Fish Euthanasia

[This Old Spouse]

I hate violence, but hate suffering more. I only wish I had some liquid nitrogen so I could just drop the poor bugger in it and have it frozen instantly.

 

[CoryLover95]

I used to freeze mine but it seems from what people have said on here that it's not all that humane...I haven't had to do it since but will probably use clove oil.  I couldn't bring myself to do the flick to the head method...

 

[RCA]

I just read an interesting article on the Practical Fishkeeping website on the topic of humanely destroying a fish. I've seen it discussed on here before and in the chat room so thought it might be of some interest.
 
I think it will be useful for anyone who has to put a fish out of their misery or has some favoured method that might not be the best option available.

Thanks for posting this LJM, unfortunately I am having to put a poor Panda Cory out of its misery today.  I will be using the Clove Oil method, which I have used in the past, although I am researching to ensure I get it correct.
 
Other products I have come across in my research are:
 
Koi Calm - I believe an overdose can kill a fish?
 
Vetark Aqua-Sed - which is at last a veterinary grade anaesthetic which is available within the UK - this is also reviewed in PFK January 2013
 

I know, but I can't even imagine using that method for a bigger fish! I think I would freak out... If I had to crush one of my discus or something.... Oh my god! I think I should get some clove oil just to have in case.

I think every fishkeeper should have a bottle. There's nothing worse than having a really sick or injured fish, that you know is suffering, and not having the means to put it out of it's pain humanely

It is always a difficult choice to make, but to see an animal suffer for a long period is indeed even more difficult.  I will be ordering some of the anaesthetic linked above to have in as an alternative to the Clove Oil for the future.
 

I had to put my goldfish down last weekend and couldn't bring myself to tap on the head so used clove oil and vodka, once I was pretty sure he had gone I did make extra sure by the head method but couldn't bear to do it with his eyes moving

the clove oil method was incredibly peaceful which made it less stressful both for me and the fish.

I am glad you found this a peaceful end to your goldfishes suffering.  Can you tell us how much Clove Oil you added to the water and over what time period?  I have read mixed thoughts on this, i.e. add it slowly, add it quickly etc.  I mix it in a container prior to adding it to the water with the fish in it, then leave the fish in the solution over night.  The time before when I had to put a fish out of its misery, I found it thrashed around a little initially and I was concerned I had done something wrong, hence my research now.  Apparently, a fish will react initially to an anaesthetic too and this is not seen as an issue as the fish then absorbs it faster (?).
 

While still in the net a quick flick to the head then flush or bin, job done!!

 
Never flush a fish, dead or alive.

+1 - regardless of how good the water treatments are, I elect to either bury my fish or put them in the compost.
 
 
This topic is indeed a difficult one for all of us.  If anyone is aware of the products I have mentioned initially, please can they comment as to their experiences.  In addition if anyone has used the Clove Oil method, please advise as to the fishes reaction and how you went about it all i.e. quantities etc.

 

[fluttermoth]

I haven't used any fish anaesthetics, though I do think they'd be very useful, if it was possible to keep some for emergencies.
 
I've had to use clove oil a few times
 
The lethal dose is 25 drops per litre, I believe, but I always go for 30/35. I take a litre of water from the tank, a put that in large margarine tub, that I keep for the purpose; it's a 1kg one, so it holds exactly a litre.
 
I take a 'bit' (probably 100/200 mls) of that water, put it in a screw top jar (also kept for that purpose; clove oil makes everything stink of it), add the clove oil and shake to an emulsion.
 
Then I catch the poor wee fishy, put it in the margarine tub and then pour the clove oil mixture into one end; it soon mixes through the whole tub. Usually crying and saying "I'm so sorry".
 
I've never experience fish thrashing wildly about, TBH; mine have always just sort of fallen over

 

[Mamashack]

I had a pearlscale goldfish that was dying (had had a tumour on its tail for years) and I used the clove oil method and alcohol.
The idea is that the clove anaesthetises it (puts it in a coma) and whilst it is unconscious one adds the alcohol to kill it. Using alcohol without the clove oil first is tantamount to putting it in acid as alcohol burns! So don't forget the clove oil first!
I got some tank water in a small container and added a couple of drops of clove oil and swished it around to mix it in a bit - it's oil in water so doesn't dissolve but can be suspended for a short while. Once the water had calmed I then put the fish in and waited until it sank to the bottom for a few minutes and the gill activity had slowed down to once every 15 seconds or so and then added the alcohol and watched for the gill activity to stop. When the gills had not moved for 5 mins I disposed of the fish in the rubbish bin. Not a very emotional send-off, but a peaceful one I hope!

 

[RCA]

I haven't used any fish anaesthetics, though I do think they'd be very useful, if it was possible to keep some for emergencies.
 
I've had to use clove oil a few times

(
 
The lethal dose is 25 drops per litre, I believe, but I always go for 30/35. I take a litre of water from the tank, a put that in large margarine tub, that I keep for the purpose; it's a 1kg one, so it holds exactly a litre.
 
I take a 'bit' (probably 100/200 mls) of that water, put it in a screw top jar (also kept for that purpose; clove oil makes everything stink of it), add the clove oil and shake to an emulsion.
 
Then I catch the poor wee fishy, put it in the margarine tub and then pour the clove oil mixture into one end; it soon mixes through the whole tub. Usually crying and saying "I'm so sorry".
 
I've never experience fish thrashing wildly about, TBH; mine have always just sort of fallen over

+1 keeping anaesthetic in for emergencies.
 
I was working on this latest case, now

little Panda Cory, on the 10 drops/litre as advised in the article in PFK, but then got your swift response to my question and increased it just now.
 
The Panda Cory had on this occasion been in a container floating in the aquarium so I decided to make it as peaceful as possible and thus use the container he was in, and purchase another one for future isolation if required.  Yesterday I had planned the dreadful deed, and came to read up on the subject in question, on returning to the kitchen with all the required items I had found the Cory had returned to his upright position in the box, so he was spared.  On returning him to float again within the tank he fell to his side once more and I had seen no further signs of any recovery.
 
I also always make an emulsion and on this occasion used a small amount of hot (not boiling) water to assist in breaking down the oil prior to shaking it.  I would estimate the box he was in was just under a litre and slowly added the emulsion over a period of about 3-5 mins.  I found he slowly slipped away and only moved the once, with his gill movement gently then ceasing.  I will leave him in the container overnight before disposing of his body to ensure that he has indeed slipped away.  I believe you should wait until the slim coating starts to remove from the fish to know they have definitely gone.
 
On this occasion I did not see any thrashing, unlike my previous experience.  I believe the differences were the amount of water was probably greater, more drops of oil (as per fluttermoth) and the liquid added gently initially but fairly quickly as the gills started to slow.
 
As with all my fish, I only wish I knew what was wrong with this Cory and could have found a way to save rather than destroy, at least now he is at peace, suffering no more. 
 
 
Thanks also Mamashack for your info.

 

[DANGI3L]

I am glad you found this a peaceful end to your goldfishes suffering.  Can you tell us how much Clove Oil you added to the water and over what time period?  I have read mixed thoughts on this, i.e. add it slowly, add it quickly etc.  I mix it in a container prior to adding it to the water with the fish in it, then leave the fish in the solution over night.  The time before when I had to put a fish out of its misery, I found it thrashed around a little initially and I was concerned I had done something wrong, hence my research now.  Apparently, a fish will react initially to an anaesthetic too and this is not seen as an issue as the fish then absorbs it faster (?).
 
t bear to do it with his eyes moving

the clove oil method was incredibly peaceful which made it less stressful both for me and the fish.

 
Here's how I did it, if I remember right:
 
Got a small 5L disposable tank (it is nigh on impossible to get rid of the clove oil smell after use) filled with tank water 
Net fish into new tank ans cover with towels/foil to make the tank as dark as possible.
In a jam jar/bottle I mixed about 10 drops of pure clove oil with 50ml of water and shook until the water is cloudy
Pour this into the tank, the fish didn't struggle as such but almost tried to swim away however in less than 5 seconds was listing and stopped moving
Left like this for 20 minutes observing gills, I then added the same amount of clove oil suspended in water again just to be sure and left for another 20 minutes.
I used gin (all I had in) but any white grain alcohol of over 40% or 80 proof will do fine, methylated spirits or any ethanol based liquid will work at this stage as the fish is already anesthetised. To begin with I added 10ml directly above the fish and watched to see if it struggled or reacted, when it didn't I added another 50ml and kept adding until the gills didn't move at all for at least 2 minutes.
To make extra sure I then got someone to give it a tap on the head.
 
Unfortunately there isn't a set measurement for clove oil or alcohol but the best way to follow is to add enough clove oil (shaken vigorously with water) so the fish is visibly listing or motionless then add a small amount of alcohol and watch for any reaction, if there is a reaction add more clove oil, if no reaction add enough alcohol so that the gills do not move for at least 2 minutes.
 
Another way I have heard of is using soluble aspirin to generate overwhelming amount of CO2 to silently suffocate the fish, not sure whether this is as humane as the clove oil but would be easier.
 
Hope this helps
Dan

 

[fluttermoth]

As I said, DANGI3L, the lethal dose for clove oil is 25 or 30 drops per litre. There's no need to use alcohol as well.
 
Asprin doesn't produce CO2, so that wouldn't work

I think that PFK article does mention CO2 in relation to Alka Seltzer tablets, but it's not a recommended method, although it's used on fish farms, in some places, if I remember rightly.

 

[RCA]

Thanks Dan for the info., much appreciated and I did not use the alcohol as per fluttermoth, who I think means 25 or 30 drops, rather than 225 drops!
 
When I called the vets to see if they had the product I had originally mentioned, they put me on hold and then said, the vet says use Alka Seltzer.  I advised the receptionist this was not considered humane and I knew of using Clove Oil, yet was hoping they had the product I was looking for.  They then advised I call a fish shop instead ...

 

[DANGI3L]

Vets are in general next to useless when it comes to fish, I admit there is often not a lot they can do but you woud expect a little knowledge at least.
I only use alcohol as a back up, there is a thin line between death and deep anaesthesia from which a fish could possibly wake, ethanol has no anaesthetic effect and kills a fish by suffocation, again this was my reason for using the head trauma as well, was petrified I would have a fish wake up in the bin and couldn't live with that.
 
For the alka seltzer method any soluble tablet that fizzes would potentially as the gas evolved is always CO2 thorough a reaction between a bicarbonate and citric acid, I only wondered as suffocation tends to be a painless death but the amount of tablets needed and the excessive fizzing as well as other compounds released into the water would undoubtedly cause stress so clove oil is still my favourite way.
 
Dan

 

[stanleo]

This may sound horrible but I had a monitor lizard that would only eat fresh dead mice. I would put them in a plastic bag and slam it against a wall as hard as I could. It worked instantly every time so the one time I had to do this with a fish I did the same thing.

 

[SamB]

Honestly if I ever had to euthanize a fish I would need the alcohol for myself

 

[DANGI3L]

Not at all stanleo, quick and complete trauma is arguably as humane as clove oil, I personally couldn't stomach the trauma, weird I'm not squeamish at all but could never face exerting it myself

 

[Shelster]

Vets are in general next to useless when it comes to fish, I admit there is often not a lot they can do but you woud expect a little knowledge at least.
I only use alcohol as a back up, there is a thin line between death and deep anaesthesia from which a fish could possibly wake, ethanol has no anaesthetic effect and kills a fish by suffocation, again this was my reason for using the head trauma as well, was petrified I would have a fish wake up in the bin and couldn't live with that.
 
For the alka seltzer method any soluble tablet that fizzes would potentially as the gas evolved is always CO2 thorough a reaction between a bicarbonate and citric acid, I only wondered as suffocation tends to be a painless death but the amount of tablets needed and the excessive fizzing as well as other compounds released into the water would undoubtedly cause stress so clove oil is still my favourite way.
 
Dan

Vets are not all useless when it comes to fish.

You need to find one who specialises in a particular area, in this case preferably one with a certificate in zoo med. Or if there are none in a practice near you with that extra qualification then find one who specialises in exotic species.

Vets train for five years and have a multitude of species to learn about. The common are cats and dogs in small animal practice (anything else is considered exotic) - rabbits, ferrets, birds of prey etc. . large animals are predominantly cows, horses, pigs and sheep.
Others include Alpacas, buffalo, llamas - all of these tend to be taken care of by vets who have a special interest in them.

Fish are becoming more popular now, so an increased demand has been made on general vet practices to employ specialist vets to treat such animals. However, as these are extra courses costly to the practice and having to have a throughput of patients to meet demand for the course they sometimes are not quite met. Even if practices have such a vet, quite often the sad reality is the general public wish to not pay such a consult fee as "it's only a fish that can be replaced for £1.99" and yes, I have heard that said.