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Which method would you use, the last one for me.
/www.aquarticles.com/articles/manage..._Euthanize.htmlWhich method would you use, the last one for me.
Putting a fish down not nice job.
- Thread starter WILDER
- Start date
Miss Dib Dabs
Loony.
While I hope never to be in a situation that calls for it the last method seems kindest of all. Although I think absynth would be most effective simply because of it's massive alcohol content. Still hope I never have to do it tho. I want mine all to die very old and happy. 
Hugs,
P.
breezer40
Fish Addict
When I have had to put a fish down I have always hit them on the head in the past but using Alcohol (which I have never thought of) seems as if it could be quite painless.
tttnjfttt
I have a point, just don't ask me what it is
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Here's what I've noticed when trying the different methods...
Adding icecubes - Every fish I have put through this one definately look uncomfortable, atleast at first. The almost lifeless fish would start swimming around, or begin to try find a way out. This method has taken 10+ minutes for the fish to stop moving.
Cutting off the head - I have said that I would do this method the next time i needed to euthanize, however, when the time the comes, I can never do it. I'm too attached to my fish.
Clove Oil - I have never tried this one, but am prepared to try this next time I have to put down a fish (possibly even today). I have heard to either freeze the fish in some clove oil water after they are asleep to make sure they are dead, or to cut off their head.
Alcohol - I would say to use this one as a last resort method. I tried this one a few days ago, and the fish died in about a minute. It was not a peaceful death. He was obviously gasping for air and squirming around a bit, as if trying to escape (this fish couldn't swim).
Adding icecubes - Every fish I have put through this one definately look uncomfortable, atleast at first. The almost lifeless fish would start swimming around, or begin to try find a way out. This method has taken 10+ minutes for the fish to stop moving.
Cutting off the head - I have said that I would do this method the next time i needed to euthanize, however, when the time the comes, I can never do it. I'm too attached to my fish.
Clove Oil - I have never tried this one, but am prepared to try this next time I have to put down a fish (possibly even today). I have heard to either freeze the fish in some clove oil water after they are asleep to make sure they are dead, or to cut off their head.
Alcohol - I would say to use this one as a last resort method. I tried this one a few days ago, and the fish died in about a minute. It was not a peaceful death. He was obviously gasping for air and squirming around a bit, as if trying to escape (this fish couldn't swim).
I tried the clove oil method. My fish was almost dead at the time and it worked fairly quickly. However, the gills turned red when I put it in the clove oil mixture, so I think it must have had some burning pain. Since then, I had to euthanize and used the quick crush method. It was very hard for me, but very quick for the fish so I think it was the least painful. Luckily, the fish I had to euthanize was a very small glowlite tetra. That woudn't work as well on a larger fish. There is no perfect solution.
dwarfgourami
Fish Connoisseur
I'd go with pjfish on this. It's really a question of whether you are prepared to be hard on the fish or on yourself.
Clove oil might be a good option, but people who flush live fish are just being cowards imo, they would rather the fish suffered than that they did. I'd rather grit my teeth and save my fish a horrible death.
For a big fish, when I used to fish for the table I used to stab mackerel with the knife pointing lengthwise along the middle/back of the head. It seemed to me that this was a pretty instantaneous and probably painless death. Smaller fish we used to break the neck by forcing the head backwards but this took longer so I would not do that now.
Clove oil might be a good option, but people who flush live fish are just being cowards imo, they would rather the fish suffered than that they did. I'd rather grit my teeth and save my fish a horrible death.
For a big fish, when I used to fish for the table I used to stab mackerel with the knife pointing lengthwise along the middle/back of the head. It seemed to me that this was a pretty instantaneous and probably painless death. Smaller fish we used to break the neck by forcing the head backwards but this took longer so I would not do that now.
my vet told me the freezer method is the best as the fish go into hibernation and then just slip away.
fidhw
New Member
Sorry for the length of this post!
As a biologist and lifetime animal keeper the subject of euthanasia is one that, sadly, has cropped up occasionally, and I've posted on the subject of fish euthanasia in a couple of places before. In my opinion, the question of which method to use on fish is too often 'which is easiest for me' rather than 'which is easiest for my fish'. I apologise in advance if readers find this post a little graphic - I have tried to be as clear as I can - because it's important to understand what you are doing. The most common methods I've heard mentioned are:
1. Just flushing the fish away. This is easy for the keeper, and the fish will *eventually* die. Probably from shock, chlorine poisoning or anoxia, if it survives that then it may get macerated in a processing machine or die in a toxic settling tank. As you may be able to tell, I don't see this as a valid option for a single instant!
2. Freezing or boiling. Of these two, freezing is probably slower (depends on the size of the fish) and is easier for the fish keeper since they don't have to watch. Slow freezing in water is the commonest method. What many people don't realise is that freezing a live animal in a domestic freezer is slow enough to allow large ice crystals to form in the tissues (eyes, brain) and that this may well happen before the fish dies. Fish are poikilothermic, and do not become unconscious when hypothermic like mammals (i.e. people) do. We do not know how painful this process is for a fish (although we know it is extremely painful in humans!). We do not know much about fish consciousness, or whether the fish is aware of freezing to death. Personally, I don't much like this one either...
3. Simple decapitation. This is another difficult one - it's not simple to do (for the fish keeper) and the fish head and brain can live for up to an hour after separation from the body (a talent they share with snakes).
4. Stunning, and destruction of the brain. This is effective, can be fast if done carefully and sympathetically, and works for even large fish. For small fish the brain can be destroyed by mashing the head (really flat, sorry to be so graphic) using a brick, rolling pin etc. and a stone step or floor. For larger fish you can wrap the body in a cloth for grip, stun the fish by whacking it hard on a stone step or with a rolling pin and then destroy the brain using the point of a sharp knife inserted into the head. Wiggle the knife tip about to make sure the brain is completely destroyed while the fish is unconscious.
5. Alcohol poisoning - alcohol is an irritant and very toxic to fish, causing bleeding from the gills before death. Fish do not become paralytically drunk as we would. Alcohol exposure appears to kill fish rapidly but I am not aware of any research into it's effects or whether it is humane.
6. Anaesthetic overdose. Without a doubt this is the most humane method I know of. Like any other pet, a large fish deserves respect as an organism, and if you know the fish must be euthanased, talk to your vet. The recommended anaesthetic for fish euthanasia is tricaine methanesulphonate. Since it tends to reduce pH it is used as a bath immersion at 300mg/litre buffered with 600mg/litre sodium bicarbonate. Once the fish appears to be dead the brain should be destroyed as in no. 4 above.
7. Clove oil. Since clove oil is an anaesthetic it should really be listed with other anaesthetics, but it differs in that it is available from pharmacies to the general public, and as such can be kept in your fish medicine cabinet. Clove oil contains eugenol (the sedative/anaesthetic chemical). Unfortunately, it is not soluble in water so prepare it as follows: mix 2-3ml clove oil with 8ml vodka (makes a milky suspension), pour into a clean bucket and add 1 gallon tank water and stir gently. Transfer your fish to this bucket and wait. This is a lethal concentration of eugenol, which will first induce anaesthesia and then death. If you need to use a stronger mixture use more clove oil but no more vodka as the alcohol will cause bleeding and irritation to your fish.
I have used clove oil euthanasia several times for my own fish and other peoples', and am happy that it causes minimal distress and works well. I wait until the fish is dead (no gill movement, no response to touch), then wait another hour, then either destroy the brain or freeze the remains (depending on the size of fish) to be absolutely sure.
Final note, in my poinion any keeper of animals has a responsibility to think about their options for euthanasia should it become necessary, prepare themselves mentally and keep any necessary equipment on hand. If you don't feel you can do this yourself, that's fine: but you probably know someone who can. Remember that the most humane farewell to an old friend becomes a torture if it is delayed several hours for research or a trip to the pharmacy.
As a biologist and lifetime animal keeper the subject of euthanasia is one that, sadly, has cropped up occasionally, and I've posted on the subject of fish euthanasia in a couple of places before. In my opinion, the question of which method to use on fish is too often 'which is easiest for me' rather than 'which is easiest for my fish'. I apologise in advance if readers find this post a little graphic - I have tried to be as clear as I can - because it's important to understand what you are doing. The most common methods I've heard mentioned are:
1. Just flushing the fish away. This is easy for the keeper, and the fish will *eventually* die. Probably from shock, chlorine poisoning or anoxia, if it survives that then it may get macerated in a processing machine or die in a toxic settling tank. As you may be able to tell, I don't see this as a valid option for a single instant!
2. Freezing or boiling. Of these two, freezing is probably slower (depends on the size of the fish) and is easier for the fish keeper since they don't have to watch. Slow freezing in water is the commonest method. What many people don't realise is that freezing a live animal in a domestic freezer is slow enough to allow large ice crystals to form in the tissues (eyes, brain) and that this may well happen before the fish dies. Fish are poikilothermic, and do not become unconscious when hypothermic like mammals (i.e. people) do. We do not know how painful this process is for a fish (although we know it is extremely painful in humans!). We do not know much about fish consciousness, or whether the fish is aware of freezing to death. Personally, I don't much like this one either...
3. Simple decapitation. This is another difficult one - it's not simple to do (for the fish keeper) and the fish head and brain can live for up to an hour after separation from the body (a talent they share with snakes).
4. Stunning, and destruction of the brain. This is effective, can be fast if done carefully and sympathetically, and works for even large fish. For small fish the brain can be destroyed by mashing the head (really flat, sorry to be so graphic) using a brick, rolling pin etc. and a stone step or floor. For larger fish you can wrap the body in a cloth for grip, stun the fish by whacking it hard on a stone step or with a rolling pin and then destroy the brain using the point of a sharp knife inserted into the head. Wiggle the knife tip about to make sure the brain is completely destroyed while the fish is unconscious.
5. Alcohol poisoning - alcohol is an irritant and very toxic to fish, causing bleeding from the gills before death. Fish do not become paralytically drunk as we would. Alcohol exposure appears to kill fish rapidly but I am not aware of any research into it's effects or whether it is humane.
6. Anaesthetic overdose. Without a doubt this is the most humane method I know of. Like any other pet, a large fish deserves respect as an organism, and if you know the fish must be euthanased, talk to your vet. The recommended anaesthetic for fish euthanasia is tricaine methanesulphonate. Since it tends to reduce pH it is used as a bath immersion at 300mg/litre buffered with 600mg/litre sodium bicarbonate. Once the fish appears to be dead the brain should be destroyed as in no. 4 above.
7. Clove oil. Since clove oil is an anaesthetic it should really be listed with other anaesthetics, but it differs in that it is available from pharmacies to the general public, and as such can be kept in your fish medicine cabinet. Clove oil contains eugenol (the sedative/anaesthetic chemical). Unfortunately, it is not soluble in water so prepare it as follows: mix 2-3ml clove oil with 8ml vodka (makes a milky suspension), pour into a clean bucket and add 1 gallon tank water and stir gently. Transfer your fish to this bucket and wait. This is a lethal concentration of eugenol, which will first induce anaesthesia and then death. If you need to use a stronger mixture use more clove oil but no more vodka as the alcohol will cause bleeding and irritation to your fish.
I have used clove oil euthanasia several times for my own fish and other peoples', and am happy that it causes minimal distress and works well. I wait until the fish is dead (no gill movement, no response to touch), then wait another hour, then either destroy the brain or freeze the remains (depending on the size of fish) to be absolutely sure.
Final note, in my poinion any keeper of animals has a responsibility to think about their options for euthanasia should it become necessary, prepare themselves mentally and keep any necessary equipment on hand. If you don't feel you can do this yourself, that's fine: but you probably know someone who can. Remember that the most humane farewell to an old friend becomes a torture if it is delayed several hours for research or a trip to the pharmacy.
great post, thanks.
I shall use the clove oil mix in future.
I shall use the clove oil mix in future.
GSD
Fish Gatherer
clove oil or alcohol if i ever have to do it
fidhw
New Member
Sorry if it was a bit graphic - I didn't mean to upset anyone!
dwarfgourami
Fish Connoisseur
That was brilliant fidhw! Not at all too graphic, exactly the information you need to make a decision that is right for the fish. Thank you very much!
I recently had to euthanise my first fish - a dwarf neon rainbow - and I used clove oil. Looked a peaceful way to go but I flushed him away afterwards, within the hour. Next time (if) I will use both alcohol and clove oil and freeze after to be sure - thanks for the excellent advice.
debiasir
fancy goldfish rule!!!
luckily i have only had to kill 1 fish and i hit it and it died instanly. In the future i will drop them in a glass of vodka as it is also instant.
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