QLD Cichlid Group Forum

Fish talk => General Aquarium Discussion => Topic started by: cichlidwoman on April 04, 2006, 11:31:51 AM

Title: putting a fish down - whats the most humane way
Post by: cichlidwoman on April 04, 2006, 11:31:51 AM
as it says i'd like to know what people have found to be the most humane & painless way of putting a fish down...

An old fishy friend of mine is now nearly completely blind and can't even see the flake to eat it. Its the "cruel to be kind" sort of moral dilemma of keeping him alive in a dark world with no other fish to interact with or putting him out of his misery...

Thanks

Alana
Title:
Post by: Aquariums Alive on April 04, 2006, 12:04:46 PM
Hi Alana

According to an aquarium Vet that i had a meeting with last week advised me the most humane way was a brain spike or cut with scissors depending on the size of the fish.
He also told me not to freeze a fish as the tissue starts to die before the brain dies as then he considered in not a humane way to die.

Brad
Title:
Post by: johnwilly1000 on April 04, 2006, 12:09:09 PM
squash it
Title:
Post by: cichlidwoman on April 04, 2006, 12:11:59 PM
nice choice of words johnwilly! your real sensitive
Title:
Post by: cichlidwoman on April 04, 2006, 12:13:55 PM
thanks for your advice Brad.
Title:
Post by: RobW on April 04, 2006, 12:49:16 PM
Terrible thing to have to do. I have just had to do some old breeders who have been very good to me. I suggest you go to your local health food shop and buy some "clove oil". Put your mate in a bucket with enough of his tank water so that he can just swim upright. Say your farewell, and then put in a few drops of clove oil. He will go to sleep (you have just anaesthatised him). Put in a few more drops and he is on his way. Leave him for a while to make sure. Then do what you have to do. :cry:

Rob
Title:
Post by: Ash on April 04, 2006, 02:57:41 PM
I've heard rather than freezing (slow death as mentioned) you can dunk them in an ice slurry to quickly knock them out.  Might be an alternative if you can't find the clove oil RobW mentioned.

With smaller fish (sub 15cm) I throw them really hard at the concrete floor, quick but brutal end (not suitable for a beloved pet), I can't bring myself to squash or behead them though!  :oops:
Title:
Post by: Paul on April 04, 2006, 04:29:13 PM
surely THE most humane way is to put them in a plastic bag, put on concrete quickly impact upon the plastic a heavy blow from a rock or similar hard, heavy substance. Instant death. Brain dead, heart dead, nerve dead, anyway you look at it, that fish is dead.
Title:
Post by: trofius on April 04, 2006, 04:41:46 PM
have to agrre that for smaller fish i just thow them at a brick wall, very quick and instant, place in freezer afterwards till bin day.

for bigger, "pet" fish you could try the needle into the back of the head /brain and much it around, but best left to those that are experienced at occipital pithing, and wriggleing big fish anda needle dont go well together for your sake

the clove oil would work, or take him to a vet and they can add some barbituates to the water that will end him painlessly, and correctly..

its sad but it sounds like you have his best interests at heart
Title:
Post by: mjscookie on April 05, 2006, 12:38:58 AM
You mean I'm doing it all wrong !!!

I just copy what most LFS do. I IGNORE IT. Hopefully it will drop off without any intevention. If i'm lucky the "others" in the tank might recognise the weakling and hasten the process. Once gone (gooooooooneeeee) I hope that the "others" eat the carcass as quickly as possible so I don't have to remove it. It's just more important to form a huddle around the dry goods/cash register. I then continue to sell out of that tank.

Mitch
Title:
Post by: gc on April 05, 2006, 10:15:24 AM
The most instant way is iki jimi (brain spike).
To perform this procedure you must first know the anatomy of the species so you can accuratly locate the brain.
You may require an assistant to help hold the patient still, if its a large or powerfull fish it may require an anaesthetic.
Title:
Post by: GTR73 on April 05, 2006, 03:34:20 PM
I was told an ice slush was the way to do it, as they go into eclectic shock then die soon after. However, I recently had to euthanise a large Venustus that had sustained a fatal injury and all I saw was a very slow and painful death - the ice didn't send it into instantaneous shock at all, and it kicked around in apparent agony for about 20 minutes.
Maybe I didn't use enough ice or something, but I won't be using that method again!  :?
Title: Putting a fish down
Post by: Savage_roo on April 05, 2006, 04:08:00 PM
By the looks of things the best way is to take ya fish to the Vet so he can take it out the back and when you gone he will hit it with a brick lol
 My fish r good thay just die over night so its strait in to the bin
So do what ya have to do and if its only a smallish fish the loo makes for a good last resort
Title: Re: Putting a fish down
Post by: mjscookie on April 05, 2006, 08:05:06 PM
[quote:1e4a078ce6="Savage_roo"]
So do what ya have to do and if its only a smallish fish the loo makes for a good last resort[/quote:1e4a078ce6]

Yeah. Smart one.
Title:
Post by: trofius on April 05, 2006, 08:32:14 PM
have to agree the loo sounds super responsible.... :roll:
Title:
Post by: wantsfish on April 05, 2006, 10:23:53 PM
let it live.
 until next time your going to make your own fish food and drop it in the blender.
super quick, painless, and the rest of your fish will love it .
Title: what!!!
Post by: savage on April 05, 2006, 10:43:02 PM
lol a blender that's cold i think bagging a really sick fish and freezing it and putting it to sleep is the best way but every one to their own

ty colin
Title:
Post by: mjscookie on April 05, 2006, 10:51:29 PM
To extend my last comment, no wonder why we have such a hard problem getting fish into this country. If this kind of stuff is said by "hobbiests" imagine what the little kiddies do....

Mitch
Title:
Post by: here fishie fishie on April 06, 2006, 04:34:36 AM
Firstly I have to sedate myself, a few stiff burbs usually does it.
The spike is a good technique. If the fish is just a pain in the a... then throw it to something bigger. Out of sight out of mind, Other fish gets a feed to, 2 birds so to speak.

[quote:eb9060556e]have to agrre that for smaller fish i just thow them at a brick wall, very quick and instant, place in freezer afterwards till bin day. [/quote:eb9060556e] Depends on your arm I guess. If you have a glass arm, may take a few throws and then pop your shoulder, or if you can't throw straight, then the lawn aint gonna kill it. If a neighbour sees u, either RSPCA or A nut case van will pull up. If you can throw like Symonds, fish bits from here to kingdom cum.

Frenchy :D
Title:
Post by: ashhhh on April 07, 2006, 01:18:08 PM
[quote:f4035682ed="wantsfish"]let it live.
 until next time your going to make your own fish food and drop it in the blender.
super quick, painless, and the rest of your fish will love it .[/quote:f4035682ed]

...so long as know for sure that the fish is not diseased or carrying parasites, if in doubt - throw it out
Title:
Post by: CQ_Pete on April 10, 2006, 02:00:56 PM
The concrete kiss for smaller fish. And I once read an Oscar book and it said the most humane way is to sever the spine behind the head with a knife.

Also I usually burry my fish in the garden, not through them in the bin as others have suggested (as they make great compost). Make sure you burry your bigger fish deep as I fed the local stray cats once because my dead fish wasn't burried deep enough.
Title:
Post by: Ronin on April 10, 2006, 06:27:04 PM
small fish,the wall or the shoe of death works great, big fish... take first and middle fingers of right hand and place one in behind each gill, with the left hand bend the fish back quickly. The neck is broken, the spinal cord as well, fish is instantly dead. I use that method when fishing as well.