Best way to euthanize a fish

inkl

inkl

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 24, 2003
Messages
50
Hi,
I posted a while ago about my awesome old Betta, Ned, whose face exploded. He has declined in health slowly but steadily and hasn't been eating lately. This morning he is floating head up and has suddenly lost a ton of colour but his fins are still going. This seems like the end of the road for Ned, and I don't want to leave him to suffer like this. What's the best way to put down a fish? I can think of how to kill a fish but none are particularly humane.
 
stevetastic

stevetastic

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
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Jul 29, 2008
Messages
670
only put him in the freezer if you want him to suffer even more before he dies. buy a product call finquel. it is a fish Anesthetic & Sedative that will let your fish pass peacefully. sorry for your loss.
 
R

RoachGirlRen

Arachnoangel
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+1; the AVMA and most other reputable vet orgs agree that freezing is not humane. If you can't find finquel, buy clove oil for DENTAL PAIN, not the aromatic oil for incense, available at most health food stores. Put it in a small container with water from the tank, shake vigorously until you have a cloudy colloid, then scoop the fish into it. While it isn't an official method of euthanasia, research on it suggests it is humane & fast, producing anesthetic and analgesic effects.
 
inkl

inkl

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 24, 2003
Messages
50
I wasn't able to get anything today, and the way things are going I might not need it anyway. Pray for Ned!
 
ametan

ametan

Arachnoknight
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Feb 27, 2010
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186
Sorry about Ned. It's so difficult not to be able to do anything for them.

And just wanted to say sorry about the bad info. Got it from a trusted (I thought) source. Didn't mean to lead anyone astray. And at least I know now as well.
 
Tim Benzedrine

Tim Benzedrine

Prankster Possum
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I wouldn't feel too bad, it's a pretty common misconception. Or at least it used to be. And if you don't give it too much thought, it makes sense on the surface. Knowing that cold-blooded creatures go into a torpor when the temperature is lowered could foster belief that they would painlessly go to sleep. That isn't the case, of course. Even when humans freeze to death they lose consciousness, but until that point, freezing is quite uncomfortable.

Now, as far as the fish goes, probably the most humane and expedient way to deal with it would be to wrap it in a bit of cloth and give it a hit with a hammer. But, I'm aware that we are talking about a pet here, so I completely understand if that isn't an option. I can barely kill a mouse if a mousetrap doesn't do the job properly, and have even released ones that have not been mortally injured.
 
Smitty78

Smitty78

Arachnobaron
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Feb 8, 2009
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303
In reality, feelings aside. It's a fish! Put him in a container of tank water, and stick it in the freezer.
 
Widowman10

Widowman10

Arachno WIDOW
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Tim Benzedrine said:
Now, as far as the fish goes, probably the most humane and expedient way to deal with it would be to wrap it in a bit of cloth and give it a hit with a hammer. But, I'm aware that we are talking about a pet here, so I completely understand if that isn't an option.
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old yeller anyone? you might not want to, but shooting the fish is your best option.

joking aside, sorry to hear it. something quick is best if you are worried about your fish.
 
T

tekkendarklord

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Feb 16, 2009
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257
try microwave, see what happens....jk
I'm sorry about your fish....
if it was my fish, ima feed it to my reptile and think that the soul of the fish is inside my reptile....xD
 
ametan

ametan

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
186
Smitty78 said:
In reality, feelings aside. It's a fish! Put him in a container of tank water, and stick it in the freezer.
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That's not the question the OP asked. He wanted a humane way, not your opinion on whether he should be humane.
 
xBurntBytheSunx

xBurntBytheSunx

Arachnoprince
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imo just get a sharp knife and cut it's head off. it's quick, and he probably won't feel anything.
 
R

RoachGirlRen

Arachnoangel
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994
That's not the question the OP asked. He wanted a humane way, not your opinion on whether he should be humane.
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This. Why joke about the suffering of someone's pet? Considering that the OP clearly cares enough about the fish to want a humane demise for it, some of the responses here are pretty shamefully insensitive and unnecessarry - not to mention just utterly unhelpful for the question asked. :embarrassed: If your opinion is that fish don't matter enough for humane consideration, then don't post on a thread where someone wants advice humane euthanasia for a fish. Seems obvious.

On an actually on topic note: if you decapitate a cold blooded animal like a fish, you are supposed to destroy the brain. The brains of cold blooded animals don't react the same as warm blooded ones to decapitation. It IS an accepted method, but only when accompanied by destruction of the brain.
 
F

funguy@heart

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 27, 2009
Messages
41
Grab some tongs and see if a T will eat it.
Throw it in the blender with your daily vitamins.
Hammer and nail
Lay it on the sidewalk and step on it.
 
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