Fish Vet?

[puddle_inc]

'm 14, so in a couple years i can start driving. i was thinking, would it be a cool idea to be a 'fish vet'?

not like with a building and an actual vet, but working as a puddle inc vet. where local people can call in if they have a sick fish or dying fish. or call if they need some advice or help.

i'm the only person i know that spends hours trying to save a sick fish. i even spent time trying to save a pond snail with a broken shell

yeah, i'm a freak. but if i really read about lots and lots of different type of fish and start getting lots of medicines and sea salt and stuff. and get loads of info on diseases and stuff, would it be a good idea?

not many people know how to save a fish or just a pet fish, and i know it won't bring in much money, and i wil be pretty cheap.

but it will help puddle inc, and do you think it would help the local fish? that people would actuaally call once they knowabout us and stuff?

please let me know what you think!

 

[pica_nuttalli]

unfortunately, most people are unwilling to pay more on meds than they paid for the original fish, much less pay "some kid" to come over and medicate. i would suggest developing a comprehensive webpage on the issue, but i'm pretty sure that there are several already in existence.

while i appreciate and sympathize with the sentiments behind this idea, i'd also like to point out that there are very serious legal ramifications to presenting yourself as a veteranarian or a doctor without actual licensing from the state. (i know that's not how you spell veteranarian, but did i get licensing right?) anyways, if you advertise yourself as a "fish vet", "fish doctor" or probably even if you just say "i heal fish for money", you could easily be held liable for fraud if someone hires you and their fish doesn't make it. heck, you might even be held guilty of fraud even if someone just reports you to the local authorities since you don't have any official training in medicine.

while i know it would be overkill, there are serious reasons that people aren't allowed to present themselves as healers unless they have legal permission to do so. and i would hate to see you be made a example of by your local gov't just because you want to help fish. (these sorts of things are also difficult to explain away when you start applying to colleges or for jobs.)

 

[puddle_inc]

i figured if i did it as an unofficial vet it wouldn't be a problem. i was just wondering. some people would ask for some help. and i would of been very cheap.


will it still be illegal to just give advice to people? like if there fish is having a problem they can call and ask? that shouldn't be a problem would it?


i didn't think it would work out. thanks for the info.

 

[vancouver]

Sounds pretty much like the emergency forum here... but way more difficult and time consuming.

 

[paulf]

i figured if i did it as an unofficial vet it wouldn't be a problem. i was just wondering. some people would ask for some help. and i would of been very cheap.


will it still be illegal to just give advice to people? like if there fish is having a problem they can call and ask? that shouldn't be a problem would it?


i didn't think it would work out. thanks for the info.

No offense, but I wouldnt let a teenager who is also some one i have never met anywhere near my fish....
Where are you based? as in the UK the way the laws are changing and clamping down on medications, it will be illegal to even advise on a forum on how to treat a fish unless you are qualified.

Below is a summary of one of the main laws that is effecting the UK with regards to meds and animals.

No copying and pasting it onto other forums or sites please as it is under copyright by me and I will find out one way or another
if you want a summary, please read the link at the bottom of the page and write your own

This is a summary of the understanding of the requirements of the Vetinary Medicines Directorate 2006(VMD2006 or VMD)... after enquiries about importing medicines that are legal in the EEC but not in the UK., e.g. metronidazole, praziquantel levasimol, flubenol 5% etc

It is illegal to own, use, or administer ( obtain, supply, give away) ANY restricted medication unless under the direct supervision of a vet or "qualified person"...such a person will be a specialist such as a fish health advisor on a fish farm etc

It is also illegal to use a prescribed, restricted or over the counter medication on any animal it is not approved or prescribed for. Using a pig wormer on fish is illegal, using metro prescribed for sheep on fish is illegal. and the penalties are very high. With the exception of vetinary supervision on non food animals where a degree of freedom in the choice of medicines is allowed.

Approval for use in any other country is not an acceptable argument, it must be approved in the UK under the VMD, even if it is legal in almost every country in the EU it must still be approved for use on the specified animals in the UK.

VMD lists such medications & places them in several categories. for fish keeping it falls into two, over the counter medications (i.e. we can buy it in a shop) & those requiring "access" either as a vet or qualified person (i.e. prescription medicines etc.) . For fish keeping purposes a med certified under the small animals exemption scheme such as brand x is considered an over the counter medication...ie it is a prescription medication but the specific packaging & approved use are exempt from the requirement to be used under supervision.

As far as advice goes, we would take the view that recommending a particular over the counter medication for treatment is ok, as long as the medication is approved for that animal, so advising octozin for HITH/spiro is OK as that is what it is marketed for. Suggesting someone gets hold of a product not approved but known to be effective (e.g. pig wormer) & use it for fish is in breach of the regulations. Should the octozin prove ineffective (staying with the above example) then advising Metro would not be a breach, as long as you also suggested seeing a vet for the medication, rather than picking some up next time you are in Spain for e.g.

Please also be aware that they are pursuing these regulations and are determined to prosecute those found in contravention of the requirements, not just the shopkeepers but the fish keepers too and regulaly look online to see what is being advertised and sold/used.

link to regulations http/www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2006/20062407.htm

 

[pica_nuttalli]

i figured if i did it as an unofficial vet it wouldn't be a problem. i was just wondering. some people would ask for some help. and i would of been very cheap.


will it still be illegal to just give advice to people? like if there fish is having a problem they can call and ask? that shouldn't be a problem would it?


i didn't think it would work out. thanks for the info.

i'm not saying that you can't informally help people, but (legally) there is no such thing as an "unofficial vet". perhaps you should think about creating a tank maintenance service. if you live in a prosperous area, then you could probably find a few people who'd pay you a couple of dollars to do a water change every couple of weeks.

or even better, see if you can't get a job in the fish department of your local Petsmart-type store. one of the biggest complaints around here is about LPS workers who know nothing about fish and give terrible advice. people with sick fish are much more likely to trust your advice as a LFS employee than as just some random kid who's posted up some flyers.