# Lidocaine for fish euthanasia



## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

The most common method I've seen on this forum for euthanasia is clove oil and vodka or just an overdose of clove oil, but lidocaine gels available at most pharmacies, when clove oil isn't readily available, are very effective at stopping the heart quickly and painlessly as an alternative.


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## Lildragoness (Jul 21, 2017)

caldwelldaniel26 Used PM to tell me about this method, and it works very well, the fish felt no pain and he passed instantly. I had clove oil on order, but it got delayed, I could not leave the fish suffering another two days. I used 5% lidocaine ointment, which won't easily diffuse in water, due to it being such a thick formula. So I did it the way you would clove oil, put a little tank water in a jar, added lidocaine and shook it up until it turned an aspirin-like color, added that to the container he was in. I admit, I used quite a bit, as he was a somewhat large fish and I had never done it before and wanted to be sure he felt no pain. A teaspoon probably could have done it though. If you use less than me, the water in the jar may be less colored, but as long as you don't see much of any sinking at the bottom in the ointment state, and it is diffused into the water, it is fine. Most people probably only have the over the counter gel though, which will probably be much easier to diffuse. The ointment I had was prescription only. (I also added some rubbing alcohol after his breathing had been stopped a little while to be sure he didn't wake up. I once put down a fish, all I had was Alka seltzer, I feel bad, but the fish had been suffering far too long. And he woke back up and we had to do it again, that is why I was trying to be so sure. That was many years ago, and a goldfish, my family had no idea how to put down a fish and if I could do it again I would not use that method)


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Thank you dragoness. I joined this forum with the hopes of helping others succeed in the hobby, pass on my own knowledge and experiences, but most of all I wanted to learn from others who've been keeping fish longer than I've been alive lol. I want to contribute as much as I can in return for the volumes I've learned from being a member here.


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## Lildragoness (Jul 21, 2017)

Couldn't have said it better myself


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