The welfare of ornamental fish kept in aquariums or ponds has historically been taken for granted by fish keepers, the ornamental fish industry and animal welfare organisations. This is attributed to the low cost of many ornamental fish, lack of reliable information about their health care, or a perceived lack of veterinarians with skills in aquatic animal health. Moreover, it is not uncommon for our veterinary colleagues to refer potential fish clients to fish stores or pet stores, as had been done in the past with less commonly seen species like birds and ‘pocket pets’. Slowly, veterinary surgeons and veterinary organisations are increasingly becoming involved in aquatic veterinary medicine to help improve the welfare of pet fish. This article presents the current status of ornamental fish welfare, the issues and their causes, and provides further sources of information.

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Many commonly used veterinary anaesthetics for small animals can also be used with pet fish. Treating tropical aquarium fish is not as hard as one might think, and tranquilising them prior to handling them for physical examinations and diagnostic tests makes the process easier. A number of surgical procedures have been performed on anaesthetised fish, especially with large species such as koi or fish on display in a public aquarium. Anaesthetising the fish prior to any surgical procedure is essential. Euthanasia of aquarium fish is sometimes necessary, and using an overdose of anaesthetic agents can make this process quick and painless. Anaesthetic agents can be added to the water, given orally or injected into the fish. This paper reviews the drugs, dosages and routes of administration used for tranquilisation, anaesthesia and euthanasia in aquatic veterinary medicine.