Ways To Kill A Fish

[8inary]

i must admit, i have heard people putting fish into freezer bags and freezing them until dead 'like one of the posts on here' - i must admit, i dont like the sound of this, place yourself in this position, your freezing to death, it cannot be nice at all and will take a long time...not nice me thinks!

i think the case is similar when people try adding stuff to the water to kill a fish, its not nice for the fish, and must be a nasty way to die.

imo - the quickest way is the best, place fish in bag, squash it quickly with a brick/heavy object - the fish doesnt even know whats happened, no pain, over in a split second

 

[ROSSCO22]

Knock it on the head would be the best

 

[Wordy]

Freezing them to death sounds an awful way to do it!

How much pain are they going to be in while slowly freezing to death!

 

[andywg]

I was lead to believe that Clove oil put the fish to sleep and that its used when they have operations and that a lethal overdose is like Euthanasia used abroad where by your put to sleep and then overdosed on it so your permanently asleep so to speak.
See here

There is no evidence that it causes unconsciousness. To paraphrase Steelhealr (a surgeon) we know it stops gill functions and causes paralysis but we don't know that it knocks them out.

Imagine being paralysed and having your lungs stop working but still being awake as you die.

I believe that is the reason that clove oil is not on the AVMA list of accetpable methods - the fact it has not been shown to knock the fish out (it is , after all, a topical anaesthetic).

Freezing a fish is not a good idea, but immersion in near freezing water is not bad at all for smaller fish. Putting a tropical fish up to around 2 or 3 inches into water around the 4 degree mark (so putting it in the freezer until ice starts to form and then breaking the surface) causes almost instant unconsciousness. The cold will then gradually shut down the body's functions with no pain felt and no awareness on the part of the fish. This is an acceptable method at the University of Washington and considering that is home to people such as Theodre Pietsch I doubt it is an unkind way to euthanise.

It is important when discussing freezing to seperate out the method of just putting the fish in a freezer and immersion in near freezing water.

There is an interesting discussion on this in the science forum, if anyone cares to go and look.

 

[HooverOtoCat]

I was lead to believe that Clove oil put the fish to sleep and that its used when they have operations and that a lethal overdose is like Euthanasia used abroad where by your put to sleep and then overdosed on it so your permanently asleep so to speak.
See here

Putting a tropical fish up to around 2 or 3 inches into water around the 4 degree mark (so putting it in the freezer until ice starts to form and then breaking the surface) causes almost instant unconsciousness. The cold will then gradually shut down the body's functions with no pain felt and no awareness on the part of the fish. This is an acceptable method at the University of Washington and considering that is home to people such as Theodre Pietsch I doubt it is an unkind way to euthanise.

It is important when discussing freezing to seperate out the method of just putting the fish in a freezer and immersion in near freezing water.

Yep this is my way and then I put the fish in a bag and squish.

 

[rdd1952]

If you're going to put it in a bag and squish it, why go through putting it in near freezing water. Squishing takes a fraction of a second and is over. For small fish it is the best and simplest way to go.

 

[TheConstantGrower]

Well i add some detergent in the water. RIP

That's horrific. Feel as bad as i did when i read it. Now stop doing that.

this thread has turnd into 100hundred ways to quish a fish

I loled a bit when i saw this, then realized how sad this thread is.

The bonkin the noggin is the fastest ways guys end of story. all other methods take time.

Freezing?
clove oil?
sleeping pills?
Boil them?

This scares me, its like some fish are crippled then here comes the experimentalist. sheesh.

 

[HooverOtoCat]

If you're going to put it in a bag and squish it, why go through putting it in near freezing water. Squishing takes a fraction of a second and is over. For small fish it is the best and simplest way to go.

I am a sucker watching it flop around

 

[Craster]

I go with placing fish into a bowl of just-short-of-frozen vodka. From my understanding the cold and alcohol between then are enough to cause virtually instant unconsciousness.

 

[always4lora]

I go with placing fish into a bowl of just-short-of-frozen vodka. From my understanding the cold and alcohol between then are enough to cause virtually instant unconsciousness.

Rather smash it on the head and drink the vodka

 

[saz326]

not a fan of the freezing method. i read abit before on human cryogenics and it does mention that freezing of the body would cause blood cells to start spiking and burst the vessels from inside. if it goes the same for fish, then i'd rather use other methods.

I guess it all depends on the fish in question.

If you have stonkingly huge fish like an Oscar for example, then the freezer technique is not practical or suitable, and even decapitation could end up witha flailing fish with his head only half off - Not a nice thought.

If you have tiny fish like guppys then the whole decapitation thing could be fiddly and end up extra messy.

Please remember that Fish are cold blooded. Their metabolism is not like ours. When a fish is exposed to cooling water, it becomes quiet and slow. Its body slows down, and its brain slows down. This is why the freezing idea is more humane for certain smaller fish.

The fish would be unconcious from the slowed brain before it could feel itself freeze. The ice crystals would then form, and not be felt. The ice crystals are what makes it work. They effectively "mash" the fishes brain and kill it.

I would personally use the freezing technique for anything 10cm or smaller.

For Gouramis and Betas, and anything between 10cm and 20 cm I would "bop" on the head and then "stab" the brain to ensure death. At this size, the bones arent so thick that you cannot ensure a quick job.

anything larger that 20cm is a vet job in my opinion. I would not like to botch up a decapitation on these guys. Especially as some of them may have been in the family for 10 years. Vets use your container of tank water that you bring the fish in with - and they bubble anaesthetic throught the water. The fish goes to sleep and then it can be a "bop" job or even extra anaesthetic.

I guess it all depends on how much you love your fish.

 

[TheConstantGrower]

you wouldn't drown your cat. THEN smash it.

And i agree with what saz said, it is a good idea to consult a vet on much larger fish. as they can bubble the anesthetic into the water or just do it for you because talking about hitting a fish, is much different then actually hitting one.

 

[Carp4U]

people think about how to kill a fish, there are many ways of how to kill a fish than there are to kill a fish with little pain!

 

[jonny_dw]

grenade in the tank.

 

[Truck]

with a big fish, rap it in a towel, and smack it on the head with a rolling pin, it will knock the fish out and then pith the fish to ensure it is killed