TAKING A FISH TO THE VETERINARIAN

Advise clients over the phone that:

• Fish hide the signs of disease as a natural reflex. Therefore any signs of illness or abnormal behaviour need immediate attention.

• Any fish displaying obvious signs of disease is often suffering from a life threatening condition.

• Some fish continue to eat right up to the point of death. Eating does not necessarily mean the fish is healthy.

• Most conditions cannot be diagnosed over the phone. As fish hide the signs of disease, further diagnostic tests may be needed at the time of consultation to establish a diagnosis.

Advise clients coming to the vet to bring:

• The fish in some of its tank water and bring a second equal amount of the tank water for water quality testing and for recovery of the fish if sedation is required.

• The fish in a container/bag that should have enough water for the fish to swim upright and also contains an airspace and/or have enriched oxygen in the water.

• When applicable, a dying fish to sacrifice for post-mortem examination prior to its death to check for diseases in the other remaining fish.

• All medications and supplements.

• Samples of all the fish’s food.

• Some fresh faeces from their other fish.

Advise the client to bring details of:

• Water volume, temperature and frequency of cleaning.

• Pumps and filters in the tank.

• Heating.

• Lighting.

• Water quality tests performed.

• Fish species, size, numbers and quarantine procedures.

• Food type, amount fed and storage.

• Medications used and frequency.

• History of new plants, rocks and fish in the tank.