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Club Auctions

WVAS auctions are restricted to items relating to the aquarium hobby. The following rules are intended to provide safety and consistency in the handling of auction items. Any item not conforming to these guidelines may be rejected and returned to the seller or donor.

Auction Rules & Procedures

  • One must be a member in good standing to sell or receive payment for auctioned items.

  • Guests AND members may purchase from auction. All guests require a visitor number in order to participate. (Non-members wishing to sell items in the auction must become a member.)

  • Each item entered must be appropriately labeled with the seller's member number, the name of the item (the scientific name of livestock, if available, is encouraged), and quantity. Livestock must be appropriately bagged. 

    • NOTE: PLEASE READ BELOW (bottom of this page) REGARDING OUR GUIDELINES FOR THE WELLBEING AND TREATMENT OF LIVESTOCK IN AUCTIONS​.

  • Sellers may place a minimum bid on any item. Please clearly indicate your desired minimum bid, if you choose to include one, on the bag and/or label of the item you are auctioning. 

  • Please have your member number ready before you bid. It can be difficult to look up member numbers in the middle of auctions and this process slows the auction down. You are welcome to ask a board member (before the auction, please!) to look up your member number if you don't remember what it is. 

  • Each member may enter up to 10 items into the auction, and no more than 3 of any one item.  (There are no quantity limits for donated items.) 

    • NOTE: This does not count individual livestock or plants within bags. For example, please do not bring more than three bags which EACH contain five guppies, though in this example case, 15 total guppies in three individual bags is ok. 

  • When purchasing an item during auction, please leave your hand raised until the dollar amount exceeds the amount that you are willing to pay. The individual with their hand up last/longest will win the auction. 

  • If there are multiple entries of the exact same item from the same seller, the winning bidder has the option to purchase the lot of the items. Otherwise, the next highest bidder has the option to purchase some or more of the items, etc. 

  • Any item purchased by a guest will be held by the cashier/officers until payment is made.

  • 25% of the proceeds for each item auctioned goes to the club. Members earn the remaining 75% and earnings will be paid out at the end of the auction. 

  • 100% of all proceeds from donated items goes to the club.

  • ALL cashing out of items is done exclusively at the end of the auction (extenuating circumstances are excused.)

  • Any items that do not sell must be returned to the seller. All sellers must reclaim any unsold items at the end of the auction. Please do not abandon unsold items.  

Auction Livestock Wellbeing (BAGGING)

  • DO NOT use Ziploc bags when bagging fish. Please plan ahead if you decide to bring live animals for auction. Fish bags can be purchased at any aquarium store, pet store, or online (i.e. Amazon.com)​

  • Please double bag all fish with a ratio of â…” air, â…“ water (unless using breather bags). 

  • DO NOT BRING SICK LIVESTOCK.

    • NOTE: If a fish (or any other living livestock) is damaged/special needs/etc. (but not actively sick) in any way (i.e. missing an eye) please note as such on the bag. 

  • Bag aggressive fish in individual bags. Any fish that can’t safely be bagged must be in a suitable/safe/leak-proof container. 

  • Please bring heat packs/cool packs/coolers, as appropriate, for any livestock with strict temperature requirements. 

  • Including care instructions to be sent home with the buyer is encouraged, especially for any livestock which are uncommon in the hobby. 

  • The Club will have appropriate bags available at .25 cents each, if needed, because sometimes bags break or other accidents happen.

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