Terms & Community Guidelines

Eligibility

• You must be at least 13 years old to create an account (16+ in the EU/UK).
• Participation in the For Sale marketplace (buying, selling, trading) is restricted to members who are 18 years or older. By posting or transacting in For Sale you confirm you meet this age requirement.
• You agree to provide accurate information when signing up and to keep your account info current.
• One account per person. Sock-puppet or alt accounts used to evade bans, manipulate votes, or harass others will be removed.

Conduct

We encourage the beneficial exchange of information, ideas, and opinions, done respectfully and thoughtfully. Debate and disagreement is fine; making it personal is not.

• No harassment, name-calling, or hate speech. Threats, doxxing, and stalking are an instant ban.
• No trolling or cyber-bullying, including using emoji reactions (“laughing”, etc.) to mock or ridicule other members.
• No profanity, vulgarity, or attempts to evade filters with punctuation tricks.
• No political rants. Political statements, debates, or campaigning aren't the point of this site - keep them somewhere else.
• No airing grievances or stoking mob behavior against other members. If you have a conflict, try a DM first, then use the ⚑ report button.
• Abuse toward admins or moderators may result in immediate suspension.

Posting

• Stay on topic. Post threads in the right forum. If you're not sure, Beginner Help is a fine catch-all.
• Search first. Common questions usually have several existing answers. New threads are great too if you can't find one.
• No spam. Brand reps are welcome to participate as community members. One-line product plugs, drop-ship arbitrage threads, and crypto/giveaway scams are removed on sight.
• No AI-generated walls of text. Share what you actually know.
• You own what you post. By posting, you grant us a non-exclusive license to display your content on the site. You can delete your own content any time.

Prohibited content

• Adult, sexually explicit, or obscene content - including links to it.
• Anything illegal, including discussion of how to obtain or transport illegal species, doctored documentation, or fraudulent listings.
• Copyrighted material you don't own or have permission to post - including entire articles, photos taken by others, or paid newsletters - even with attribution.
• Personal information about other people (real name, address, phone, employer, etc.) without their explicit permission.

For Sale rules

• 25-post minimum for hobbyists. The For Sale board unlocks after 25 community posts (threads, replies, build updates, etc.) so it stays a reefers-only zone.
• Marketplace participation requires age 18+. See Eligibility above.
• Verified commercial accounts. Two tags exist: 🏪 LFS for local fish stores (brick-and-mortar shops, coral farms, frag-trip outfits), and SPONSOR for online vendors, brand reps, and other commercial accounts that aren't a local shop. Both bypass the 25-post For Sale wait, both must disclose any business relationship in their listings, and both are free - DM an admin to apply. Non-verified commercial activity outside the For Sale forum or the dedicated #Local Fish Stores board (including via DMs or photo content) is not allowed.
• Local Fish Stores board. LFS accounts get a free, dedicated #Local Fish Stores board to post arrivals, sales, and events. No fee, no quota. See that board's pinned welcome thread for what to post + how to get verified.
• For Sale / Want to Buy threads belong only in For Sale. Commercial-looking threads posted in other forums will be removed.
• List a firm asking price on every listing. “Make me an offer” threads will be removed.
• Be honest. Accurate descriptions, real photos taken by you, fair prices. No doctored photos, stock images, or misrepresented goods.
• City + state only. Never share a full address in a public listing. Coordinate pickup over private message.
• Public comments for questions, private messages for offers and pickup logistics. Keeps the public Q&A useful for the next buyer.
• Don't flip wild-caught species. Captive-bred only for the major fish; coral fragging is welcome.
• Mark items sold once they're gone so listings stay relevant.

Payment safety

• Never send payment as a gift. Sellers may not ask buyers to use PayPal Friends & Family, Venmo (which has no buyer protection on personal transfers), Western Union, Zelle, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. These methods leave the buyer with no recourse if the deal goes bad. Sellers found requesting gift-style payments may lose selling privileges.
• Prefer payment methods with buyer protection - PayPal Goods & Services, credit card via a Stripe-style invoice, or in-person cash at local pickup.
• When shipping, use a tracked, insured method and provide the buyer the tracking number.
• The site itself never sees or handles payment. See the marketplace disclaimer below.

Marketplace disclaimer

The For Sale board connects hobbyists. We don't broker, verify, or guarantee any transaction. Buyers and sellers arrange payment and delivery directly between themselves; we never see the money. If a frag arrives dead, a fish bag leaks, or a seller ghosts you, that's between the two parties. We'll remove listings that violate the rules above and ban accounts that scam, but we can't recover funds for you. Use common sense, follow the payment safety rules, and ask for fresh photos before sending money.

Contest photo requirements

• Photos must be of your own entry frag, taken under your own lights. No stock images.
• Include a date marker (a small piece of paper with the date, or a recognizable scale reference) in milestone photos.
• One update per scheduled photo round. Hosts may DQ entries with missing or fabricated photos.

Disputes & blocking

• Try a private message first. Most marketplace and forum conflicts resolve faster one-on-one.
• If that doesn't work, use the ⚑ report button on the offending content.
• Blocking stops new messages from a user; threads they've already posted stay visible.

Moderation & account termination

Reports go to a queue admins review. We respond to violations using a ladder, escalating based on severity and history:

1. Warning - a private note from an admin explaining what needs to change.
2. Content removal - the offending post, listing, or media is deleted, with a brief public note.
3. Feature suspension - loss of For Sale, contest, or media-upload privileges for a period.
4. Account suspension - temporary lockout of the account.
5. Account termination - permanent ban. The email address is blocked from re-signing up. Marketplace scams, doxxing, and harassment skip the ladder and go straight here.

You may also delete your own account at any time - see the Privacy Policy for the process. If you disagree with a moderation action, DM an admin and we'll review it.

No warranty for advice

Reefkeeping involves saltwater, live animals, expensive equipment, and electricity, often in the same room. Content posted on this site is peer advice from fellow hobbyists, not professional veterinary, chemistry, or electrical guidance. We make no warranty that anything you read here is accurate, complete, or safe for your specific tank. You use the information at your own risk. When in doubt, consult a qualified professional. The site, its operators, and members are not liable for losses to livestock, equipment, or property resulting from advice posted here.

Copyright & DMCA

Don't post photos, articles, or other material you don't have the rights to. You may not post entire articles or news stories from other sites, even with attribution - quote a short excerpt and link to the source instead. If you believe content on the site infringes your copyright, send a DMCA-style notice to the address listed in Contact with: a description of the work, the URL of the infringing content, your contact info, and a good-faith statement of ownership. We'll remove infringing content promptly and notify the user who posted it.

Changes

We may revise these rules from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top reflects the most recent change. Material changes will be announced on the site, and we may ask you to re-agree before continuing to post.