# Should I Euthanize my fish?



## cwhittaker (Jul 25, 2010)

I came home after a 3 day weekend and found one of my fish belly-up and with it's innards eaten out. I had put in the 3 Day feeder from the pet store and it was totally gone. I'm also positive that it was this particualr fish (a jewel cichlid) because it has shown aggression toward the other. I was wondering if I should put it down for the sake of my other fish (an auratus cichlid and two tiger oscars). It has gone from the usual deep red to a sickly pale color. what do i do???


----------



## NeonFlux (May 15, 2008)

Hmm those 3 day feeder things are not worth it, hate to break it to you; fish can survive days without food, so next time, don't worry.

As for euthanizing, you might just have to; do you have a picture the sick fish? Maybe they need a good dose of medication immediately and separately;


----------



## cwhittaker (Jul 25, 2010)

i don't have a lot of money to buy meds and i bought it for like 2 bucks at petsmart. He's had a good life but has been getting increasingly violent since it's mate dies. He had attempted to mate with this fish, they had laid eggs together but the attempt failed. The tank mate seems to have gotten depressed at the failure and hid in the corner and refused to eat. I had separated the tank mate to see if the other fish where just eating all the food to fast. It wasn't the case. It turned black and eventually died. So, if euthanasia is the route, what is the best way? I have seen alka-seltzer, clove-oil, etc. I would rather have it be speedy though. Thanks!


----------



## ryan10517 (Apr 28, 2010)

the best way to euthanize fish in my opinion is ice water. just make sure it is really cold and they usually die within 15-30 seconds depending on the size of the fish. if you want an immediate euthanasia then you can sever the fish's spine with an exacto razor knife but its a little more gruesome.


----------



## Six (May 29, 2006)

Please do not use the ice water bath. It really does not kill the fish as fast as people think it does. It makes them SLOW which makes them LOOK dead but they aren't. You put them in ice water then flush it or trash it and the fish will still be alive.

The best method is to sever the spinal cord or to use RDT (rapid deceleration therapy) which is brunt force to the head of the animal, usually via a swift smack.

With that being said, you're thinking of killing a fish because it was "bad"? Why not just give it to a friend or back to the LFS? You bought it without knowing their potential, the least you can do is try to rehome it before killing it.


----------



## ryan10517 (Apr 28, 2010)

Six said:


> Please do not use the ice water bath. It really does not kill the fish as fast as people think it does. It makes them SLOW which makes them LOOK dead but they aren't. You put them in ice water then flush it or trash it and the fish will still be alive.


thats really interesting six. i had no idea that it didn't fully kill fish! I will use the spinal cord sever method from now on. And yes, its a better idea to give the fish away to your lfs than kill it just cuz its a bad fish.


----------



## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

I agree with trying to find a new home for your fish, and with avoiding an ice bath, though even that can be better than some options. I know someone who had to kill a couple fish quite recently due to their lack of ability to encite warm and fuzzy feelings. Harldy a crime, but sometimes it happens. The bottom line is that if you're going to kill a fish, it is going to die. This person allowed a dog to "conduct the terminal procedures" (poor fellas; though I imagine it was quick). I personally would have chosen the head-trauma (hammer) procedure, but regardless of your methodology, it's never the most pleasant thing in the world and will certainly result in mortality.


----------



## tiffc (Jan 8, 2010)

I would certainly try to find that fish a good home, either at the fish store or with a hobbyist that knows what keeping that species requires.

I've only used clove oil to euthanize fish that were ill beyond cure...

Best of luck!


----------



## brackish bro (Jan 22, 2010)

make some fish tacos!


----------



## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

brackish bro said:


> make some fish tacos!


ound:


----------



## orisuechris (Aug 14, 2010)

Yup clove oil is supposedly the best way to do it. It's not too expensive and heck you might have some already.


----------



## jlroar (Jun 21, 2007)

To use clove oil, it's really simple but also can be really upsetting if it is not done correctly. I'm sure the last thing you want is a fish thrashing around before it dies.

Here is the safest way to use Clove Oil.

1. Get a small bowl (I use old cleaned butter bowls).
2. Get an empty sports drink or soda bottle (rinsed out).
3. Fill the butter bowl 3/4 the way full with the water from the tank that the fish will be taken from.
4. Add the sick fish to this bowl.
5. Fill the above mentioned bottle 1/2 full of tank water from the same tank the fish will be coming from.
6. Add no more than 2 drops of clove oil to the bottled tank water and shake until the water turns milky white.
7. Slowly add 1/2 of this mixture over about a 5 minute time frame to the bowl the fish is in.
8. Eventually the fish will turn upside down it is NOT DEAD yet! It is only under Anestassia.
9. Finish adding the liquid if any is left from the bottle to the bowl. This is like giving a human a large dose of morphine.
10. After the gills on the fish stop moving I suggest waiting 5 more minutes then discard the fish.

Adding more than 2 drops in this situation will cause instant thrashing and the fish to fight to get away from the clove oil causing a horrible display before it dies. Adding this solution slowly allows the fish to slowly slip unconscious. This method is typically used when doing surgery on fish other than the fish is not normally kept in the solution until death. Euthanizing a fish this way is considered humane by vets.

The container the fish was kept in should be thrown away after the use but the bottle can be kept dry until it must be used again.

Fish are just like any other wild animal. They do what they do for many different reasons. Ultimately if you feel this fish will kill again then euthanizing it may save someone else from the same fate.

James


----------



## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

James - Thanks for giving an explanation on clove oil. I had really never heard of using it and wondered about it when I saw the posts in this thread. I'm not sure if I'll ever use it, but I will keep this thread in mind if it ever becomes a choice.

Later,


----------



## JPowers (Jul 25, 2007)

tiffc said:


> I've only used clove oil to euthanize fish that were ill beyond cure...


Clove oil is the most humane. Since it's oil, it won't mix with water, so blend it with vodka first then add water. Another method that sounds brutal is to just spike the fish on concrete. I've tried Alka-seltzer plus cold medicine that makes humans drowsy, but doesn't knock the fish out like I thought it would.

edit...I didn't see the other clove oil posts above!


----------

