week-old fry with a broken tail

[JacopoFishy]

well, a while ago I had a topic in this forum which many of you responded to, giving me very helpful advice on how to care for my new fry. They are a week old today, as it happens. hahahha

Unfortunately, one of the fry was saved from my filter, and the little angel's tail/spine seems to be broken. It must have occured when he was sucked in, or when I was frantically struggling to get him out.

The question is, does this mean I should put the fry out of its misery? I admit I've been putting off posting this, since the thought horrifies me.

EDIT: I without a doubt should put it out of its misery now, he just lies on his side. Poor, innocent little thing.....

The fry is in a breeding net along with its seven siblings, and it constantly lies on the bottom of the net, never really swims. I suppose I just answered my own question. *sigh* I just really don't wanna kill the little guy.

Also, how would a person go about a merciful killing of a week old fry? I won't be the one actually putting it out of its misery, since my religious beliefs forbid the killing of any living thing, even in such a situation. But I also find it cruel to let the little guy keep living if he will die of starvation later in life?

So, how would a non-fishkeeper, with no fishy-knowledge, put a week old fry out of its misery in a merciful manner?

thanx everyone.....

 

[Joby]

I had a similar dilemma not so long ago. One of my fry had a bent spine and could only swim side to side. If it tried to swim upwards or downwards it just did a tumble. I took it to the lfs and they suggested it could live like that and it certainly wasn't starving so I set it free in my new fry tank with its other 11 siblings. I saw it for about 2 hours tumbling here and there but then never saw it again even though I took the filter etc apart.

I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't really know what would be the right thing to do

Have heard the clove oil method is one of the best way to euthanase but I don't know how to do links etc on here.

Anyone else help?

 

[SarahBravo]

Hi, I had a similar problem a little while ago, it's a horrible dilemma to either watch something suffering or to kill it. However i got a lot of support from here, including this from Danio 2004

Hi sarah, sorry to hear of this. The only humane way IMO is the clove oil method

Buy pure clove oil. You can get it at a health food store. Put the fish in a medium sized mixing bowl in his own water from his tank. In a small jar or something with a lid mix the clove oil with tank water. Put the lid on and shake it like crazy over and over until the liquid in it is white. Then pour a little into the mixing bowl with the fish. Swirl it with your hand. The fish might fight it just a little bit and then slow down. Then pour a little more in and swirl again. He should just go to sleep and appear dead. If he doesn't, try a little more of the clove solution, always shaking very well before an addition to the bowl. When he goes to sleep, leave him in the solution for a good 20 minutes. Pain free death. Very humane. We should all go so easily.

Hope this helps.

Sarah

 

[Joby]

Ahhh thanks Sarah that's the post I was thinking about

Going to get me some of that ASAP

 

[JacopoFishy]

thank you both so much for responding! I kept checking and checking, I was so anxious.

Joby- your response has changed my mind, I think I'll wait and see how my little fry fares. Perhaps when he gets a bit older.....I dunno. Maybe he'll learn to swim with his handicap. He sure is a tough little guy. I just wish I knew whether or not he was in pain!

Sarahbravo- Thank you so much for your response and the quote from Danio2004. (certainly one of the most helpful people in this forum) I will bookmark this post and refer to it in the future if I ever need it, although hopefully I will never need the information.

well, thanx again. *sigh* such a helpful forum.....I shall keep you posted on any changes to the little guy's health. Need to find a worthy name for such a tough little fish.....

 

[NinjaSmurf]

If it's about a week old, doesn't get better and your beliefs forbid putting it out of its misery, I'd just stick it in with the bigger fish, they'll eat it fast and you wouldn't have actually killed it.

 

[JacopoFishy]

forget I said anything.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

No offense, but WTF? I don't understand how my statement was lacking in logic. You said it was against your beliefs to kill anything, and this way you would not be killing it, nature would be taking its course.

Second, my way would be more humane than drowning it in clove oil after netting it out of the tank. From what I've heard about people who've used clove oil for toothaches, the stuff burns like the dickens. If another fish eats it it's BAM and done, no pain.

Also, how would a person go about a merciful killing of a week old fry? I won't be the one actually putting it out of its misery, since my religious beliefs forbid the killing of any living thing, even in such a situation.

THIRD, you don't even believe in humane killing i.e. mercy killing, yet you're getting someone else to do it. Not to mention that by handing it over to someone else to kill, you're still making the decision for it to die.

If you really want to go about it in a non-harming-to-your-beliefs way, then just let the thing lay on the bottom and be picked at by its hungry siblings till it starves to death, for that too is nature. (though a quick feeding to a bigger fish would be instant)


At least then you didn't kill it.



I don't lack logic, and I don't get other people to do my dirty work for me either.

 

[The-Wolf]

I feel that I have to reply to this

JacopoFishy
I hope that you make the correct descission for you and do what you feel is right for your fry, what ever that may be.

Ninjasmurf
(Please don't take this the wrong way)
Starting a reply with a WF# is not very nice and immediatly lets the reader know that you are going to be, lets say not overly nice.

I hope that we can all stay freindly, I only wish to point out my feelings (about WT#)

 

[NinjaSmurf]

I dunno if you know why I actually wrote that Wolf, as JacopoFishy edited his reply to my first comment, but I was justified. Me and JacopoFishy have already talked, and that is why their post is edited. I can be the most friendly person in the world, but if you attack me then you better make damn sure that you have a good reason and expect me to fight back with all I've got, because I refuse to be trampled upon. Personally, if I could wave a wand, I'd fix the fish right up, but I can't.

Here's to the little fish.

 

[The-Wolf]

I dunno if you know why I actually wrote that Wolf, as JacopoFishy edited his reply to my first comment, but I was justified. Me and JacopoFishy have already talked, and that is why their post is edited. I can be the most friendly person in the world, but if you attack me then you better make damn sure that you have a good reason and expect me to fight back with all I've got, because I refuse to be trampled upon. Personally, if I could wave a wand, I'd fix the fish right up, but I can't.

Here's to the little fish.

I don't know why and I don't want to know.

I can understand where you are comming from, I'm the same; treat me nice and it's right back at you, but upset me then look out.

I'd love to be able to have the power to heal, but that is not my lot in life
Oh well, I hope there is no hard fellings.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

Absolutely none whatsoever, to either you or JacopoFishy.

 

[lee_an]

Weaker/dead fishes will be put into my excecution pit.(my terrapin)and be eaten

I guess no weakness is allowed in my fishes.