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Evidence Guide: ACMCAS305A - Maintain aquascapes and aquatic animals

Student: __________________________________________________

Signature: _________________________________________________

Tips for gathering evidence to demonstrate your skills

The important thing to remember when gathering evidence is that the more evidence the better - that is, the more evidence you gather to demonstrate your skills, the more confident an assessor can be that you have learned the skills not just at one point in time, but are continuing to apply and develop those skills (as opposed to just learning for the test!). Furthermore, one piece of evidence that you collect will not usualy demonstrate all the required criteria for a unit of competency, whereas multiple overlapping pieces of evidence will usually do the trick!

From the Wiki University

 

ACMCAS305A - Maintain aquascapes and aquatic animals

What evidence can you provide to prove your understanding of each of the following citeria?

Follow effective personal health management practices

  1. Personal hygiene and cleanliness standards are maintained in accordance with occupational health and safety (OHS) and organisational policies and procedures.
  2. Disease agents and their impact on aquatic animals are identified.
  3. Work practices are implemented to protect oneself from, and minimise spread of, zoonotic diseases.
Personal hygiene and cleanliness standards are maintained in accordance with occupational health and safety (OHS) and organisational policies and procedures.

Completed
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Disease agents and their impact on aquatic animals are identified.

Completed
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Work practices are implemented to protect oneself from, and minimise spread of, zoonotic diseases.

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Identify unhealthy aquatic animals

  1. Unhealthy aquatic animals are identified and information is recorded in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.
  2. Injured aquatic animals are recognised and reported to supervisors.
  3. Aquatic animal abnormal behaviour and condition are recognised and reported to supervisors.
  4. Records for unhealthy aquatic animals are maintained in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.
Unhealthy aquatic animals are identified and information is recorded in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.

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Injured aquatic animals are recognised and reported to supervisors.

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Aquatic animal abnormal behaviour and condition are recognised and reported to supervisors.

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Records for unhealthy aquatic animals are maintained in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.

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Sample, analyse and adjust aquascape water quality

  1. Water samples are collected using correct equipment, in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.
  2. Samples are tested using appropriate equipment in accordance with manufacturers' directions.
  3. Sampling results are recorded in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.
  4. Water quality is adjusted to better suit the requirements of the aquascape and species.
  5. Optimum water quality records for the aquascape and species are maintained in accordance with industry requirements.
Water samples are collected using correct equipment, in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.

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Samples are tested using appropriate equipment in accordance with manufacturers' directions.

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Sampling results are recorded in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.

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Water quality is adjusted to better suit the requirements of the aquascape and species.

Completed
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Optimum water quality records for the aquascape and species are maintained in accordance with industry requirements.

Completed
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Administer aquatic animal treatments

  1. Broad categories of parasitic infestations and/or viral, fungal and bacterial diseases are identified.
  2. Appropriate and authorised aquatic animal treatments are administered in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.
  3. Preventative medicine programs for internal and external parasites are implemented in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.
  4. Treatments and medicines are correctly stored in accordance with organisational policies and procedures and legislative requirements.
  5. Records for treatments and medicine programs are maintained in accordance with organisational policies and procedures and legislative requirements.
Broad categories of parasitic infestations and/or viral, fungal and bacterial diseases are identified.

Completed
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Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appropriate and authorised aquatic animal treatments are administered in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.

Completed
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Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preventative medicine programs for internal and external parasites are implemented in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.

Completed
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Treatments and medicines are correctly stored in accordance with organisational policies and procedures and legislative requirements.

Completed
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Records for treatments and medicine programs are maintained in accordance with organisational policies and procedures and legislative requirements.

Completed
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Assessed

Teacher: ___________________________________ Date: _________

Signature: ________________________________________________

Comments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions to Assessors

Evidence Guide

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

The evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:

monitor and maintain effective aquatic animal health-management practices in accordance with organisational policies and procedures

comply with relevant legislation, regulations and codes of practice, including animal welfare and OHS

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 and adjust water quality to suit the aquascape and species requirements as required

maintain records and required documentation.

The skills and knowledge required to maintain aquascapes and aquatic animals must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment of this unit is to be practical in nature and will most appropriately be assessed in an aquaria services workplace or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions.

There must be access to a range of aquatic animal breeds and species as well as the appropriate equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.

Method of assessment

To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

The assessment strategy must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are:

written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge

observed, documented and first-hand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks

simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions

third-party evidence

workplace documentation

portfolio.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

Required Skills and Knowledge

Required skills

adjust water quality and conditions to suit aquascape and species requirements

administer appropriate and authorised aquatic animal treatments

apply organisation policies, procedures and requirements

complete relevant work-related documents

employ safe and environmentally responsible organisational systems and procedures when working with and handling aquatic animals

maintain the highest standards of hygiene and infection control at all times to reduce the risk of infection and cross-infection

recognise behaviours and conditions that could be indicative of possible aquatic animal health problems

literacy skills to read and follow organisation policies and procedures, including OHS and waste management procedures and other organisational policies and procedures; follow sequenced written instructions including treatment instructions; record accurately and legibly information collected; and select and apply procedures to a range of defined tasks

oral communication skills/language to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation, including questioning techniques, active listening, asking for clarification and consulting with supervisors

numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine workplace measures and treatment doses

interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities

problem-solving skills to use available resources and prioritise daily tasks

use safe manual handling techniques and/or equipment

use safe waste handling and disposal procedures.

Required knowledge

appropriate and authorised aquatic animal treatments

basic aquatic animal biology

broad categories of parasitic infestations and/or viral, fungal and bacterial diseases

general maintenance and cleaning of aquaria

normal and abnormal behaviour of aquatic species

organisation policies, procedures and requirements, including OHS and emergency procedures

preventative medicine programs for internal and external parasites

principles of animal welfare and ethics

relevant OHS and animal welfare legislative requirements and codes of practice, including environmental regulations

relevant recordkeeping systems

safe aquatic animal handling techniques and procedures

safe work practices

signs of common aquatic animal diseases and parasitic infestations and their transmission between aquatic animals

water quality adjustment procedures, including water chemistry

water sampling, testing and analysis procedures and techniques

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

workplace hygiene standards, disinfectants, cleaning agents, cleaning techniques and cleaning equipment and materials

zoonotic diseases.

Range Statement

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

OHS risks when handling animals may include:

animal bites, envenomation, kicks, scratches and crush injuries

biological hazardous waste and sharps disposal

handling of chemicals and medicines

gas leakage

inhalation of aerosol particles

intraocular contamination

manual handling, including carrying, lifting and shifting

needle pricks and cuts from other sharps

release of infective agents (animal and human)

slippery or uneven work surfaces

zoonoses.

Disease agents may include:

infectious disease agents:

bacteria

fungi

internal and external parasites

virus

non-infectious disease agents:

allergies

chemical toxicities

metabolic

neoplastic

nutritional

physical trauma.

Zoonotic diseases may include:

bacterial and endo-parasites (e.g. protozoa)

different types of salmonella infections.

Signs of unhealthy or injured animals may include:

abnormal faeces colour, texture quantity

blisters or other skin lesions, dead or peeling skin

clamping of fins and tail with presence of blood streaks

difficulty breathing

difficulty in sloughing old skins

irregular colouration on shell

loss of righting behaviour

one or both eyes protruding

presence of parasites on skin surface or trailing from body cavities

swelling

wounds.

Signs of abnormal behaviour may include:

aggression or docility (depending on animal)

inappetence

lethargy.

Water sampling tests and analysis may include:

ammonia

calcium

hardness

pH

salinity

temperature.

Water quality adjustment may involve:

correcting chemical imbalances

partial water change

raising or lowering of pH or hardness.

Parasitic infestations may include:

anchor worm

fish lice

flukes

parasitic protozoa.

Viral, fungal and bacterial diseases may include:

body fungus

dropsy

fin and tail rot

mouth fungus.

Aquatic animal treatments may be administered via:

dips and bathes

food and water preparations

liquids

pastes

soluble powers

tablet

topical applications.

Preventative medicine programs may include:

anti-parasitic water treatments

food preparations.