Live Medaka Shipped to Ohio
Yes, I ship live Japanese rice fish to Ohio. Boxes leave Raleigh, North Carolina on Mondays by UPS 2nd Day Air, so a Monday box is normally due Wednesday. I have no shop or pickup in Ohio. Firefly fish have already landed in Ohio.
Ohio weather and your fish
Ohio gets lake-effect snow in the northeast and milder winters along the river in the south. It is also restricted for several floating plants, so check the list below.
Cleveland's lake-effect snow and Cincinnati's river-valley humidity are two different winters. City keepers should use a conditioner that treats chloramine, and rural keepers on well water should test before filling.
When to order
Late spring through early fall is usually easiest. I hold boxes when a hard freeze is forecast.
Keeping medaka here
Roughly USDA hardiness zones 5 to 7. Outdoors, go large and deep, stop feeding below about 50°F, and never smash ice. A 10-gallon or larger indoor tank needs no heater. More in my winter guide.
Plants for Ohio
I do not ship Dwarf Water Lettuce, Salvinia, and Floating Plant Variety Pack to Ohio. The rest of my plant shop can go, and the free floating plants in a fish or snail order are chosen from what is legal to send you.
Rates, holds, and the live arrival guarantee are on my shipping page. Never release fish or plants into local water, and ask your state wildlife agency about local rules.
Common questions
Can you ship live medaka to Ohio?
Yes, from Raleigh, North Carolina, by UPS 2nd Day Air on Mondays, with a live arrival guarantee.
Can medaka live outside all year in Ohio?
Sometimes, in a large, deep container. Colder areas are safer with an indoor winter home.