Decapitation As Euthanasia

[arienette]

I need to euthanize my betta. I think he is slowly suffocating due to a illness/disease. He lays gasping on the bottom of the tank, and then will quickly dart to the surface and frantically swim with his mouth out of the water for a minute until he tires. This has been going on since last night, but he hadn't been eating for a while before (a week). I did try treating him for two days with BettaFix, but I think it's come to the point where I must put him out of his misery.

Would decapitation be appropriate? I've never euthanized a fish (or anything else, for that matter) and freezing seems to be too long of a "torture" (and some don't recommend it.) I know I must be swift if I do it (and not hesitant) both things I can do. However, how hard would decapitation be in practice? Any advice on other methods/advice on ensuring the success (no pain) with this procedure?

Thank you,
Andrea

 

[Phoenixbaby]

ok have u actually found out what is wrong with him?

How old is he?

 

[arienette]

I don't know what is wrong...the lack of appetite and this frantic swimming are his two symptoms (physically, loss of color--yellow--but that's basically it.) Any ideas?

I bought him in July 2007, so he's probably a little under a year and a half.

 

[Phoenixbaby]

post this in the emergencies section

maybe its better to try get a diagnostic, and treat him, rather than just kill him

 

[dusky]

If you realy realy have to do it I read that icey cold water will do it instantly. But as Phoneix says try and get some help with diagnostics first. I didn't think Jaffa would live but with lots of care and meds he did and is just wonderful now. Try lowering the water so he hasn't got too far to get to the top and have alot of plants he can rest up near the top in if you haven't already. Internal meds,,,worth a try. Lots and lots of luck, i soooo hope he pulls through for you.

 

[newfishy]

what I would do right now is change his water and see if that helps. try lowering the water level to only 2 or 3 inches or 1-2 inches if you dont have a heater and post in the emergency section.

how long have you personaly had the fish? if he was a year or a year and a half already and you have had him a while it could just be his time.

but try and see what some other people on the emergency section think, wilder and a few other people helped me get two little girl bettas healthy and happy when they didnt even have the strenght to swim, they crawled on the floor using their fins to drag themselfs.

but yes decapitation done very swiftly is a humane way to go.

 

[SJ2K]

I wouldnt decapitate, its too easy to mess up and do slowly. Personly i prefer to sever the spine with a fine, rigid tool.

 

[arienette]

Thanks everyone,

I've had him since July 2007, was factoring in the wait at the pet store. I did a water change yesterday, and will today again. I will lower the water level, too. I would rather try to fight this with him, and I didn't think to lower it before. Best to exhaust all other treatment options. The emergency/disease treatment section--I didn't see one. Could someone post a link to it? (Is it specific to betta fish, or general?) I probably won't decapitate if it comes to it, as I will access him tomorrow and find a chemical means (clove oil?) if he looks worse.

 

[dusky]

Have you got any internal anti bacteria med you can start him on immediatly?

 

[LauraFrog]

If the worst comes to the worst, clove oil is the best. Put a drop of it with some water into a small container with a sealable lid, shake it hard. Empty this mix into a cup full of water and let it sit for a minute. Drop the betta in. It takes a few minutes to work but he will feel nothing. People use it at lower doses for anaesthesia and the fish wake up. At this concentration, shortly after he goes to sleep he stops breathing. Chlorbutol/chlorotone is even better, but it's a restricted substance and impossible to get hold of. I've been trying to find some for years, because clove oil is unsuitable for anaesthesia of frogs/tadpoles, chlorbutol works.

 

[Amunet]

I've had to euthanize 2 bettas and I used the icey water method.
I dunno if it was the most humane way though b/c even though they died quickly, watching them panic in the cup before they did die just... I dunno it just left a mark on me and I'll never forget it.

It was the only way I could do it though b/c decapitating just seems so brutal and I couldn't even imagine doing that.
I would definitely do the clove oil thing if I had it though.

 

[LauraFrog]

You can buy clove oil at a chemist (us: drugstore) over the counter. It's about $10 for a small bottle. It's very useful because you can use it to anaesthetise fish as well as kill them - if your fish has a cut or a tumour or something and you can't see it clearly or get a good photo of it, you can knock it out to get a good look. Same method as above, but put the clove oil solution into 2.5 cups of water. The fish can be left under for three minutes maximum. It sometimes takes them five minutes or more to revive when placed in clean water but I've never had one die under anaesthesia unless left in the solution too long. Again, chlorbutol is better but if I had it I wouldn't be wasting it on fish when clove oil is safe and humane.
You don't have to actually cut the head off a fish, you can cut down hard just behind the head and as long as the spinal cord is severed the fish will be dead. I personally don't think I could do it either, especially watching my dead fish jumping all over the bench. Gross. I'm too sentimental. I've had to put down fish, disturbingly often, but I always use clove oil. I've never tried ice, because even if it is humane, it's not going to be as good as clove oil and I won't let my fish suffer for the sake of an experiment.

 

[ryanp15]

If I ever euthanise fish, mostly ill very young fry, or deformed fy) i put them in a small amount of water in a bag, and then put them in the freezer. I've been told that this method slowly shuts they body down and sends them to sleep, eventually dying.

 

[dusky]

Anyway,,,,,how is he doing??

 

[devon_charm]

OK some of these posts have made me feel almost sick, but then i guess its down to being given the correct info on the matter.

Any way how is he?