how do you mercy kill a fish?

Question

Now, my mollie fish has been with me for a couple months and recently contracted some sort of fungus that's taking over her head, it looks like a giant batch of scar tissue, but its not-- it began spreading to my other mollies (and frogs and such) in my 55 G tank and i took her out into a smaller tank, treated both tanks and while my big tank is "cured" she is still sick and not responding to treatment. I took her to petsmart and Jack's aquarium and i just dont know what to do anymore. I tried the expensive treatment, the natural treatment, the generic treatment... help!

So, how do you mercy kill a fish? im not flushing her down the toiler while she's alive.

Answer 1

Before you kill her, I would have to ask how sure you are that the problem is a fungus and what you've been using to treat the molly.

There is a bacterial condition (Columnaris) and a protozoan (Epistylis) that appear fungus-like but won't respond to fungal medications. The Epistylis should respond by using salt at 1 tablespoon/5 gallons (or use 1 teaspoon per gallon for a small tank/bad infection - this won't hurt the molly at all -they like to have some salt in their water and can live in marine-strength seawater). If she doesn't respond to that, the problem is probably the bacterium, which can be treated by a broad-spectrum antibiotic. See this link for more on Columnaris and Epistylis: http://www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm

If you feel she's really beyond help, this link will give the recommendations by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Panel on Euthanasia for euthanizing fish:
http://www.petplace.com/fish/euthanasia-in-fish/page1.aspx
I prefer the use of clove oil: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-most-humane-way-to-euthanize-a-fish.htm

Answer 2

if you have tried EVERYTHING then I agree with you this may be the right choice. I've only had to do it once (actually I had my boyfriend do it because I couldn't bear to, she was my favorite female betta).

the only way to humanely kill a fish is with clove oil. clove oil puts them to sleep, and enough of it makes it so they never wake up again.

fill a bowl or cup with half tank water and half clove oil, put the fish in there for 10mins. I highly suggest filling a container with water, and placing it in the freezer until the top has iced over. break the ice and after the fish has been in the clove oil for 10mins put the fish in the ice water. since the fish is a warm water fish, if the clove oil left any bit of life (which is rare) the shock will kill the fish immediately. because it's immediately the fish won't feel suffer, but also because it is asleep from the clove oil.

sorry to hear about her... I'll look around quick to make sure I can't find any other suggestions to help her get better instead.

*edit*
putting fish in the freezer will not make them die peacefully... it will slowly freeze them... very painfully. clove oil must be used first.

Answer 3

Oh dear with these answers I am glad I am not a fish.

copper head is right. Have you tried treating for fungus?

Also, the most humane way to euthanize a fish is 1/2 cup vodka and 1/2 cup of water. From the first breath your fish will feel no pain, (Actually totally drunk) and will pass peacefully in a matter of moments.

DO not freeze or use clove oil or bang it around. Also, yes salt does kill fish but that is a nasty way to do it.

This was released by the University of Pittsburgh Medical department Animals

Answer 4

Okay- don't put her in the freakin' freezer! Everyone thinks that they just "go to sleep" WRONG! They feel the frost start to form on their bodies- painful.
It's easy- get a liquid sleep aid used for humans. It has to be liquid not crushed up pills because they'll filter the crushed pill through their gills. Use a tiny syringe and fill it with the sleep aid. Gently push it into the fishes mouth while holding her. Dose her. Put her back in the water. Let her swim around and repeat. You'll start to notice odd swimming patterns- lop sided. Wait 10 minutes. Give one more dose if she hasn't fallen asleep. Wait until she's not moving- her gills may still be going but she won't be moving- that is when you put her in a bag and place her in the freezer. Now she won't feel the pain of being frozen but there is no way she will wake up at all after the dosage has worn off. I had to do this with my Jack Dempsey and one of my Oscars. They were bigger so you probably won't need as much sleep aid as I did. My Dempsey started swimming in circles like he was high! It was sad.

Answer 5

Ah - vets can do their humane euthanasia thing on fish too you know, no need to do it yourself, and it's not exactly expensive!

It's not nice to have to kill a pet yourself, vets have the means and will have done it before - just phone ahead to say what you want and they'll tell you if they do it or not.

Chalice

Answer 6

the clove oil does not put a fish to sleep it mearly suffocates it by not allowing any oxygen from the atmosphere to enter the water. basicly the sme as co2 dosage. thew best way to anesthisis a fish is to sever the ceribral cortex with a knife. a goodf treatment of copper sulfide at 85 degrees F cures most maladies though. if you cant kill it the take it ti a LFS and ask them to drop it into a tank with large Ocsar or other predatory fish it'll be gone in less tha a second, painlessly.

Answer 7

http://www.petplace.com/fish/euthanasia-in-fish/page1.aspx
http://www.aq-products.com/APpro/euthanase.htm

Answer 8

Don't know how humane this might be but when I worked at Petco several years ago, our method was to place the fish in a bag without water and smack it into a hard object such as a wall. I know this doesn't sound kind but it's the quickest way. Flushing a fish only makes it suffer. Whereas this method knocks the fish unconscious.

Answer 9

Here's the website.

http://www.theoscarspot.com/index.php?op...

and here's the content of the website to which I'm referring.

A. Primary euthanasia methods for fish (methods that can be used alone) include:

1. MS-222/TMS- dosage: 50 to 250 mg/L
[buffered to pH 7.0 with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3)]
Note: Fish euthanized with MS-222 cannot be used for human consumption.

2. Benzocaine-dosage: 50 to 500 mg/L
Note: Fish euthanized with Benzocaine cannot be used for human consumption.

3. Exposure to a solution saturated with carbon dioxide (CO2):
When possible, carbon dioxide should be used from a compressed gas cylinder source. However, neither the 1993 nor the 2000 Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia address the issue of the source/production of carbon dioxide as it relates to aquatic animal species. The use of chemical methods for the production of carbon dioxide, such as a saturated solution of sodium bicarbonate or Alka-Seltzer ®, has been proven quite effective with fish as noted in the literature. When dosed adequately sodium bicarbonate renders rapid loss of consciousness and death (4,6). As a result, the use of carbon dioxide liberated by chemical means will also be acceptable for the euthanasia of fish when compressed carbon dioxide gas cylinders cannot be used. Individuals who have demonstrated competency with this technique to qualified personnel (i.e. aquatic animal veterinarian or his/her designate) should perform the euthanasia of fish by carbon dioxide.

Sodium bicarbonate dosage: (30g/L or 120g/gallon)

Alka-Seltzer ® dosage: (1 tablet/ 20L or 2 tablets/ 10gallons)
Note: Fish euthanized with sodium bicarbonate or Alka-Seltzer® should not be used for human consumption.

Protocol: Fish should be placed into a container with an appropriate volume of water that will provide free movement of fish to be euthanized. Water should then be saturated with carbon dioxide from either a compressed gas cylinder (via the use of an air stone with a moderate flow rate for ~5-10 minutes) or by dissolving enough sodium bicarbonate or Alka-Seltzer® into the water (via the dosages previously provided). Fish should be removed only after ten minutes have passed since their last observed opercular movements (respiration) have occurred.


(I am told that the alka-seltzer doesn't work)

Answer 10

a little bit of bleach would probably do it..
why go and buy clove oil or pay to take it to the vet?
good ol fashion poison will do the trick nicely.