Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range of Variables explains the range of contexts within which the performance and knowledge requirements of this unit may be assessed. The scope of variables chosen in training and assessment may depend on the work contexts.

What type of OHS issues would be relevant in this context?
Animal care for aquatic animals has a range of associated risks from bites, envenomation and scratches. All duties should reflect an awareness of and a respect for these risks.
The handling of chemicals and medical treatments requires extra care to ensure safe work practices are maintained.
Safe work practices are used in packaging and handling loads, including aquatic animals and equipment. Appropriate safe handling techniques are used to reduce muscle load on exertion.
Some aquatic animal facilities may expose personnel to risks such as zoonoses, release of infective agents (both animal and human) and chemical spillage. One should take responsibility for ensuring own tests and vaccinations are current.
Procedures to reduce the spread of disease may include incident reporting, cleaning, the removal of waste and spillage, the containment or elimination of risk, the use of personal protective clothing and equipment and seeking advice from supervisors.

What are examples of disease agents?
Infectious disease agents may include bacteria, virus, fungi and internal and external parasites.
Non-infectious disease agents may include nutritional, neoplastic, physical trauma, chemical toxicities, genetic, metabolic and allergies.

What are examples of zoonotic diseases?
Zoonotic diseases may include bacterial diseases and endoparasites such as protozoa and different types of salmonella.

What does the term aquatic animals refer to?
Aquatic animals include fish, amphibians and some reptiles.

What are possible aquatic animal injuries?
Possible aquatic animal injuries may include damaged fins and scales, open sores, bruising, cuts and abrasions.

What may be regarded as abnormal behaviour?
Abnormal behaviour in aquatic animals may include aggression or docility, reaction to humans and behaviour beyond the animal's normal range.

What sort of tests may be carried out on water samples?
Water sampling tests may include pH, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, salinity, calcium and hardness.

What is involved in adjusting water quality?
Adjusting water quality may involve partial water change, raising or lowering of pH or hardness and correcting chemical imbalances.

What are examples of parasitic infestations?
Common parasitic infestations may include fish lice, anchor worm, flukes and parasitic protozoa.

What are examples of viral, fungal and bacterial diseases?
Common viral, fungal and bacterial diseases may include dropsy, mouth fungus, fin and tail rot and body fungus.

How might aquatic animal treatments be administered?
Aquatic animal treatments might be administered via tablets, liquids, pastes, topical applications, soluble powders, dips and bathes and food and water preparations.

What are examples of preventative medicine programs?
Preventative programs may include anti-parasitic water treatments and food preparations.

Where could treatments and medicines be stored?
Treatments and medicines could be stored in a place that keeps them at a specific temperature, in a refrigerator or securely under lock and key.

What are the critical aspects of evidence required for this unit of competency as a whole?
The critical requirements that are valuable for this unit of competency as a whole are listed below.

Assessment must confirm one's ability to:

practise effective aquatic animal health-management practices
identify aquatic animals showing signs of poor health, injuries or abnormal behaviour
administer authorised aquatic animal treatments and implement preventative medicine programs
collect and test water samples
maintain accurate records
communicate effectively with supervisors
adjust water quality to suit the aquascape and species requirements.

What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this unit in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this unit of competency are listed below and include:

organisational policies and procedures, including OHS
relevant legislation and codes of practice
normal and abnormal behaviour for aquatic species
zoonotic diseases
signs and symptoms of common aquatic animal diseases and parasitic infestations and their transmission between aquatic animals
protocols for hazard identification and risk minimisation
water sampling, testing and analysis procedures and techniques
water quality adjustment procedures, including water chemistry
working knowledge of ideal water conditions and quality for a range of aquatic animals including pH, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, salinity, calcium and hardness
working knowledge of chemicals used to correct water conditions and the water quality of aquascapes.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, some complementary skills are required. These skills include:

ability to apply organisational policies and procedures
ability to identify obvious signs of poor health and injury in aquatic animals
ability to differentiate between critical and non-critical incidents
ability to collect and test water samples
ability to correctly use equipment for collecting and testing water samples
ability to adjust water quality and conditions to suit aquascape and species requirements
ability to recognise behaviours and conditions that could be indicative of possible aquatic animal health problems
literacy skills to read and implement organisational policies and procedures, including OHS and waste management; follow treatment instructions; record accurately and legibly information collected; and select and apply procedures to a range of defined tasks
interpersonal skills to work with and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds
oral communication skills / language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the institution, including questioning techniques, active listening, asking for clarification from supervisors and consulting with supervisors
numeracy skills to complete arithmetic calculations and measure doses
problem-solving skills to use available resources and prioritise daily tasks.

What are the specific resource implications for this unit of competency?
For valid assessment, one
appropriate aquatic animal workplace
access to equipment and / or resources normally used in the workplace
a range of aquascapes and aquatic animals typically found in the workplace
organisational policies and procedures, including OHS
a range of aquatic animal treatments and medicines
materials and equipment to collect, test and analyse water samples
materials and equipment to administer treatments and medicines
records of treatments and information.

What considerations should there be for consistency in performance?
To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities and, where possible, over a number of assessment activities.
The skills and knowledge required to

What considerations should there be for context of assessment?
Assessment for this unit of competency is to be largely practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in an aquatic animal workplace or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions.
There must be access in this situation to the appropriate equipment and / or resources to enable one to demonstrate competency.

Are there other units of competency that could be assessed with this one?
This unit of competency

There are a number of processes that are learnt throughout work and life which are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work functions. Some of these are covered by the key competencies, although others may be added. The questions below highlight how these processes are applied in this unit of competency. Following each question a number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency needs to be demonstrated where 0 = not required, 1 = perform the process, 2 = perform and administer the process and 3 = perform, administer and design the process.
Communicating ideas and information
Through discussion with supervisors and team members about aquatic animal health and behaviour. (2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
By assessing the health needs of aquatic animals based on the analysis of a range of information. (2)

Planning and organising activities
By developing and implementing treatments for a range of aquatic animals. (2)

Working with others and in teams
By working with others on agreed tasks. (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
By calculating dosages and administering treatments. (2)

Solving problems
By adjusting water quality and conditions to better suit the aquascape and species' requirements. (2)

Using technology
By using computer technology to store aquatic animal health records. (2)