He suggested that because of new FDA regulations, few, maybe no, antibiotics would be sold in pet shops as of 2005. Why had nothing to do with our often cavalier use of these medicines (which helps a lot of bacteria to become resistant to so many medicines.)

Neither did it have to do with the tendancy (in the U.S., maybe elsewhere) for some food industries just mix antibioltics in animal feed rather than injecting the animals.) Most of that stuff just gets passed through the animal's system and into the environment.

The given reasons, according to my informant, included incidents where people (maybe without insurance) were buying fish medicines for their own uses! Also, some people were actually found to be eating pet fishes which had grown too big for their facilities. That may stop the sale of medicated foods even sooner since some companies may not want liability suits based on what these guys are eating!

Signs of the times economically?

Ironically the shop guy thought the old time medicines with salt, dyes and metals would remain!

This does suggest that we as aquarists will want to refine what we do in terms of caring for our fish. It also means we need to examine what "holistic" things like Melafix and also what anthelmics can do.

I suppose for some people, they may want to hoard medicines. Some people wonder
about "freshness dates" on what is is the shops now. Don't know what those items would be like in the future.

Can you see the day when we would have to go to a vet for a Kanamycin prescription? There are a couple of items fish people have to get from a doctor now.

Don't know if this will necessarilly make the hobby less than it is. Too many times some fish
keepers make flash judgements and medicate in such a way as the fish are even worse off than they were. :(