November 2025

Did you know that the little seemingly lowly zebrafish can not only regenerate fins, but also its heart? Neither did I! Until I went to the annual meeting of the American Association of Fish Veterinarians in New York in mid October. Wait, you might not even know there is such a thing as a fish veterinarian, in the first place, yet, there is. There are over 127,000 veterinarians in the US, and about 300 certified fish vets worldwide, of which I am one!

I always thought I would be a horse vet, but in 2005 I was introduced to the world of koi ponds by a landscaper. As a veterinarian, and an animal lover, I knew nothing about fish, but I could see tumors, and torn fins on some of the fish in the ponds in the yards of million dollar homes in Cherry Creek. When I asked what happens to these animals when they need help, my question was met with a shrug and “I don’t know, get new fish”, which did not sit well with me.
Thus began my journey into fish medicine, traveling around the country at my own expense to pick up a few hours of fish classes here and there so I could begin to master the basics of fish medicine.
In 2012 I was hired by the animal pharmaceutical company Novartis to be the lead veterinarian for their northern hemisphere aquatics division. I was in charge of bringing the first commercial vaccine for pet fish into the US. I traveled to Israel, where the vaccine was made, and Chilli, to learn more about virology in fish. Then I traveled across the US from coast to coast teaching veterinarians fish medicine and how to vaccinate koi.

In 2020, I was elected president of the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association, and over the years I have lectured many times at veterinary conferences sharing my experiences with other veterinarians and encouraging them to treat fish patients.

At my practice in Conifer we see several fish patients a week, and field phone calls from across the country from folks seeking help with their pet fish. We see everything from Koi and goldfish, to Axolotyls (and if you don’t know what they are, do an internet search, you are in for cuteness overload), betta’s (correctly pronounced bet-a, not bayta), cichlids, pufferfish (although very carefully), and one of my biggest accomplishments was surgery on a 3 gram tetra fish to remove a tumor that was about to overtake the little one’s eye. Yes, surgery.

One of my favorite things to do is ask people how many species of dogs are there. Go ahead, how many do you think? There is one. Great Danes and Chihuahuas are the same species. How about cats? Also one. Horses? You guessed it, one. Then, how many species of fish? Over 55,000 and counting! So being a fish vet is a far cry from being a ‘normal’ vet. It is challenging and rewarding, and some of my favorite clients are fishy folks. After all, if you have a person willing to spend a few hundred dollars to try to save the life of their little $10 fish, you know they are good people!

I am so blessed, grateful, and lucky to have fallen into the world of fish medicine. And the other thing I would say is, if I am good enough to be a fish vet, what do you think that says about me otherwise as a veterinarian? This has come up when I have been called upon to be an expert witness in court cases regarding both my credibility, and the conduct of other veterinarians.
So, if you, or anyone you know, has fish, next time please don’t call the local pet store to ask what to do. They are often just trying to sell you a bunch of over the counter remedies which will likely just weaken your fish and make actually diagnosing them that much more difficult.
So yes, we do have good veterinary care for fish, and entire 4 day conferences full of scientists, researchers, aquarists, and veterinarians, sharing their experiences, cases, and research projects, to continually push the boundaries of what is possible. From corals, which are animals and have their own unique needs and medical problems, to cow noses rays, sharks, and of course koi, fish vets to the rescue!

I like to say, I hope you never need me, but if you do, scientifically validated veterinary medicine is available for all the little fishes. And that included pain meds. Fish certainly feel pain and do not recover as well from painful issues without pain medication. So if you are a fisher person out there, please, please handle them with care, and don’t allow them to suffocate to death, because fish are valuable loved animals, too. Thanks for reading and I hope you think a little differently about fish!

DrQ and the Crew of the ResqRanch and Aspen Park Vet Hospital

P.S> Check out my YouTube channel for a daily "Good Morning!" from the rescues at the ResqRanch, along with lots of free pet tips and training resources. https://www.youtube.com/@the1drq

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