How To Correctly?

[chelseawinners]

i have regrettably discovered that one of my danios has dropsy and after reading up on it and the re-looking at my fish i have decided that its too far gone and
i'm guessing the right thing to do is euthanize him?

how do i do this correctly and i'm not sure i really have the guts and bottle to do this but i know it has too be done..please help me

 

[This Old Spouse]

I'm so sorry you have to go through this. It's one of the hardest things about fishkeeping.

I looked for all sorts of answers the first time I had to do it, but honestly the most humane and quick way I've found is to net the fish, then take it to your sink and very forcefully smack the net with the fish on the side of the sink. I do it twice to make sure.

I HATE doing it, but the other methods mentioned have to do with basically poisoning the fish, which I just can't stomach. My method sounds awful, I know, but it's instantaneous and effective.

 

[sausagewinkle]

I have been advised to put the fish in a tub of water and put it in the freezer. Its meant to gradually slow the breathing....
Fortunately I have never had to do this....

 

[fluttermoth]

Oh, I'm so sorry

There are two ways that I consider to be the most humane; it's often recommended that you put the fish in the freezer or drop it into boiling water, but i don't think either of those are instant and could potentially be very painful.

If you're brave, without a doubt, the best method is to wrap th fish in a cloth and give it a realy good whack with a brick.

Or put the fish in a litre of tank water. In a small bottle, mix at least 25 or 30 drops of clove oil with a little of the water and shake until it forms an emulsion. Clove oil is used as an anaesthetic by fish specialist vets, so it's really just putting the fish to sleep, just as you would with any other animal.

Then you just add it to the fishes container; the fish will become unconscious within 20 seconds and will be dead within a minute. I'd just leave it there for half an hour or so, just to make 100% sure.

Best of luck, and I'm sorry for your little fish

 

[Louiseness]

I tried the method of putting fish in strong alcohol which is supposed to knock them out instantly. My danio didn't agree with that and thrashed around for ages, I felt so bad

 

[chelseawinners]

f*** man i am 33 years old and am welling up, this is so hard i know i have to do it but its gearing yourself up thats doing me in..

 

[This Old Spouse]

I tried the method of putting fish in strong alcohol which is supposed to knock them out instantly. My danio didn't agree with that and thrashed around for ages, I felt so bad

Hence the net method in the sink. I can't stand the thought of them suffering like this! Or the cloves, or freezing them to death. I just think it's better to do it quickly and stop the suffering immediately.

f*** man i am 33 years old and am welling up, this is so hard i know i have to do it but its gearing yourself up thats doing me in..

So, so sorry about this. It's amazing how we become attached to these little guys.

 

[chelseawinners]

thanks fluttermouth for diagnosing for me i did reply to your message regarding my tank etc can you have a look and see if i am doing anything wrong? would be appreciated.
upon reading more about dropsy etc i realise i have to be humane and do the decent thing and thats proving to be hard for me right now..

 

[fluttermoth]

Oh; it doesn't matter how old you are, it still affects you

You don't have a tough BF/dad/neighbour who's a fisherman who could do it for you, do you?

 

[willowstwin]

Its your pet and a member of your family, not "just a fish" as most would see it as. I had a run of rescue rats from the same litter that were susceptible to pituitary tumors. With the last few I ended up spotting the signs early, while they were still themselves, and it doesn't get easier. you'd think I'd be numb after number 6 but still at number 10 I broke my heart. I'm actually sat at work crying right now, but you have to do it.

I'd say spouses quick method is the most humane, but also flutters clove oil method would work (just like me using ether to put my rats to sleep - at £25 a pop with 10 of them it's a bit much - and I'm a trained lab technician so I know what I'm doing)... it puts them to sleep, they don't feel anything.

It's whatever you feel comfortable with.

Either way, it's not a nice thing to do. Do you know have anyone who could do it for you?

 

[chelseawinners]

no not really mate,i am so upset and i don't feel right as to what i have to do.....its right i know that but it doesn't feel good..

 

[sausagewinkle]

 

[willowstwin]

the thing you have to do is think of the suffering if you DONT do it... How bad that fish will feel is way worse than what you feel like at the moment. Which ever way you choose, do it quick (quick as in, make your mind up and then do it in as quick succession as possible) otherwise you will make yourself worse if you dilly dally about it.

Deep breath and go. I think with flutters clove oil method, especially if you don't want to physically do it, you could drop the fish in the emmulsion and walk away to compose yourself. You wouldn't have to watch (although if it's anything like ethering mammals, they just slow down as they go to sleep).

I hope you find the right way for the fish and for you

 

[chelseawinners]

your right i know it too its just trying to compose yourself to just do it...
i have the clove oil ready as i have picked this method as i don't think physically i could bash or cut the head of a fish..so a quick beer and then i think i'll just do it..

R.I.P my little friend...

 

[chelseawinners]

just did it although i think i added a bit too much clove oil,i had a look after i put him i, the bathroom by the window as i wanted him somewhere where i couldn't see him and to be honest that was silly of me as i saw him on the bottom lifeless but i saw his mouth move and now i feel even worse for it...
i suppose the only thing you can take from it is that he didn't suffer well i hope he didn't anyway man this sucks and i feel sad