Aquatic animal health professional
Also known as: aquatic animal health consultant, aquatic animal health specialist, aquatic animals health professional, aquatic animals health specialist, aquaculture health adviser, aquaculture health specialist
About this occupation
Aquatic animal health professionals diagnose, prevent and treat diseases, injuries and dysfunctions of aquatic animals by implementing appropriate sampling protocols. They supervise the use of medicines, including vaccines, and collect data on fish health, making regular reports to the appropriate personnel. They may provide care to a wide range of aquatic animals or specialise in the treatment of a particular group or in a particular speciality area. They may provide advice, support and training to farm staff on best practice with regard to the health and welfare of the cultured organisms.
Essential skills and knowledge
- use specialised equipment
- preserve fish samples for diagnosis
- diagnose aquatic animals disease symptoms
- molecular biology
- microbiology-bacteriology
- send biological samples to laboratory
- perform scientific research
- aquatic species
- gather experimental data
- conduct fish populations studies
- implement scientific decision making in healthcare
- fish identification and classification
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Veterinarians (O*NET 29-1131.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
- Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper.
- Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.
- Collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis.
- Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic or ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images.
- Educate the public about diseases that can be spread from animals to humans.
- Typical education (US)
- Doctoral Degree
- Preparation
- Job Zone 5 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Investigative, Conventional
Top skills: Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Active Learning, Speaking, Science, Critical Thinking
US median pay: US$130,100 a year (2025), 83,900 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- BiologyO*NET: BiologyExtremely important (4.7)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.3)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsVery important (3.7)
- ChemistryO*NET: ChemistryImportant (3.4)
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.3)
- Environmental ScienceO*NET: Biology + GeographyImportant (3.2)
- PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Doctoral Degree
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
- Allergists and Immunologists
- Physicians, Pathologists
- Emergency Medicine Physicians
- Dermatologists
- General Internal Medicine Physicians
- Urologists
- Pediatricians, General
- Preventive Medicine Physicians
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.