Need Help With Bgk Fish - Euthanasia Issues. :(

[oocfish]

So I have a BGK and he was doing fine for awhile but about a few weeks ago developed white, fuzzy patches all over his body. His tail which usually sticks straight out started to curl under him, and part of his fins looked like they were rotting underneath. He could barely move and when I fed him it was really difficult for the poor guy to get to it. I tried EVERYTHING. Melafix, Pimafix, antibiotics, raising temp, you name it. Eventually he just stopped moving at all and lay at the bottom of the tank, looking quite miserable and probably in a lot of pain.

So I made the decision to attempt euthanasia. I couldn't bear looking at the poor guy, waving around in the water, breathing rapidly, he looked like he was in so much pain. I went online and read about using grain alcohol + water to put them in an "eternal sleep." I wish I'd read your article instead. I don't know exactly how this method works (similar to clove oil/eugenol I guess?) but I thought I would try this technique as it seemed the most humane method next to benzocaine/tricaine (which I didn't have and don't know how I'd get ahold of such chemicals). So I put him in the mixture last night...he stopped moving pretty much after an hour....I left him in there thinking he would eventually pass after "sleeping" which is what this one site for "humane euthanasia" described, but this morning, I gently pushed him with a stick and he started shaking a bit and breathing rapidly!!! I was shocked and I didn't know what to do, I felt so extremely bad for him so I tried to gently rinse the ethanol off of him and put him back in the tank...is this worse I don't know what to do!!! He's been in the tank, and he's back to where he was before I attempted euthanasia. What should I do? Let him remain in the tank until he dies? I am soo confused and I feel sooo bad for my poor fish, can someone please suggest the most humane way possible to handle this situation? I'm flummoxed.

 

[CFC]

The fastest way to dispatch a fish which is suffering is to cut off its head or crush its skull, horrific i know but it is over in seconds rather than taking several minutes and needing you to keep checking if its dead yet which can make the ordeal more upsetting.
For the more screamish i suggest wrapping the fish in a paper towel (making note of where the head area is) and then using a heavy object like a wooden rolling pin give the fish one good hard smack on the head.

 

[kjd1231]

That sounds like a lot of suffering.

Alas, the best method to use is a sharp paring knife.

 

[Luke_e]

I had to euthanise one of my guppys, i put it in a tub (to get it out) and i cut its head off, then threw it in the bin quickyl.. was really bad, but i'm glad it ended the suffering.