Need to Euthanize a Fish

[darkdep]

Sadly, I need to Euthanize a fish.  I have a Yellow Lab with cancer that is in obvious distress and can no longer right itself at all, he just floats at the surface.  He's a tough fish, he's had a swim bladder disorder for over a year (swam head up).  Now the tumour is an open wound and is bleeding, and he can't eat anymore.  It's time.

We've discussed this before and I remember the arguments for various methods, but I actually care about this fish (lame, I guess) and really would like it to be painless.

[mseguin]

Most painless, if you have the guts, is a good whack on the head and then severing the head.

[Zoe]

I am sorry to hear about your fish  

Unless you have access to anasthetic, put him in a small cup of water and fill the water with baking soda.  Or simple decapitation.

[Rudy00]

i thought the most painless would be to freeze them rather than the whack method

[mseguin]

I still don't quite buy the freezing theory.

[Mettle]

The 'whack method' is a sudden jolt of pain and then nothing.

The freezing method entails putting them in a cup or a bag which causes blind panic until their system eventually shuts down and they drift off.

The baking soda method, I'm assuming, suffocates them.

I think the quickest and most humane method out of those commonly available to your regular household fish enthusiast is decapitation or a hard whack on the head.

[darkdep]

Last night I assumed he was so near death that simply taking him out of the water would do him in.  He was out for about 30 seconds and started flipping around, I couldn't do it, and I put him back in.  Resumed his position, but was ok.  This is one tough little fish.

So far, decapitation is looking like the best option, although it does involve a very hands-on approach...

[artw]

I used the freezing method when I had sick fish.  As far as I know their system just slows down and shuts off.  if the fish is in a tupperware container in a closed freezer there is no light at all, so I wouldn't think there would be that much stress.   fish are different than humans, its not like someone is shoving us in a dark elevator and taking out all of the air.

[Eric]

I've used the freezer a couple of times.  It seemed quiet and quick.  I thought decapitation would cause panic being out of the water and all that. 

I read you can use clove oil added to water, I think as an anesthetic?  Never did this.

Hope it goes ok, whatever you do.

[sas]

I too have used the freeze method once. Although it does support the out of sight out of mind problem. What do fish do, specifically goldfish left in a pond over winter? Supposedly all the water does not freeze but their metabilizum must slow down drastically? As a second choice I think a whack on the head would be more humane then adding something to the water. Jeez what a topic Oh the quandries of being a responsible pet owner.

[darkdep]

Sorry for being a downer; considering the tank blowouts and massive fish losses a lot of people seem to have had over the last few months, this problem is pretty minor, but like I said, I'm kind of attached to this particular fish and want to do the right thing.

Decapitation is looking like the method I'm going to use.  I know people are not like fish but given the suggestions so far, if I had to choose for myself I'd choose the quick method.

[Zoe]

If you freeze, I suggest you use a bag, fill it halfway with water and the let partially freeze (so it gets slushy when you break up the film of ice), then put the fish in the bag and back in the freezer.

I've been suggested that before, I think the shock on their system may end it sooner.

[busdriver]

Sorry to hear about you fish!
I used the freeze method, it was explained to me that fish are cold blooded and the colder the water the slower the fish get until they go to sleep.
I read about the clove oil and vodka, but I couldn't figure out if the vodka was for the fish or me and I don't drink.

[succinctfish]

Sorry to hear about your fish.  Here is some more info on the clove oil method.  I haven't tried it yet, but it seems a little less traumatizing for the person doing it at least.
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/EuthanizingFish.html

[Shouganai]

Don't use the freeze method, go with decapitation.  Every fish book I have says freezing results in a lot of panic and then pain before death for the fish.

If the fish freaks out being removed from the water, place it in a container of water with clove oil added.  This works as a sedative.  Then preform the decapitation as rapidly as you can.

[bitterman]

Chris, sorry about your poor fish.

I've heard of the freezing and It may not be as cruel as is seams. I don't like it, but it will work and since fish are cold blooded it would just slowly slow everything down until stuff would stop (Like keeping sick people comfortable with morphine) eventually the drugs will kill you, but you will be comforatable.

Put the fish in a fish bag with water, like you are going to transport it and add a bunch of alcohol to the water. That will kill it pretty quick and the fish should stay happy.

I had a party that someone added a shot of vodka to a 1 gallon beta bowl and though it would be funny, not so.. poor beta died very quickly. Think about it we like getting drunk, so the fish would fell happy too?

Sorry again,
   Bruce

[DavidJohnson]

Ask yourself how you would want to go?  Freezing?  Decapitation?  Probably not your first choices.  Clove oil as anesthesia and/or Vodka seems much more humane to me.

[mseguin]

If I had no clue what was going on, I'd rather be decapitated.

[babblefish1960]

Okay Darkdep, you have a reasonable consensus, though somewhat polarized, that involves two things, your love of the fish that is dieing, and your personal level of squeemishness, IF, you really can't kill the poor thing yourself, give me a call, or some other old farmer, and I'll come and dispatch your precious for you.  It is always hard to kill our pets, they are family, and we are naturally averse to taking life.

[darkdep]

Thanks for the offer babble.  I've got the afternoon to consider it all.  I'll let you know what I decide.

[DavidJohnson]

If I had no clue what was going on, I'd rather be decapitated.

Problem is for a fish, just getting him in position to decapitate him will be somewhat stressfull as you have to take him out of his natural habitat (water).

If I  were a fish i think the clove oil would be the best.  Might take a few minutes but won't feel a thing.

[Adam]

Don't do baking soda or tonic water.

I did this to a rainbow who had had a stroke (partially paralyzed), and it took much longer than anticipated (read >10 minutes).  I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.  Putting the fish in a ziploc bag without water, then quickly onto concrete/something solid, and a good blow to the head will do it.  Shouldn't take more than 10 seconds, 5 if you're quick.

Adam

[dpatte]

i also freeze my fish. I put them in a small ziplock bag with their own tank water and into the dark freezer.
This seems to make the most sense to me, since they are coldblooded and will simply slow down.
(I wouldnt recommend dropping them into slush - this would definately be a shock and uncomfortable)

[Shouganai]

I don't think feeling one's own cells breaking down as ice crystals form in them and burst them is all that pleasant.  Recall that (for the most part) fish are not endotherms, and their bodies do not experience quite the same peaceful sleep that comes with hypothermia.  They're aware a lot longer than we'd be in the same situation.

Unless, of course, you're doing a shock flash-freeze, which causes death as instantly as decapitation.

[darkdep]

Where does one buy clove oil?  Health food stores?

[BigDaddy]

Just suck it up and decapitate it...

[repeej]

Just suck it up and decapitate it...

Poor thing will be dead by the time Chris gets his balls out of his purse...

[Rocktopus]

I used the freeze method, it was explained to me that fish are cold blooded and the colder the water the slower the fish get until they go to sleep.

The same is suggested for lobsters.  I would go with freezing if I had to euthanise a fish.  The temp shock seems more humane then chopping the head.  If you've ever farmed chickens, you'll know a miss of the blade could result in a far more cruel and painful way to go.

[Julie]

Not pleasant but grab him and throw him as hard as you can on the garage floor.

Mother nature would have had him eaten by now.

[Laura]

Sorry about your fish. 
I've heard good things about the clove oil - I expect that any store stocking essential oils would have it - Health Food Stores I would try first, although some of the hippier pharmacies stock some oils.

[babblefish1960]

All pharmacies carry clove oil, it has been used for centuries as a pain reliever with toothaches, look in the dental section, it is in one ounce bottles.

[Sue]

I found a description of how to use clove oil on this link:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-most-humane-way-to-euthanize-a-fish.htm

The best way to humanely put fish to sleep is:
"MS-222 (Finquel or Tricaine-S), also known as Tricaine methanesulfonate "
I doubt you can get hold of that without going to a vet.

[dpatte]

The best way to humanely put fish to sleep is:
... Finquel

finquel - apropos!

[fishycanuck]

I have a bottle of clove oil if you want it, Chris.

[KLKelly]

I would go the clove oil method.  I got the clove oil at a health food store at the Gloucester centre.

I just used it on a small 1.5" tropical on Tuesday.  The lady at the store half killed one netting him and he was definitely suffering.  I put about five drops in 1/2 litre and shook it up (shake it up - it's an oil and needs to be mixed in).

I put the fish in it.  He wigged out for no more than five seconds at the most and bang - he was out!  No gill movements at all

Here's the instructions that I used - this was meant for fish larger than tropicals (goldfish) so the dose I used was probably much too high.

Oil Of Clove
Add 12 drops of Oil of Clove per 1 gallon (3.84 liters) of dechlorinated water. Oil of clove is very hard to mix so you may want to emulsify the clove oil by placing it in a smaller amount of water in a glass jar and shake well. Place the fish in a container large enough for it to move around freely along with an airstone on the highest setting and add the clove oil solution. The airstone will help keep the clove oil in solution. Once the fish turns on its side, watch the opercular movements (respiration/gill movements). The fish should be removed from the solution after at least ten minutes have passed since the last observed opercular movements (respiration/gill movements).

[pegasus]

Not pleasant but grab him and throw him as hard as you can on the garage floor.

I've frozen fish before but Julie's way is the fastess, for the fish and myself, plus there is less chance that my family catch me in an immoral act. Explain why there is a fish in the freezer or why I need a knife to go in the basement.

[markw]

Hi Chris, I've had to put down more fish over the years than I'd like to think about and I've done them all. The best way I've found especially for African's(which are tough) is into a bowl of tank water and add 2 alqua selzer tablets. It is basically CO2 in a disolved state and the fish quickly dies of O2 depletion in a very calm state.
I hope this helps.
Regards
markw

[ophelia]

I'm partial to the freezing method myself but if you wanted something fast like a whack to the head without the problem of missing several times and having to listen to the dull thud of the rock hitting flesh over and over and over again you could always put him in the blender or cuisinart (with his own water of course) and flip the switch. 

[busdriver]

Just an aside to my earlier comment!
Isn't putting a fish in anything else but water like suffocating them?
I know they are pets, but I'd hate to see them suffer.
If you want quick and don't want to decapitate it, stick it in a microwave for 10 seconds or however long it takes.
I mean whatever you do, it's going to hurt.
It's either you that it's going to hurt or the fish.

[darkdep]

Well, thanks for all the advice.  I decided to suck it up and decapitate the fish.

That was a completely horrible experience I never want to repeat.

[busdriver]

I guess there's not much we can say at a time like this.

[Shouganai]

Microwave?! Talk about least humane method ever.  Microwaves cause water and some fats and oils to heat up as they absorb the energy, and potentially boil.  I think this would be less humane than even freezing.

Honestly, with methods like freezing, it seems to us like its the most humane way, because we just put the animal in the freezer and don't have to see its life end.  Its all a matter of what one is willing to do to most humanely end the suffering of an animal, reagrdless of whether it is a 'higher' animal or not.

Although it may seem unpleasant to us, and its not something anyone wants to do, decapitation or a REALLY good whack in the head area is the most rapid and humane way to euth a fish without special chemicals.  I dunno, maybe its because I grew up on a farm, but even as a youngster with fish, after reading up on euth methods for terminally ill fish, I would decapitate and I still do.

EDIT: DD as I was typing this I notice you'd updated the thread.  Sorry you had to experience it, but it really was for the best.  The little fish isn't suffering anymore, and at least you limited the suffering he had to experience to bring his life to an end.  You did good for him.

[sas]

Yep, have to agree with shoug on this, there are pros and cons to being at the top of the food chain. Just look back on how well the little guy was cared for. You did good.

[artw]

Repeej be nice...

[Sue]

There actually is a way to humanely use  microwaves on lab rats and mice. But not kitchen microwaves. I think it instantly scambles the CNS.
"Death occurs in less than one second.  The microwave instrument used is specifically designed for euthanizing small rodents and directs the microwave energy directly toward the animal's head (kitchen-model microwave ovens are unacceptable for this use"

[Shouganai]

Yes, those instruments fire a very precise beam of microwaves at the correct location, which is something a microwave oven does not do.  Just think of how a microwave cooks a plate of food unevenly.

[darkdep]

Well, next time I'm going to do the clove oil thing.  Watching the decapitated head still trying to breathe and look around the room just about killed me.  The fish is better off but man....

[BigMomma]

Well, next time I'm going to do the clove oil thing.  Watching the decapitated head still trying to breathe and look around the room just about killed me.  The fish is better off but man....

Why did you look? Decapitate and look away ...

[artw]

Chris I am sorry for your loss... my condolances.

[squeeker]

My $0.02 on euthanization, and I've posted it before.

This is a subject I've done a fair bit of research into.

A document put out by the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2001, their Panel on Euthanasia, can be found at:

http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/euthanasia.pdf

Page 19 deals with fish, but I will share what is written specifically on freezing:

Cooling-- It has been suggested that, when using physical methods of euthanasia in ectothermic species, cooling to 4 C will dextease metabolism and facilitate handling, but there is no evidence that whole body cooling reduces pain or is clinically efficacious.  Local cooling in frogs does reduce nociception, and this may be partly opioid mediated.  Immobilization of reptiles by cooling is considered inappropriate and inhumane even if combined with other physical or chemical methods of euthanasia. Snakes and turtles, immobilized by cooling, have been killed by subsequent freezing.  This method is not recommended.  Formation of ice crystals on the skin and in tissues of an animal may cause pain or distress. Quick freezing of deeply anesthetized animals is acceptable. 

The table in Appendix 1 lists the acceptable means of euthanization for many classes of animals. For fish, the table finds the following methods acceptable:

Barbiturates, inhalant anesthetics, CO2, tricaine methane
sulfonate (TMS, MS 222), benzocaine hydrochloride,
2-phenoxyethanol

and these methods conditionally acceptable:

Decapitation and pithing, stunning and decapitation/pithing

The table found on the last page of the report states unacceptable means of euthanization. Freezing is not considered humane for any animal.

IMHO, the most humane way to euthanize a fish is by a sharp blow to the head, or decapitation. While it's not the most pleasant for humans, that's not the point, as you are trying to do what's best for the fish! Any animal that is euthanized (or killed for any other reason) including mice that are fed to snakes, cows, chickens, turkeys, etc. are either decapitated, or killed with a blow or shot to the head.

[artw]

thank you Squeeker for posting this, and I will reconsider my methods if I have to do this in the future.

[Aquaviewer]

I just wanted to clarify something about the use of clove oil to add to what Shouganai and Squeeker have posted.  Clove oil is an anesthetic/sedative for fish that knocks them out and unless the dose is really high it doesn't kill them immediately.  I high dose of clove oil is stressful on the fish and they will display symptoms similar to asphyxia.  Cessation of opercular movement does not necessarily indicate death.  Clove oil is a common sedative in fish surgeries and a fish that may seem 'dead' because of no opercular movement would likely revive if placed back in clean water within a given time period.  The time it takes to revive is dependant on the dose, time elapsed and the size of the fish.  So if you are looking for a humane way to dispatch your sick fish and don't want to leave it to drown in a clove oil bath and you are a bit squeamish (in the absence of veterinary pharmaceuticals) knock it out with clove oil then decapitate or knock it on the head with a quick sharp blow.

[DavidJohnson]

I just wanted to clarify something about the use of clove oil to add to what Shouganai and Squeeker have posted.  Clove oil is an anesthetic/sedative for fish that knocks them out and unless the dose is really high it doesn't kill them immediately.  I high dose of clove oil is stressful on the fish and they will display symptoms similar to asphyxia.  Cessation of opercular movement does not necessarily indicate death.  Clove oil is a common sedative in fish surgeries and a fish that may seem 'dead' because of no opercular movement would likely revive if placed back in clean water within a given time period.  The time it takes to revive is dependant on the dose, time elapsed and the size of the fish.  So if you are looking for a humane way to dispatch your sick fish and don't want to leave it to drown in a clove oil bath and you are a bit squeamish (in the absence of veterinary pharmaceuticals) knock it out with clove oil then decapitate or knock it on the head with a quick sharp blow.

Once the clove oil has taken effect the fish is essentially sleeping and you can do pretty much anything to it without it feeling any pain.  So yes, you could decapitate it at that point but you could also go on to add either a lethal dose of clove oil or something like vodka which would kill the fish and is probably less stressful on the average fish owner.  This would be the equivalent of lethal injection capital punishment done in the U.S.

See http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-most-humane-way-to-euthanize-a-fish.htm for more detailed explanation of the procedure.

[Sarah Bella]

Watching the decapitated head still trying to breathe and look around the room just about killed me

ya, thats a little unnerving

sorry for your loss

FYI: you can get clove oil at the indian grocery on Carling across from the Colliseum for $3.50 a bottle (15ml)... 

[Laura]

I would suggest that this (or an edited version) get stickied - it's got lots of useful info on methods, myths and links for when it comes time to dispatch a fish.