Euthanize

[chvynva916]

At what point do you euthanize your sick fish? I have been treating a clown with fin rot for several days and he looks to be on his last legs; he is breathing rapidly near the surface, is emaciated, and is fins have rotted significantly. I hate to see him suffer, but I don't want to give up on him.

If I do decide to euthanize him, what are your suggested methods? I have heard freezing him will put him to sleep slowly and peacefully. Any advice?

 

Details:

5 gal nano

8 lbs live figi

3lbs live sand

typical cleanup crew (blue-legs, turbos, peppermint shrimp)

open brain coral

hairy finger coral

2 sebaes (one of which is sick)

temp - 78

ph - 8.5

no detectable ammonia or nitrites

[DogfacePuffer]

I haven't actually done any of this to my fish but I have heard freezing is a very painful way to die and the fish can feel it

as their insides freeze up slowly, causing their internal fluids to crystalize into tiny solid particles, before their body systems finally breaks down.

Also, I have heard of people flushing their fish down the toilet, but they can take up to 2 days to die, since they swim around in the sewage pipes, washed by chemicals and sludge before succumbing.

I read from a website that decapitation is the best and quickest way, although it seems the most cruel.

[NaNO ReeFiN]

One of my clownfish totally lost its color and was extremely pale, the fins were rotting and there was these black parasite all over it. It stayed at the bottom of the tank and barely swam. I didn't know whether to euthanize him or try to treat him and wait it out.. Well... I didnt want to give up on him and decided to treat him. Besides a couple black spots still left on his body, he's all better. I'm glad I didn't give up on mine.

[Brianc_4]

Does anyone have DIY plan for a mini-guillotine?? :woot: :woot:

[Crakeur]

swallow the fish and wash it down with a tall glass of water. I always hate when you have to make the decision to pull the plug. I had a 55 gallon tank that got a serious case of illness and my last fish to die was a huge annularis angel. I had the fish in my tank for close to a year and I was devastated. I couldn't figure out how to kill it (too bug to flush) so I bagged it and dropped it in a garbage can on the street. I went, got food and the paper and when I came back to my apartment, there was a crowd of people standing by the garbage can trying to figure out what was making so much noise inside it. The fish was leaping around like crazy. Broke my heart.

[gobies]

I've heard that freezing is the best way to euthanize a fish. Remember, fish are cold-blooded, so when you cool their surroundings, you slow down their metabolism. They're likely to go to sleep and then loose consciousness long before they actually freeze, especially if you put them in the freezer with some water.