when to euthanize a fish

Thank you so much for this article. Today I had to say goodbye to my almost 3 year old female Jack Dempsey. The nitrate was below 20 that’s why I said none, that’s considered great. It was time to do the kind thing and let him go, peacefully. He now the red appears to have spread out over his body and now it covers i rekon half of it. I used it yesterday on our dying 8-yr-old goldfish. I know you can’t possibly know everything about my situation since you’re online and not right here with me. He is started out fine and happy then with the fact that he couldnt stay afloat and he would hit the bottom of the tank. The alcohol method uses high proof alcohol to quickly numb and then kill the fish. That’s devastating to hear about your little betta. I had to put my betta down and it was like he knew. Obviously it’s worked for lots of people who commented…I had to have made some serious error. You know sassy best, the call is yours to make. He’s sleeping most of the time, either at the bottom of his tank or inside his “hiding place.” He hardly comes to the surface enough to take food. But sometimes it really is the only option. Right now she’s looking pretty hopeless and I don’t want her in pain or to die, i would rather put her to rest and not be in pain :;(. I feel better knowing that he lived a long life as the king of his 20g aquarium and it was over quickly and humanely thanks to you. It sounds like you certainly have a unique pleco there. Now, you could take your fish to the veterinary clinic to be put down. I based the method of putting my betta down on this clove oil article. We found the exact brand at our local healthy grocery store and followed your directions – it worked just as you described. Flushing the toilet – This is a horrible thing to do and it may not even kill it at all. If it does not, clove oil is the best way to euthanize a fish, put him in a bowl, and start adding drops until he lays down on the bottom of the tank, then add a few more drops and once his gills stop moving he went to the tank in the sky.=( Unfortunately, I cannot say which is the case for your fish and you will need to do a little more research based on his symptoms. Note: If you have a much larger fish, overdosing on clove oil might not kill it. Then he started acting like he had swim bladder symptoms so we read up on that. Willie is the only other fish in with “Gabriel & Ruth”. You should still be able to use a bottle of clove oil to put down a fish of this size. It’s never easy saying goodbye to a beloved pet and I’m glad she went without pain. We will be keeping the clove oil on hand hoping not to have to use it again anytime soon. So, grab a small container – pill containers work great. I’m sure you did the right thing , Hello, I gave her live brine shrimp I culture along with bloodworms. Your tank is around 75 gallons. anon105120 August 19, 2010 . Nothing helped. Thinking little of it, I cleaned the tank, the gravel, and ensured that the water quality of the tank improved, but the fin rot didn’t go away. Everyone is happy n healthy…Willie has gotten really active since Gabriel n Ruth moved in,too. As the infection progressed, the poor fish began to lay on the gravel and swim sideways. I can’t get clove oil, because my parents won’t let me. I do know two people who have euthanized snails before, and you are not going to like how they did it… Quickly place it in a plastic bag and hit it with a hammer. 21 years is incredible, especially for a goldfish in captivity. He went pretty quickly. Hi. Suddenly over the past several months it has been growing fairly rapidly. Thanks for the humane method suggestion. Eventually, some of their internal systems start shutting down. First, please don’t put the snails in your local pond. Water always seems to stay alil hard and been that way for the 3 years I’ve had the tank…. About 6 months ago he developed a tumor on his side but was still eating and playful. Unfortunately I don’t have any experience here, I normally use an old bucket, All my tanks are glass and I have never added clove oil to directly to them. Had to put my 20yr old Silver Dollar down tonight. I have a standard generic goldfish. Maybe I put in too much clove oil right away (and I added more, to be sure) but I was glad it was so fast. I think Anuket passing might’ve changed her in some way, because she used to be a happy little fish that just swam around, until her tank mate was gone. This is basically a variation of the “stun and stab” method. While both are considered humane, one is less gruesome than the other. Found your article on the clove oil and decided it was time to try it. If it is the case, it’s usually always fatal and I would suggest euthanizing if you confirm it’s this disease. I use a net to catch them, quickly put them in a baggie (usually a snack size sealed with as little air and water as possible) and quickly put them on the ground and stomp on it quickly and firmly. While an alcohol bath will kill your fish, it also burns the gills during its final moments. I did the stun and stab and buried him with the rest of my passed pets in their area of the back garden. This was a very insightful reply. 10 years ago I purchased a heater for her old bones and she became a new fish! Clove oil as you’ve suggested to anesthetize the fish and then adding alcohol to euthanize it. Hi, Can you teach me how to sedate koi fish? I am disgusted that you would compare humanely killing a suffering fish to a war crime. He would do a large yawning action every once and a while so i became concerned that he had a rock stuck in his mouth. However, I understand the thought here is that the fish is essentially comatose and that it shouldn’t feel the alcohol. Have you been testing your water with an aquarium test kit? Below are instructions from @Lionfish Lair on using pure Clove Oil (available at many drug stores) for euthanization: . No my “friends”. Sedating it first would be the most humane thing to do in this case. I love my Free Willie from the crabs! In both cases, warming the water with a heater and adding air bubbles has helped a few of my fish. I personally use a 150 gallon stock tank as a quarantine/over winter tank in the garage in the winter time that keep pond water/filter media in for these types or scenarios. Be warned – if you have shaky hands or a weak stomach, you should probably stick to using clove oil and skip this second method. Whatever decision you make, it’s the right one. I agree. Your email address will not be published. I can’t handle whacking the fish, but imagine clove oil won’t be strong enough. Since yesterday Bubbles has been lying on the bottom of the tank barely moving. I adopted him from a friend of mine, but he’s ugly and he’s a crazy phyco so if he suffers I couldn’t care less. The place I buy fish from didn’t want him and I don’t know anyone else that had a large enough aquarium for him. My almost three year old betta fish is suffering from fin rot and almost has no fins left, is completely blind, tired, sore and cannot swim. Still, I feel for her, saying goodbye to a pet is never easy. Many fishermen do the ‘stun and stab’ as suggested in this article and it’s possibly a much more reliable method than putting the fish in an icebox, because it works for cold-water fish as well as warm-water. How to Start the Nitrogen Cycle in your Tank, A solo cup/An old tupperware/Something disposable and small, but large enough that your fish will fit. But if you choose to do ice, don’t put them in ice water, since they’ll just breathe out all the oxygen. Imagine if your parents wanted a new kid so they killed you? I put the sponge on the filter intake and all is well as far as they are concerned. By air drowning. The old tupperware can also be a bowl, small bucket, or any other vessel that’s large enough to hold a fish. If you are confident your fish is sick and there is no coming back, it’s something you will have to overcome. I didn’t want to say it was to put down my fish, so I said I needed it for a toothache. Thanks again for your help. I am sure most of you will be nodding your head yes. Bloodworms are easy to see. They eat the pest snails, reproduce very slowly, and spend the rest of their time eating old fish food and algae. I was told to place a fish in a cup of water and into the freezer and they just fall asleep. I really didn’t want him to go, but I’m pretty sure he’s going to pass no matter what happens. It anaesthetises it, and within a minute your beloved fish has lost conscious ness, then their big hearts and brains go peacefully to sleep. i Tryed it again and the same result except he landed on the floor of the tank. The clove oil method is very reliable, you can read through the hundreds of comments here from people who have used it with success. Anyway, tonight I had a little Cherry Barb who has been sick (everyone else is fine) and after trying General Cure, he wasn’t improving and I hated to see him struggling and suffering. #1, he’s acting very lethargic. I echo those sentiments in the times I have unfortunately had to do the deed. Are u, by any chance, on Instagram? Next, you are going to hit your fish as hard as you can through the aluminum foil. Whatever. If your fish is beyond the point of return, then euthanasia is an option, but it’s a judgement call that only you can make. He’s swirling around on top with slits in his fins. I personally upgraded his food and did a very diligent and careful one week of low dose salt water baths in a hospital tank. The whole process took about 20 minutes. 20 years? 10-12 hours later, remove the container and dispose of the fish. Every time I look at him I end up bursting into tears as I hate to see him like this. It’s been laying on the bottom sideways for 2 days breathing fast. Can anyone else here with experience help Jaci out? I even enjoyed a chuckle or two. I list in the article the two methods of euthanization I think are humane. There are many reported instances of Zebra Danios developing curved spines on their own, particularly among glofish, so it’s possible it’s just a deformity and your fish isn’t actually in pain. Old age I think (hope?) I do weekly water changes-60gallon tank…they swim and eat and seem happy. It does not look like it is available in America, every site I look at is UK based. Me and my other half breed reptiles and its a shame there are no similarly simple and humane methods to dispatch them. It sounds like you know exactly what you are doing. You can’t add your clove oil just yet. I just couldn’t have done the other methods and the oil was the best thing I could use to help Marcello pass. It sounds like you gave that Speed an amazing life – especially considering what was otherwise his fate, should anyone else have bought him. It started off as a little spot that looked like a little wound on his upper back then slowly started growing fuzzy stuff on it. I am planning on getting some Betta fish soon so i dont want to make the same mistake again. #4, there is not pet shop where I live to return him to if they would accept it. That’s why we are going to follow up with one last step…. I have called around and waiting on replys from some companys that supply this type of fish. When I touch my betta with my net he gets away and goes to the other side. . hi ian, just another person grateful for your guide with the clove oil. Holly, sorry to hear about Speed. Obviously its something none of us ever want to do but it’s something that we all need to be prepared for. He swims mainly near the surface and blows bubbles a lot. Is ice water bath humane? Freezing is a commonly used method for euthanizing warm water fish. They could grow in numbers and spiral out of control. It can be tough, but you need to have a no-nonsense attitude. He was tiny then..the only placo in a tank with crabs. Thanks again!! As the water cools, the fish become less and less active. Unfortunately, I cannot do that for you. I just had to put down my first fish, like 10 minutes ago. Thoughts? ” Thank you. I know you are young so might not understand what you are saying here, but this is a terrible mindset. My Betta acted that way and she was just constipated. If you don’t like gore, then this is perhaps the best way to euthanize your fish. I tried the clove oil method and my fish BLED from the gills and was still breathing im severely dissatisfied with these supposed humane treatments. She did however pass away with only 2 drops. It’s usually caused by bad water. If so, what would you recommend for a larger Pleco about 10”? Next, place your fish in the water and continue to freeze it. He is missing a few scales and it seems as though as his back fin is tore. My boy had dropsy and I knew there’s no coming back from it, but I was so afraid of hurting him even worse, I didn’t want to put him to sleep. The water was fine but she didn’t get better. You should see the milky mixture spread throughout the container. It would rip my heart and make myself think to kill myself and go with her. Treatments I all tried. However, in the last couple of days I have found him floating belly-up occasionally even w/ the pump on. Thanks for the feedback, I hadn’t considered eugenol tooth liquid but I’m glad to hear it had the same effect. His colour is still good, eyes bright and has a little ‘yawn’ now and again. Thanks so much for the kind words. I mean, you have the medication on hand. The only positive thing you say is the dear fishes are in Heaven . Wow…that’s a lot of drops! Ice crystals form over their gills, which would be painful and is considered inhumane. Can you think of anything else I may have done wrong? My son raised him from a fingering but fish surgery, while available in our area, is both logistically and financially impossible for us. Also the tank was 1 1/2 gallon. He is twitching and gasping. It’s tank mate Stormy just stays by it and it breaks my heart. My Beta BLUE is suffering and I can’t get access to clove oil. Mine are much more stubborn and prefer to hide when I come near. This serves two purposes. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU. But if you’re fishing in a warm place, like the Gulf of Mexico or anything like that, ice is very effective for many of the species accustomed to warmer water. My beloved Black Moore is suffering badly and I’ve tried everything. It was the last thing I wanted to do but she went very peacefully using clove oil. Thank you so much for sharing your tip on where to get clove oil and that clove bud oil is as effective. I don’t feel it is, but haven’t found any info about other people doing it at all. – was the water dechlorinated? The idea is to pierce through the brain of your fish, which will kill it instantly. Only BEFORE. Gonna get clove oil today for my poor Trudy. I’m sorry to hear that euthanasia was the final decision for Timmy. Dropsy isn’t a disease, but rather a symptom of other underlying problems, and there is no single underlying problem for every … Required fields are marked *, The Never Ending Debate of Real Aquarium Plants vs Fake Aquarium Plants, Betta Fish Life Span – AKA How to Make your Betta Live Longer, Bikini Bottom – The Best Spongebob Aquarium We’ve Ever Seen, The Freezer Method for Euthanizing a Fish. The good news is that you may not have to euthanize your angel fish. When fish refuse food, it’s generally a sign that something is wrong, unfortunately, only you know what’s right in this circumstance. He is swimming around and eating okay, but the poor thing looks so uncomfortable. Figured u might know. Your comment will appear after it is approved by our staff. We have a department fish, Mr.Fin (we work in Finance-and he has fins) who is at least 4 years old. You will save more money in the long run if you learn to euthanize your fish quickly and humanely. but in a matter of a short time (1 1/2 weeks or so ) the growth has taken over most of his side and his gills have started getting dark. While I would love for it to be the cure, I am not convinced you would see different results. Unfortunately, fish diseases are really hard to diagnose online, especially if that white dot is the only symptom. It was the hardest decision i ever made. I tell him what a pretty boy he is…he knows his name. It’s never easy. Perhaps if you read the article instead of jumping straight to the comments to attack others, you would understand that there is a difference between the two. He was in a 167litre tank but has been moved to my 40litre quarantine tank with the same paramaters as the above tank. After 2 weeks in a hospital tank with frequent water changes, she decided to stop eating. I have tried everything because euthanizing her is the last thing I wanna do. After 12 years, that must have been so hard to say goodbye – they basically become a member of the family. I usually use osmosis Water, but I didn’t have enough on hand. One thing I learned and wanted to share with others, was that (at least here in Wisconsin in the U.S.) the drug stores don’t always have it anymore (they used to carry oil of clove as a toothache remedy.) It’s breaking my heart to watch him. I’m glad I can help. It usually takes hold in poor water conditions. I’m glad that you did your own research on humane methods, your fishes passing will have gone easier because of it. And today, I will show you the best way to euthanize a fish. It’s possible that this is just him getting ready to give up the ghost, in which case there might not be a whole lot you can do for him. About 3 weeks ago he started acting as though he wasn’t feeling too well. Fish are not toys. Can you humahely use Valium to euthanize a Betta? Thanks very much for the well-written article. Don’t use tap water as this will cause some discomfort for your fish. I do not know if it is suffering and you do not put a person down just because they are disabled but I feel it has to be and it seems to be getting worse. I’m glad she went as calmly as possible. We think all the extra waste may have made our fantail sick. I’m glad to hear this article helped you! Sleeping more and eating less, having difficulty finding the food, so we figured age related. F*** all you people. It’s heartbreaking. They are not a good mix for each other. I’m sorry for your loss. Unlike veterinary anaesthetics, clove oil is readily available from most chemists. It’s possible something else was wrong with your fish, which is why you needed to euthanize, such as parasites in the gill plates. I also noticed my fish got a little excited and start moving bit when the mixture was initially added. Hope my thoughts help you and I know now that through this site I will have made the right decision and a big THANK YOU to Ian Sterling for having the forethought to start up this web site. I called the pet store I adopted him from and they said it’s a tumor and I should put him to sleep forever because they can’t help me. was deeply sadden for the lost. But I saw the signs already. Place a square of aluminum foil down on a flat surface. Hello He’s huge and I don’t even know how I’ll catch him to put him down but I know it’s coming to the point where I just may have to do it. There is literally a crease on his side from the way it is bent. I think I made the initial mixture a little strong because he didn’t go to sleep peacefully and slowly but he did go quickly so at least he’s crossed the bridge. So I have this common pleco, about 7-8 inches, that isn’t doing too well. I have done everything from fasting to jungle cure with kanaplex and after her getting better then worse and better and worse I found something called fin and body cure by api. Lol! Yes this could be a serious mental illness. I’m on your side, they are much more than fish, they become little members of the family! Unfortunately, it’s a judgement call only you can make. Sure, the change in temperature, chlorine and other toxins might kill it, but it’s not unknown for cold water fish to survive.[5]. Suzen. I feel so much better knowing he’s not going to suffer anymore and that he just slipped peacefully away. We’re new at Betta’s and understand he’s getting up there in age. What do you think about that? Tonight we put down Myrna, our 21 year old goldfish. Thank you so much for this post. And remember… Your fish is now in fish heaven and is likely very happy. Thanks again. About the stun part. It’s a decision that no one else can make for you. Any thoughts? I held him in the water with his mouth sticking out and carfully opened his mouth with a rounded pair of tweezers expecting to find something there to grab. So after going to 5 stores, I was finally able to find some clove oil. He’s hanging out at the bottom of his tank doing nothing 90% of the time and he’s developed a weird circular white looking patch near one of his fins. Add the mixture to the water that the fish is in (1 gallon of water should be more than enough) and stir it around slowly with your hand. If you are using RO water in a freshwater tank, are you re-mineralizing it, to add hardness and alkalinity? But if you have to euthanize your fish, the least you can do is make sure the final moments of your fish-buddy’s life are pain-free. You must have really taken care of her. We have another fish in the same tank that was purchased at the same time and is thriving to this day. Or should I do the stun and stab after its unconscious from the clove oil (which I really wouldn’t have the stomach to do). Our guess is either HITH or a tumour. Do you agree with me that it seems to be something other then swim bladder since I don’t over feed. Fold the foil over the top of your fish. It was lucky your5 year old objected so loudly! Ice – This can be a good method to euthanize guppy but the effect on the fish are unclear which is why the clove oil method is better. Thanks so much for your prompt reply! Now in some instances, this might kill your fish outright. Second, it helps keep any nasties (bacteria, germs, etc) contained in the tupperware and not in your freezer. Take your dying fish to a decent vet who uses the clear anaesthetic. Unfortunately, I’m not a vet and I am not qualified to give advice in this regard. Got the standard tropical fish food n also the dried blood worms. A few weeks ago she jumped out of the tank and took a huge fall about feet, I let you know that all seemed well, her fins wore torn but have grown back. You are going to aim to use 3 tablespoons per gallon of water in the fish tank. You must have been a wonderful owner! Though it was difficult, Handsome is now in fish heaven. Firstly, hats off to you for being an exceptional fishkeeper – most people who win fish from a carnival have no idea what they are in for, and before long, the fish is dead. I decided to Google a humane method and thankfully found your wonderful help. I thought that if it was something going on inside from the fall I would have noticed right away but maybe something slowly crept up? Spare the Clove oil spoil humane euthanasia. Step Four: Dispose of your fish. Wow, 16 years? What language are did you want it translated to? Luckily I now have a new and bigger tank with a good filter and I think after I get her settled into it, she’ll be a lot happier. I gave Eve a last meal and did the deed. Deciding when to let a beloved cat go is probably the most difficult decision cat owners have to make. Your neighbor is correct with hitting it on the head with a shovel, this is the same step as stunning it as outlined in the directions above. Thoughts on what I should do? Best of luck to you! I tried a number of treatments, none working. Wishing you all the best! Thoughts?? This morning we said goodbye to Mr. Quick question. Feed him one pea a day until it is cleared up. Be gentle and cause as little stress as possible. I have sent my husband out to buy some clove oil. We leave for vacation in a few days and will be gone for a week. Your fish will stop moving within 30 seconds. B) Would prefer to see their fish suffer a slow painful death eg being eaten alive by bacteria. If he cannot eat, his time is limited as it is. The most powerful fish killer is stress. I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your fish. Thank you for your kind words, Suzanne. So today, I will show you how to humanely kill your pet fish. It was a hard and sad thing to do. Thank you so much for this. Researching humane ways to euthanize and saw this post. For fish, peas are said to be a cure for constipation. I just had to euthanize Marcello, my beautiful male betta. Euthanasia on the other hand is a part of keeping fish. For example, let’s assume you have a 10-gallon fish tank at home. My Betta Rutu has been living for 3 years. But I really don’t want to lose him. Follow the instructions to the letter to avoid causing unnecessary stress and suffering! The goal is to minimize pain and suffering. Thanks Ian. I’ve also noticed his color is a lot less vibrant when he sleeps and a few scales are kinda white. however your test kit should reveal if this is the case. It is important not to remove a fish for disposal until death has been established. Mixing in vodka would be a nasty way to go. I want to stop his suffering asap. Some of the methods, such as freezing the fish, increase stress in the fish than reduce it. It sounds like Handsome had a geat life thanks to you. Thank u so much for your help. Do you think he has a chance of recovery? At least she left you with some kids to remember her by! If you know how to euthanize a betta fish, then you will no longer have to worry about how to do it. I do have a couple of thoughts, these may or may not be relevent. I am not so sure about that. Now I feel , Don’t beat yourself up too much, I’m sure you did the best with what you knew at the time. I get that this is hard, especially with him being an emotional support animal, but it’s a call that only you can make. When and why do you need to kill a pet fish. I don’t want to let her suffer. If it’s a male, then this is generally the norm. I’m very sure he doesn’t have swim blatter. Just to make it clear… I only advocate euthanasia as a last resort, when all other options have been exhausted. I do appreciate it. I don’t know if he needs to be euthanized or not. Anyone suggesting there is anything wrong with this webpage eithet, A) Hasn’t read it properly More often than not, your fish isn’t coming back from that. 4 years is old age for a betta, you did well as an owner Even so, it’s never easy to say goodbye to a pet and I’m sorry for your loss. he has been suffering for over three weeks and I don’t think he should suffer any more and probably has no chance of recovery. I need help. If not, read this guide: Thank you for allowing me to give the kindest gift to my poor sick tetra. The freezer method is a painless, but slow, method of euthanizing a fish. We had to put our fish down today and it was suggested that we do the flush down the toilet method. One scientific study on Zebra Danios found that a cold water bath (less than 39 degrees Fahrenheit) can be an effective and humane method of killing your fish, so this method may work on tropical fish less than 2 inches.[8]. His jaw is stuck open and has gone red, bloody and swollen. Tall fins n all. Just stick a Jew in a gas chamber….. Oh wait we evolved beyond measuring the worth of any life……or did we. I named him SpeedRacer because he darted around like a crazy fish. I think I made him worse! I’m glad that Marcello wen quickly and painlessly. I’m faced with the decision of euthanizing my black moor goldfish. So not sure if it would help? Whether you let him go naturally or not is up to you. But a thats a long time ago and B the other fish wasnt effected at all. How to euthanize a fish with clove oil (preferred method) This method is the most effective and the easiest and for squeamish people. She’s been eating less and less, is lethargic and has lost weight. Your email address will not be published. So I wanted to say thank you for the knowledge of “the nicest way to let my baby pass with no pain. In the end, I went for the latter.

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