How to humanely put down a fish?

[Lauren8211]

Our beta is looking pretty awful right now, and we think its time for him to pass.

I''m trying to find the best way to put down a fish, where he''ll feel the least amount of pain.

I''ve heard clove oil, and then freezing him, but I''m scared to hurt him

I''ve also heard violent ways, but we won''t be doing that. Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[LAJennifer]

How old is he? Have you tried putting antibiotics in the water?

 

[Lauren8211]

He''s about 2.5 years old. We haven''t tried antibiotics.

 

[HollyS]

How does one ''off'' a fish? Without taking them out of water and allowing them to suffocate?

When fish are sick, they don''t last very long. Letting nature take its course would probably be what I would do in that situation. Have you asked a vet or other expert in pet fishies?

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 3/30/2009 7:10:27 PM
Author: HollyS

How does one ''off'' a fish? Without taking them out of water and allowing them to suffocate?

When fish are sick, they don''t last very long. Letting nature take its course would probably be what I would do in that situation. Have you asked a vet or other expert in pet fishies?

I would probably let him pass naturally as well. Though I once had a beta in my office. I came in one day and he was swollen and floating on one side - but still alive. I went to petco and got some fishie antibiotics and put it in the water (according to instructions) - and he was totally fine the next day.

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 3/30/2009 7:10:27 PM
Author: HollyS


How does one ''off'' a fish? Without taking them out of water and allowing them to suffocate?


When fish are sick, they don''t last very long. Letting nature take its course would probably be what I would do in that situation. Have you asked a vet or other expert in pet fishies?

He''s looked bad for.. a month or two now. We thought he was going to die several times, and he just hasn''t

He looks so bad that I feel like he should be put down, but if he can be saved, obviously I''d try it.

I haven''t asked a vet. We called an aquarium around us and they said to freeze him, but that sounds awful.

 

[lyra]

Yes, freezing is the humane way, although it sounds bad. Sorry he is sick.

I''ve loved the betas we''ve had over the years, such character in a fish!

 

[LostSapphire]

Elle: I'm sorry about your pet.

I've never googled "pet fish + euthanize" but gave it a try. A few weird things come up. But here are a few that look legitimate and may be helpful:

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/buyinglivestock/a/aa120399.htm

http://thegab.org/Articles/Euthanasia.html

http://www.petplace.com/fish/euthanasia-in-fish/page1.aspx

http://www.ehow.com/how_2041130_euthanize-fish.html

LS

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 3/30/2009 7:13:19 PM
Author: elledizzy5

Date: 3/30/2009 7:10:27 PM
Author: HollyS


How does one 'off' a fish? Without taking them out of water and allowing them to suffocate?


When fish are sick, they don't last very long. Letting nature take its course would probably be what I would do in that situation. Have you asked a vet or other expert in pet fishies?

He's looked bad for.. a month or two now. We thought he was going to die several times, and he just hasn't

He looks so bad that I feel like he should be put down, but if he can be saved, obviously I'd try it.

I haven't asked a vet. We called an aquarium around us and they said to freeze him, but that sounds awful.

I'd let him pass naturally. I think freezing him sounds pretty bad? I dunno. Maybe DF has some answers although he has Koi.. But still he might have some good advice for you. I am sorry about your fish.

 

[lyra]

I googled too. Apparently there are fish Euthaenasia products available from pet stores that pretty much instantly kill the fish. This would be most humane. The freezing method is less humane.

 

[Lauren8211]

The freezing DOES sound really bad. I would feel awful knowing the poor thing was in the freezer.

We''ll try some anti-biotics, and hopefully that will help him feel better. It''s hard to look at him barely swimming around and his fins are all busted up. He looks really bad.


LS - thanks for the links! I tried googling it earlier, but so many of the websites were mentioning violent methods and neither me, nor FF would have the heart to do anything like that. Yikes.

I just can''t wrap my head around freezing being the best way. I don''t think I could do it.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Elle, I''m so sorry about your fishie.

I hope DF checks in . . . he''ll probably know what to do.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 3/30/2009 7:26:40 PM
Author: elledizzy5
The freezing DOES sound really bad. I would feel awful knowing the poor thing was in the freezer.

We''ll try some anti-biotics, and hopefully that will help him feel better. It''s hard to look at him barely swimming around and his fins are all busted up. He looks really bad.


LS - thanks for the links! I tried googling it earlier, but so many of the websites were mentioning violent methods and neither me, nor FF would have the heart to do anything like that. Yikes.

I just can''t wrap my head around freezing being the best way. I don''t think I could do it.

Oh I am so sorry; I hope the anti-biotics help.

 

[Dancing Fire]

clove oil for koi, don''t know about beta.

 

[CJ2008]

Sorry to hear about your fish Elle

I hope you can get some antibiotics that will help him.

 

[Bia]

Sorry sweetie.

 

[gummibear]

Hi elle, sorry about your fishie. You said his fins were messed up...does he have "ick"? Not sure if I spelled that correctly, but I remember having fish as a kid and sometimes they would get this fish disease called ick and I remember my mom putting drops in the fishtank to help them. We got the drops from a petstore. You could call and see if they have that or, like someone else said, try antibiotics. I''ve had some pets look like they were on death''s door and then suddenly bounce back, so I hope that happens to your beta!! Good luck

 

[asscherisme]

Please don''t freeze him! That sounds awful. Also, I have had betas in the past that I thought were going to die any day that just hung on and on and then snapped out of it. Ick might be a possiblity. There are medicines you could try in the water as well.

Poor fishy. But I would either try and treat his water or let him die a natural deaith.

 

[Lynny0780]

freezing is supposed to be the way to do it.

 

[cnspotts]

I''m sorry about your fishie, our betas have lived to about that age too.

We accidently discovered that a larger fish will do the trick quite nicely. We named him Moby (Dick).

 

[anyname]

i was going to suggest freezing him. From what i understand, it will cause the fish to slow down and become "sluggish" and eventually he will sleep and pass on. You can do the same thing with a lobster before you kill and eat them.

 

[LaraOnline]

I would call a vet and ask for advice. If they can operate on a fish (which can be done) well they probably have an opinion on how to provide really humane euthenasia drugs as well.

 

[SparkleSparkle]

http://www.bettatalk.com/ This woman is an expert on Bettas - there should be something on this site about euthanasia...

 

[Pandora II]

This sounds awful, but what I do with shrimp, crabs etc when I want to eat them is put them in water and very slowly bring the heat up. They pretty much go to sleep at a certain temperature and it seems pretty trauma free.

It used to freak me out having to kill them until I found this method and they certainly all seem very calm and just drift off...

ETA: Everything I could find in the UK says to use clove oil which is what they use for fish anaesthesia.

 

[bee*]

Date: 3/30/2009 7:17:04 PM
Author: lyra
Yes, freezing is the humane way, although it sounds bad. Sorry he is sick.

I''ve loved the betas we''ve had over the years, such character in a fish!

We have been told that freezing is the best way too but it really does sound awful. Ring your local vet and see do they have any medication that they can give you.

 

[LaraOnline]

Date: 3/31/2009 9:48:38 AM
Author: bee*
Ring your local vet and see do they have any medication that they can give you.

Yes, I can''t believe they would use clove oil, it sounds kinda old-fashioned... surely the vet has some suitable anaesthesia..?

 

[bee*]

Date: 3/31/2009 10:13:31 AM
Author: LaraOnline

Date: 3/31/2009 9:48:38 AM

Author: bee*

Ring your local vet and see do they have any medication that they can give you.

Yes, I can''t believe they would use clove oil, it sounds kinda old-fashioned... surely the vet has some suitable anaesthesia..?

yeah they should do. We''ve only had a fish in once to have a lump removed so we haven''t had to put any to sleep. I''m in work tomorrow so I''ll have a look at our exotics book and see what it suggests.