Eleven questions to ask your veterinarian about your pet fish
Taking your fish to a veterinarian? Here's a list of important questions to ask and discuss:
- What is the proper environment for my fish?
- Should this type of fish be housed singly or in a group?
- How often should I clean my tank or pond?
- What is the best way to test the water quality, how often should I test, and what exactly should I be testing for?
- How often should my fish be examined by a veterinarian?
- What should I feed my fish, how much, and how often?
- What nutritional or special treats can I give my fish?
- What fish diseases should I worry about, and what should I look for that would indicate my fish has a disease?
- Do I have to bring my fish to a clinic or can the veterinarian do house calls?
- Do you perform any of the more advanced procedures on fish, or would you refer me to another veterinarian/veterinary clinic?
- What precautions should I take to avoid zoonotic disease from my fish or their environment?
The AVMA would like to thank Raphael A. Malbrue, Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2014, for generating this document during his July 2012 externship at AVMA headquarters.