Why do people suggest I take my fish to a vet?

Question

I mean... how on earth are you supposed to get the fish to the vet in the first place, and what can a vet do for something immersed in water. You can't hold a fish in place. The only kind of marine animals that could be helped by a vet are much larger than anything anyone would have in a tank!

Every time I ask a question about a sick fish, at least one person says I should take it to the vet.

How stupid can these people be?

Answer 1

Yes there is such thing as a fish vet.200 fish vets across the U.S. who see about two fish per week on average.

The vast majority of fish treated by veterinarians used to be the fancy tropical varieties, but vets are now treating the $1 goldfish brought home from a child's birthday party or won at the county fair. When a pet fish gets sick, concerned pet owners are discovering that top-notch help is available.

Veterinarians remove tumors, use pins to repair broken fins, give CAT scans, implant glass eyes and even embed cork into the backs of fish to solve swimming problems. Costs for surgery can range from $75 to $1,000. X-rays cost $85, a CAT scan is about $300, and an MRI can cost up to $1,200.

However, I doubt that those who recommed you to take a fish to the vet realize that there actually fish vets. They are just people who want the 2 points for answering.

Answer 2

Assuming you find the right vet it's a valid thing to do. A very small number of vets are trained (or are self taught as part of a hobby) to treat pets such as fish, spiders, snakes, and the like. They do have access to meds you will not find in a fish store. They can diagnose diseases better, and target it with the right meds.

That said I'm not sure how the average person asking on here would find such a vet. Also we are talking hundreds of dollars for fish that cost maybe $10. Lastly it's questionable the that the success rate would be much higher than going it alone. Assuming one chose a valid treatment your chances might be higher as transporting the fish would be rather stressful.

Answer 3

I think the real question is why do you think your fish are sick? Are they valuable enough to take to a vet, or easier to replace? If it's something like fish ick, there are drops you can put in the water. You might also want to make sure the tank is clean, the filter is clean, you have enough oxygen in the water, and if it's a tropical tank, make sure the temperature isn't too hot or too cold. You can put fish in baggies to transport them (or to clean the tanks), but call your vet before wasting a trip.

Answer 4

i saw on animal planet once where someone took a koi to the vet. those can be expensive fish though. for just a pet store fish, i don't see the need for a vet.

Answer 5

When you are ill you do not carry your home to the doctor's office,likewise you do not carry the aquarium to the vet, you remove the fish from the tank, place in a container a take it to the vet.......

Answer 6

luckegurl_13 nailed it. While there are fish vets, the majority of them are employed by Tyson Foods (the largest producer of catfish in the US) or by large Salmon farms in Canada and Alaska. People that are saying that simply want two points and to try to sound important.

Answer 7

you can take fish to the vet but come on, its not worth it. you can find a good remidy by going to your local petshop owner and describing the symptoms. they should be able to help you.

Answer 8

I have to agree. I've never heard of that either. Are there really "fish vets?"

Answer 9

A simple rule...
if the fish costs $10000000, you take it to the vet, if u win it at the fair u let it die. u ask the guy at the fish store if you hav suspisions, and he tells u watsup. its a fish. who cares? DONT TAKE IT TO THE VET. i dont wanna sound lik a heartless, animal killer, but fish dont really get sick anyway. (usually)

Answer 10

Dogs and cats go to the vet.

Fish go to the toilet.