Something I read about Euthanasia methods

[Cheese Specialist]

Hey all,

I was reading A-Z of Tropical Fish: Diseases and Health Problems by Burgess, Bailey and Exell and I was flicking through and I started reading about euthanasia. I found out something interesting and as it's a subject that comes up a lot here I thought I would share it with you.

Under acceptable methods of euthanasia there lists:

- Concussion
- Decapatation
- Anaesthetic Overdose

Unacceptable methods lists:

- Live flushing down the toilet
- Removing them from water until death occurs
- Plunging them into boiling water
- Plunging them into iced water
- Slowly chilling them (note this method is commonly advocated in aquarium literature, but is now considered to cause the fish unnecessary pain)

Now, on here many people say that freezing is an ok method so I want to know what you think of that.

Now, that was just a side note. The main thing I wanted to say was about the decapitation method. Many people on here also say that is ok, however I just wanted to check that you knew that the brain has to be pierced afterwards because "it is known that fish's brains are highly tolerant of hypoxia [insufficiant oxygen reaching the fish's tissues causing respitory stress and often death], such that the animal may remain 'concious' for some time after it's head has been severed from the body."

265-267 and 290 of the aforementioned book.

So, what do you think of that? Did you already know that? I know it is mentioned on the euthanasia for newbies thread but I have never seen it mentioned since in other threads. I never knew it before reading that book, I also have never used the method.

 

[Joviella]

I had an opaline gourami that was dying and I couldn't bear to do the de-capitation. I asked my lfs for advice and he said that the kindest way to euthanase fish was to bag them with a little tank water and to put them in the freezer. He said that they just go to sleep as their temperature drops. I did this, but have felt bad ever since. I would not be happy doing it any other way either though. Luckily enough,I have only ever had to euthanise that one fish,and I am hoping to keep it that way.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I would never freeze a fish, I think it's one of the worst methods. Only beat by simply removing it from water although at least that would be quicker.

If I had to do it, I would use clove oil as per acceptable method 3.

 

[K-Holed]

After working in an LFs I kinda go tused to killing sick fish (not that we were overrun with them!) I found the concusion method to be the quickest and most conveient.

 

[Joviella]

I won't be freezing any more fish,I can assure you cs. I just took the advice of the man in the lfs. I have had nightmares about it since!!!!!! No lie.

 

[csr mel]

i think boiling is actually a humane way of kiling. the lobster place near me boils lobsters live all day long. you pick out which lobster you want, and they pull him out and throw him right in a pot of boiling water.

so if it is ok for a lobster, it is probably ok for a fish.

 

[Nidge]

The quickest way is the best way, When i needed to do this in the past i simply give the fish a sharp flick in the head and they die instantly it works perfectly.All the other slow methods are nonsense and cause alot of stress on the fish.

 

[Phantom Thief]

i think boiling is actually a humane way of kiling. the lobster place near me boils lobsters live all day long. you pick out which lobster you want, and they pull him out and throw him right in a pot of boiling water.

so if it is ok for a lobster, it is probably ok for a fish.

OK FOR LOBSTERS? Do you think so? Do you really think so? Just because they do it doesnt mean its ok.

Sorry for the shouting, but you really surprised me there

P.T.

 

[Teelie]

Fish don't feel pain in the sense we do. Humanizing fish just makes it more difficult to kill them. That being said, the only times I have to kill a fish is usually the concussion though it's far more thorough than that. Throw them hard into something hard and solid as fast as possible.

 

[Brunnen-G]

RE: The chilling method. I seem to recall that many species of cold blooded animals cannot feel a gradual change in temperature e.g. Drop a frog into boiling water and it will feel the sharp increase and react, but if you put a frog in a pan of cold water, and heat it up, the frog will not feel the difference and swim around comfortably till it dies.

I would say that the chilling method would work in a similar way, except that as the temperature drops, the fish would become drousey/sluggish and eventually enter a hibernating state brfore death.

Dont feel to guilty about "chilling" your fish, but I would advocate the concussion method as the quickest and most humane due to the stunning nature of the blow.

N.B. In the UK, Lobsters are usually killed before being plunged into boiling water. A Blade is plunged into its back, then brought quickly down to cut the whole head in half (virtually instantaneous as it is done in a single motion).

 

[Teelie]

RE: The chilling method. I seem to recall that many species of cold blooded animals cannot feel a gradual change in temperature e.g. Drop a frog into boiling water and it will feel the sharp increase and react, but if you put a frog in a pan of cold water, and heat it up, the frog will not feel the difference and swim around comfortably till it dies.

That's true, at least of boiling. There's even a psychological effect named after it; the Boiled Frog Effect. I don't know if it works in reverse but I don't see why it wouldn't.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Thanks for your thoughts.

Those who use the concussion method, in this you are also supposed to pierce the brain to prevent any recovery (according to this book).

I would never want to actually 'hurt' the fish, I prefer the 'going to sleep' methods like used with dogs and other pets. For this reason, if I had to do it I would use only the clove oil method.

I also have to disagree with csr mel, it is not the same thing and I don't think that is right either. Also, that is not even how it happens everywhere. However, I have to say that if someone is going to go to the trouble of writing a book I am going to go with what it says (within reason, obviously).

 

[jaimoe]

A couple of weeks ago I had a female afra that was really close to death and was being mercilessly eaten alive by the other cichlids in my tank. I took her out and put her in a half gallon jug. It was warm out so the water did not get cold on her, I just left her in the jug overnight and she was fully dead in the morning. At least she wasn't being eaten alive anymore. I imagine she slowly suffocated in the jug, or perhaps just died of her wounds? Am I correct that once the oxygen in the water in the jug ran out, the fish would suffocate because there was no surface agitation? It seemed to me it would be a rather humane way of letting her pass semi-naturally. Any thoughts?

 

[Aquascaper]

I use concussion

Always have, always will.

 

[Teelie]

The way I kill the fish, there's no chance of recovery and little chance its still alive after the initial blow. Fast and effective death.