guarantee
  • Fish, shrimp, and plants must be packed:
    • In insulated shipping boxes
    • With heat packs or ice packs when weather conditions require
  • Packing methods must minimize stress and temperature fluctuation

5. Customer Education & Acclimation

  • Provide clear acclimation instructions with every livestock order (in-store or shipped)
  • Supply species-specific care instructions for:
    • Fish
    • Shrimp
    • Snails
    • Live plants
  • Instructions may be provided:
    • Printed
    • Digitally
    • Via QR code or website link

6. Live Arrival & Post-Sale Support

  • Maintain a clearly stated live arrival guarantee policy
  • Provide a defined process for:
    • Reporting DOAs
    • Timeframes for claims
    • Refunds, credits, or reships
  • Partners must respond to customer issues in a timely and professional manner

7. Annual Recertification & Ongoing Compliance

  • Certification is valid for one year
  • All Certified Aquatic Partners must:
    • Recertify annually
    • Submit updated photos and process documentation
    • Maintain all standards year-round
  • Failure to maintain standards may result in:
    • Suspension
    • Removal from the Certified Aquatic Partners list

8. Customer Feedback & Compliance Audits
Certification is contingent on maintaining strong customer satisfaction.

All Certified Aquatic Partners must:

  • Maintain 90% or higher positive customer feedback

  • Address customer concerns professionally and in a timely manner

  • Cooperate with any complaint reviews conducted at the discretion of 10 Gallon Fish Tanks

  • Participate in biannual audits (every 6 months) to validate that all certification standards continue to be met

Failure to meet feedback or audit standards may result in:

  • Corrective action requirements

  • Temporary suspension

  • Removal from the Certified Aquatic Partners list

After Purchase: Please Fill Out the Following Form

  • Applications are reviewed in the order received and typically take 7–14 days for approval.

  • Once approved, a virtual certification notice will be emailed to you.

  • A physical certification copy will then be shipped to your home address on file.

(If your application does not initially meet all certification requirements, you will be notified and given the opportunity to make the necessary updates to meet expectations. If the requirements cannot be met, a full refund will be issued.)