Vodka

[Elisabeth]

Hey,
I've seen a few times on posts that one of the kindest ways to euthanise a fish is to put it into a 20% vodka solution. Well one of my cardinals sadly got very poorly a couple of days ago so i thought i'd try it as i didn't want him to suffer. But it was horrible. When I put him in the solution he started twitching and fitting and it took a few seconds for him to die.
Where did I go wrong? I feel so guilty!!

 

[Great Lakes]

Unfortuneatly Beth, you learned the hard way that there is as much bad advice to be found as there is good.

 

[gadazobe]

I think the best way is to behead them with a very sharp knife. My son does it for me coz personally I can't do it. I've only ever had to do it once and hope that's the first and last time.

 

[Elisabeth]

Thanks Gadazobe. I've heard thats the best way but I don't think I could do it either. I'm kind squeamish when it comes to stuff like that.
I have problems even swatting mosquitos!!
What about freezing? Sorry for asking - I know its come up before but I forgot what the general verdict was.
Also, has anyone tried putting them in clove oil? I've read that too, but obviously don't want to do that iin future if I'm just going to get a repeat of the vodka fiasco

 

[Gibbo]

My work colleague swears by Vodka (dunno wether it's for fish reasons though )... I think your solution may have been too strong. I've never tried it though and maybe never will. Clove oil however I have heard is very good. You dissolve about 10 drops per 500 ml or so I think (correct me if I'm wrong) by shaking it vigorously so it mixes with the water properly. It quite literally sends the fish to a permanent sleep, you (or someone else) can then behead them. Freezing is cruel... the body fluid will crystallise puncturing the internal organs and causing great suffering to the fish. Avoid doing this at all costs. For bigger fish I suppose a sharp, precise blow to the head will do the trick, but any suggestions/experiences will help - this is an issue that we will all have to face at some time or other. Keep up the discussion, I'm interested in this subject and maybe we can take the suggestions and add it to the permanent database for everyone to see.

 

[CFC]

Like Gibbo i have always found that a blow to the head is best,i also like to go fishing and if i catch anything edible thats how its done (besides vodka is for drinking)although i can see that it might be difficult with neons and such like.

 

[mathman]

I have heard first account stories of putting aquarium salt directly on the fish can do marvals to restore your fish. Is this correct?
Remember if your fish is fat and slugish it is most likely ready to give birth.
Someone please impress upon me the need to euthanise fish as often as not they are able to be cured before it gets to that point. Once they are to the point it is beyong hope do they feel much anyway? I am not saying it is not neccessary, I just don't like to give up. Not that anyone does. I hope you all understand what I am trying to say.

 

[Bradley]

Me, i feed the old and weak to my 5 year-old neon tetras(they are now about 21/2" long ). They are savage!, they are like pirhannas but with no teeth. They eat the poor fish with a single bite. Otherwise, the simple blow to the head works, then let the tetra tear it apart (waste not, want not).

Sorry, i lost myself there!

By the way, VODKA?
I've never heard of that method before, sounds cruel and dumb(a drunks' favorite method). Then again, i live over hear in Canada and it is extremely expensive here.
Oh well!

 

[Elisabeth]

Yeah, it was a dumb idea and I wish I'd never tried it (poor neon - was not a nice way to go )but as I said I did see more than a few posts reccommending it. And as I'm new to fishkeeping its easy to assume that more experienced people are going to know the right things to do.

As Great Lakes said, just goes to show not all advice is good advice.
Besides, other than bashing it on the head, there seems to be no agreement as to what's humane and what isn't and I was hoping to find a method that is less traumatic (admittidly for me) and less messy.
As for feeding ill fish to the others. Well all the fish are in the same tank so they had the opportunity. Besides that, by feeding a sick fish to a healthy one..is that not running the risk of spreading disease?

 

[Alex]

I would think too that introducing a sick fish to a healthy tank would be a recipe for disaster. So many of the diseases can be caught by most fish and I would be very wary of risking the introduction of any disease to a healthy individual.

But Elisabeth I'm very sorry you went through such a horrid experience. I know that something like that would really upset me. I'm afraid when there really is no hope I ask catfish crazy to dispatch then for me. The only time I ever did it, it made me cry and I felt extremely guilty like I was a murderer. Though next time I might give Gibbos way a go, his advice has always been sound.

 

[Bradley]

I wasnt talking about sick fish, just injured(sucked into pump), i was mainly refering to my fish fry that are born with defects.


(maybe i should have said nothing)

 

[aquatrippe]

Hi Bradley,

I think its great you have kept your neons for 5 yrs.. the lifespan of a neon is up to 10 yrs I have read..

What is your secret to neon keeping.. I have had them live about 2-3 yrs and have even bred them, although raising the young in numbers greater than 20 has eluded me..mostly because I lost much of the spawn in the first week..

If you get a chance I would love to hear your care methods

Aquatrippe

 

[BIANCA]

ive never heard of using vodka to kill a fish before...? We had to put a fish "to sleep" and I couldnt even think about banging its head on a counter or using a knife SO i used the freezer method. I just put him in a tupperware bowl with water from the tank, put the lid on loosely, and put him in the freezer. They just go into temperature shock and die. It sounds bad, but it was really quick, and im sure a lot better than the whole vodka fiasco.

 

[cherrylt04]

I think the best my to kill a fish is to give them to me. I've been raising fish at home for years, and I have several tanks, but in the past two months i have lost two tanks filled with fish. I have never had this bad of luck, but the chemical levels, and temperatures, and everything seems ok (except the ich epidemic i had in one of the two tanks).

 

[cichlidmaster]

Bradley,

Hate to admit it, but I was also going to post about NOT feeding sick/diseased fish to other fish!! It was not until I went and re-read your post that I realized what you were referring to!!

My point being, I can understand how some of the members misunderstood your comments!! Please do not feel you can't post your comments, but perhaps make them a little more precise...just a suggestion!!

BIANCA,

Just curious............

Where did your information come from stating that freezing was quick??

CM