Like all other animals fish do get sick. But when they are sick and beyond treatment, what should you do? Is euthanasia right? I mean, we put dogs, cats and our other favourite animals down. Is it right to do it to our fishy friends? And if so how? I am more than willing to discuss this,I want to know what opinions are out there.
Fish Euthanasia
- Thread starter dmuddle
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Electric Warrior
Fishaholic
I think most people here choose to use clove oil, or if they have no absolute other choice, bag & brick. There are some people that talk about ice water/freezing, but that seems a bit of a touchier debate. I think clove oil would be the first choice.
Peter C
Fish Crazy
Dya just put them in oil like?
nmonks
A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from
30 drops of clove oil in a container holding 1 litre of aquarium water produces a good result. Immerse the fish (using a net) and within a minute or so it'll be unconscious and within 10 minutes it'll be stone dead. Vets treat fish death as occurring 10 minutes after the last gill movement, so don't whip the fish out too soon. I leave the fish in there for half an hour before disposing of the body.
Do remember air-breathing fish may take longer to kill this way if they have access to air, so it's important to hold them down with the net to make sure they use their gills.
There are other ways to kill fish, but most of the older methods (e.g., the use of ice) are not recommended by vets as being humane. The alternative safe methods, such as the use of MS-222, aren't really practical for casual aquarists, though they are widely used by vets and scientists.
Cheers, Neale
Do remember air-breathing fish may take longer to kill this way if they have access to air, so it's important to hold them down with the net to make sure they use their gills.
There are other ways to kill fish, but most of the older methods (e.g., the use of ice) are not recommended by vets as being humane. The alternative safe methods, such as the use of MS-222, aren't really practical for casual aquarists, though they are widely used by vets and scientists.
Cheers, Neale
It may sound a little barbaric, but I prefer to net the fish then strike the net/fish against a hard surface. It is instant and you don't have to endure the sight of your fish slowly passing away as in clove oil. I guess it has to come down to personal choice and what you believe to be best.
Tizer
Team TetraTEC
i cut their heads off...
I am using the ice cold water method at the moment, I reckon clove oil would sting the fishesd eyes and gills for a split second.
I tried to cut the head off a corrydora once with a pair of sharp scissors and was shocked how hard it was to do!! Put me off that method
I tried to cut the head off a corrydora once with a pair of sharp scissors and was shocked how hard it was to do!! Put me off that method
Tizer
Team TetraTEC
Scissors? Lol, I'm not surprised, carving knife for me.
Yeah man, the carving knife was in the dish washer and I couldnt work out how to open it!
perhaps be a little more subtle?
a pin or knife through the brain.
that's how i was taught to kill crayfish/lobster, prior to cooking.
I not really interested in "getting into it".
but i'll stick with the ice cold water method.
Tizer
Team TetraTEC
Well i don't exactly scream at it "You're gonna die fishy fishy" then attack it.
I think this topic has been covered plenty of times anyway
So to sum it up...
-Clove Oil (bought from any chemist or pharmacy or supermarket... generally sold for toothache though I dont advise using it, it tastes like.... well... it is vile to say the least!!) and a few drops in a little water, seal off oxygen and leave for half an hour. The same effect as over dosing on anaesthesia and probably the calmest and most sensitive method.
-Freezing - Whilst not recomended by any proffesionals, its still a common practise (although becoming considerably less so over the years) to semi freeze a pot of water, break the film of ice and drop the fish in and put back into freezer.
-Blunt Trauma - Unquestionably the fastest way of doing it (whether a sharp whack in a net against a wall, decapitation or pithing (right word?) and so on) but certainly takes a strong stomach to do it.
There are other methods as Neale mentioned but less likely to be available to the average fishkeeper.
-Clove Oil (bought from any chemist or pharmacy or supermarket... generally sold for toothache though I dont advise using it, it tastes like.... well... it is vile to say the least!!) and a few drops in a little water, seal off oxygen and leave for half an hour. The same effect as over dosing on anaesthesia and probably the calmest and most sensitive method.
-Freezing - Whilst not recomended by any proffesionals, its still a common practise (although becoming considerably less so over the years) to semi freeze a pot of water, break the film of ice and drop the fish in and put back into freezer.
-Blunt Trauma - Unquestionably the fastest way of doing it (whether a sharp whack in a net against a wall, decapitation or pithing (right word?) and so on) but certainly takes a strong stomach to do it.
There are other methods as Neale mentioned but less likely to be available to the average fishkeeper.
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