# humane way to put a sick fish down?



## roman_back

what is the most humane way to "put a fish out of misery" im not gonna flush him and im definatly not gonna just throw him out in the yard.


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## beanblog

Here's some good info from RustyNut over at cichlidforums.com:
http://www.cichlidforums.com/showthread.php?t=30760


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## cichlidaholic

Adding a few drops of clove oil to a bowl of tank water with the fish in it is the most humane way I've found...At least, it's the only one I can live with!

The clove oil serves as an anesthesia, and puts the fish to sleep. You can then slide the container in your freezer to finish the job. Make sure you don't remove the fish from the clove oil, though...It will wake up.

I save old Cool Whip containers specifically for this dreaded chore, then you can use the lid when putting it in the freezer.


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## hollyfish2000

I've used something called Euthanaze a few times. It's clove oil. it works very well and without drama.


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## gordonrp

only done it once, and used the alka sletzer method which I don't recommend, the fish thrashed around for about 10 second before dying. v upsetting to watch.


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## ArizonaCichlids

Its generally regarded as humane to thump the fish like an angler would before filleting it. This requires no special agents; only a blunt object and its quicker than clove oil. Its also painless. Think about what would happen to you if you got wacked on the head real hard...it wouldn't hurt until you woke up, and if you didn't wake up it would never hurt...


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## gordonrp

gordonrp said:


> only done it once, and used the alka sletzer method which I don't recommend, the fish thrashed around for about 10 second before dying. v upsetting to watch.


apologies, i mistyped the above. I used the alka seltzer and vodka method, but obviously didnt use enough alka seltzer because when I added the vodka the fish thrashed around. :-(


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## EBurna

toilet


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## cichlidaholic

EBurna said:


> toilet


Not a good way to euthanize a fish, the death can be very long and drawn out, and flushing a fish is something you should never do!


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## hollyfish2000

I understand that thumping your fish or even cutting its head off are methods of euthanasia. They are just unacceptable to me. The Euthanaze is very cheap and effective, with no thrashing around, no punched out fish and no blood!


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## roman_back

well this by far was one of the hardest things to do...  rip to my zebra!!










here is the poor guy with his disease, he wouldnt get better so it was the clove oil and in the freezer.


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## nickinsmokerise

I used my 5 gallon bucket i use for water changes and filled it halfway with ice and then water. They only wiggled for like 1 second, then went to sleep. I hated to do it, but that was the nicest way i could think of. Will try clove oil next time.


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## swimalong

Nobody mentioned baking soda, I have done this one time with my extremely sick fish (it was actually a goldfish with bloat). He went very quickly with this method. I think it is pretty humane and is something easy to get your hands on in a pinch....

Baking Soda
When dosed properly, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) causes rapid loss of consciousness and death by increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the water. Place the fish in a container large enough for it to move around freely. Mix a solution of 3 tablespoons of baking soda to each quart (0.9463 liter) of water and then pour into the holding container. Once the fish turns on its side, watch the opercular movements (respiration/gill movements). The fish should be removed from the solution after at least ten minutes have passed since the last observed opercular movements (respiration/gill movements).


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## fishwolfe

garbage disposal on high....just foolin.but why the clove oil?putting a fish in the freezer is just like hypothermia.the stages are being cold, then tired, then sleep and finally death.so you just skip the first 2 by knocking them out.but i don't think they are in that much pain during the first 2 stages.the fish is already hurting and weak so it wouldn't take that much to finish the job.


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## cichlidaholic

fishwolfe said:


> .but why the clove oil?putting a fish in the freezer is just like hypothermia.the stages are being cold, then tired, then sleep and finally death.so you just skip the first 2 by knocking them out.but i don't think they are in that much pain during the first 2 stages.the fish is already hurting and weak so it wouldn't take that much to finish the job.


How do you know they aren't in "that much pain" while you're trying to freeze them?

The clove oil is simply an anesthetic used in an effort to be as humane as possible, which is what the OP asked about. :thumb:


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## Vincent

If you use a heavy dose of clove oil you don't even need to put the bowl in the freezer.


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## Ishkabod

Daily planet did a Mindbender question on this and i remember there was a VERY VERY reason why freezing doesn't work as a humane method on fish. I just don't remember what it was exactly. I know flushing is a BIG NO NO but the most humane method is to quickly sever the head. If you can't do it find a fisherman or take him to a vet to be put to sleep. I don't remember the dove oil as a method but if someone has a link to post regarding dove oil i'd love to check it out as my yellow might need to be put out of his misery.
L


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## fishwolfe

> How do you know they aren't in "that much pain" while you're trying to freeze them?


i guess what i meant was, compared to the illness thats killing them its not that much more to speed the job up.
i actually feel that the knock on the head route is probably the best bet to be humane but most people cant do it.i fish allot and don't have a problem with those fish, but its hard to dispatch a friend.


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## swimalong

Agree they could be in pain and that freezing could be a slow death... IMO if you have clove oil or any product that could numb the fish first, that this is obviously the best option. Most people don't keep these products on hand though. Where do you even find clove oil?

I think the absolute worst thing anyone could do is flush, or beat/cut the fish (no matter how swiftly you claim to be at this), that seems cruel and horrific. But I even have a hard time watching fishermen clubbing fish, it is a living thing after all.


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## Shellectra

I did the clove oil method and it was perfect! The fish just falls asleep, and there is NO thrashing or pain whatsoever. I found clove oil in a health food shop  It stinks! But it does the job so well. Freezing isn't as humane as you would think as there is pain involved. Something about ice cores forming inside the fish while it is freezing and this being painful, not quite sure but if you google it you'll see.

I'd rather put my beloved fish asleep with the clove oil, THEN freeze. Once they are asleep, I pour the fish + clove water mix he's in, into a little sandwich bag, tie a knot, and put in freezer. Then the next day I throw it out. Whola!


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## cichlidaholic

Ishkabod said:


> I don't remember the dove oil as a method but if someone has a link to post regarding dove oil i'd love to check it out as my yellow might need to be put out of his misery.
> L


Here is a good link:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-mos ... a-fish.htm

You can find many more by just doing a search for "fish euthanasia with clove oil".

Just make sure you don't remove the fish from the clove oil/water before freezing. It is just an anesthetic - puts them to sleep, many use this to do surgical procedures on fish - so if you take the fish out of the clove oil/water, they will wake up in your freezer. That would defeat the purpose of using clove oil.


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