What do you think about putting a fish to sleep (euthanizing)?

Just asking, not in the situation at the moment. I've never done it, but I have a dog and am thinking of putting her to sleep because she has cancer. But I know, now that I own fish, this will be something I will cross later. How do you guys do it? I've read from flushing, and dropping in boiling water (which I WILL NOT DO!) to putting in the freezer (I've read this is cruel but many feel humaine) to I think it's linsead oil... but not sure on that, still need to do some reading, sorry can't remember right now. What do you think is humaine? Do you have research to back up your methods?


Thanks again!

What do you think about putting a fish to sleep (euthanizing)?
I feel if you've done everything possible to save the fish (looked up diseases and cures, treated it, and everything) and the fish has no chance to live, that it is the right choice. however, just like with any other animal, I don't feel it's right to just kill it because it's sick when there are tons of things to can do to treat it.





the ONLY humane way to kill a fish involves making it unconscious first. this is done by filling a container big enough for the fish to swim in half with tank water and half with clove oil. leave the fish in there for 10mins. the most humane way to kill tropicals (which includes bettas so this is what you'll need to know. yes, that means if your betta in not in a tank with a heater he should be) is to freeze a container full of tank water big enough to hold the fish until there is a thin coating of ice on the top. once it's iced over remove from the freezer and break he ice, quickly move the fish (who has been in the clove oil for 10mins) into the ice water. the shock will kill it instantly.





freezing the fish will result in a slow painful death. just like with humans they will go to sleep but they will first suffer though bitter cold.





anything like bricks or cutting off it's head involve removing the fish from water to do these things which will cause the fish a LOT of stress. not tomention they're icky! lol
Reply:Humane way: Clove oil. It works as an anesthetic on fish. So, they go to sleep, and when they over-dose, they don't wake up. It would be very much like someone being put under for surgery and just never coming out of it.





Inhumane Ways: Freezing- Fish can feel their insides freezing slowly.


Chopping off their heads- Ouch!


Rubbing alcohol- Have you ever gotten alcohol near your nose or in your eye? Now imagine having to swim in it!


Boiling- It's fast, but it probably hurts like hell.


Flushing- There's a grinding mechanism at the end of most sewage lines to "break up" solid material.
Reply:I'm not too sure about euthanasia, but my vet had to research fish anesthesia for a client. I wish I could remember the university she contacted. There was something that you add to the water to anesthetise the fish for proceedures. I imagine there may be a similar additive for euthanasia purposes.
Reply:here is a good discussion. The method I use is below all the letters. Bowl of cold water with ice cubes. then put the fish in. Takes about a second for them to pass.
Reply:well so you want it to feel the least amount of pain possible? just let it die on its own- i doubt your fish will get cancer or whatever but if it dies because the waters bad or it just feels like it then let nature take its course- let it struggle- just because it makes you unfomfortable to watch doesnt mean it doesnt want to stop fighting, maybe it will get over whatever it has- if not, then its little fish conscouisness will be somewhere in the universe and you can think about it. Dont get attached to it like you would a dog lol- thats real sad though. dont look at the future like you are right now- expecting the worst? hey maybe the fish will outlive you :P
Reply:First off, I do believe fish do have feelings. I love to fish and my partner is a fisherman, he told me that when you hook a fish and it gets loose, it won't bite again until it's lip heals. As for what I think about putting a fish to sleep? Well, I don't really like it, but, if you can't heal it and it is suffering, I suppose it is the most humane thing to do. I usually just dump it in the trash, I never thought of ways to euthanize a fish.
Reply:This one goes back to do fish feel pain.





My belief is if they do its a different idea and sensation they we understand it to be. Otherwise fish wouldn't take and anglers bait over and over again.





Small fish I can't hold like tetra's go in a bag of ice its quick, as the mass of ice overwhelms them completely and they close down in seconds.


Something the size of say a platty/swordtail you can hold in you hand and flick with you finger killing it instantly.


The larger the fish the less effective that is, with a fish up to about about a foot I'd use a priest, basically a large lump of lead on the end of a handle like a mace but not as big.





I've only ever had to kill one large aquarium fish an arowana about 30 years ago, it burst its eye and there was no way I could save it. The details you don't need to know.





Its not something I particularly like doing, but its something having been raised in a rural area I've learnt to do, of course you can spend about 200 quid on a vet if you like.





AJ
Reply:Another method I have heard of is smacking them in between bricks. If I have one I can see suffering, I have taken them out and shot them with a .410 shotgun. It's overkill, but I don't think that fish should be allowed to suffer to death any more than a dog or cat should. If there was a less violent protocol for fish, such as an injectable, that's what I would use instead.
Reply:I only own giant tropical fish.





That said i cant do the stuff you said to since they are over 25"





So what I've been recommended (by a big fish professional) is to get a sharp knife and cut the head of quickly, I haven't had to do it but my friend had his 34" clown knife put down this method because it had a swim bladder disease (i think but he couldn't gulp enough air to last a minute)
Reply:if my fish are suffering beyond help then i will euthanize them. i feel the same way about dogs and cats. it is cruel to keep animals alive simply because you don't have the nerve to do it when there are instantaneous ways t go instead of long suffering.
Reply:Venice girl and Kylie Anne are both right on with clove oil. It is a toothache remedy available in any pharmacy without a perscription.





Get a container of water that is just deep enough to cover the fish and add 8-10 drops of the clove oil. Stir it around to mix in the oil and then place the fish into the container. A cover is adviseable.





The clove oil acts like chloroform does for people. Your fish will just go to sleep and stop breathing. If left in there long enough, it will die while it is unconscious.





Dropping a fish into boiling water is one of the most disgusting things I have ever heard. Can you imagine the pain....? The same thing happens when they are frozen alive, all their cells start rupturing, the pain must be unbearable.
Reply:The numbers one and two most humane methods of euthanizing fish is MS 222 [Tricaine methanesulfonate] and/or benzocaine hydrochloride, which is similar to MS 222. You must get either of these from a vet. The oil that you are thinking of is clove oil and it really is one of the most humane euthanization methods you can use. And it's the easiest for us soft-hearted souls to tolerate. Alcohol is suggested as a method, but it's debatably questionable as to how humane it truly is. Boiling is out of the question! That is torture for the few seconds that the fish remains alive, which is will for a period of time after dropping it in the water. Freezing is questionable because it is such a slow process and because it depends on the fish. While the water is processing from a liquid to a solid, ice crystals form in the fish's gills while the fish is still alive. If you've stabbed yourself with a piece of ice, you know how sharp and painful it can be. So, it is not suggested that you stick a still alive fish in the freezer. Now, if you have a tropical, warm-water (fresh or salt) fish, dropping it into ice water would shock it into immediate death. This would work. But, it wouldn't work for coldwater fish such as goldfish who can survive water temperatures below freezing. While this is the most gruesome euthanization method for humans to have to perform, scientists and aquarists really suggest that the by-far best method is to smash their head with a brick or jab a knife into their head or, preferably, to ensure a quick, painless death, cut off their head completely.
Reply:i prefer to use clove oil or boiling water (only if the fish is really small), there's also a "industrial" anesthesia (that's the MS222 mentioned above) that alot of zoo's use to sedate large fish, if you could get your hands on that, OD'ing the fish on that is the most humane way, but goodluck finding small enough quantities to be practical
Reply:Considering that it is impossible to tell if a fish is in pain it's hard to say. My guess would be that freezing would be the most humane way to go about it. When fish are subjected to extremely cold temperatures then can go almost completely dormant. Freezing them solid would simply continue this process until bodily functions shut down completely, taking them from an unconscious state into death with no noticeable difference. The fish would simply go to sleep and then die while asleep.
Reply:another way to euthinize a fish is to drop it in a cup of rubbing acuhaul. i do not approve of ANY euthinizeation unless the animal is suffering.
Reply:I think its the smartest choice to end the suffering of ANY creature. If a fish is dying, wounded beyond repair, or is seriously sick... I have and will euthanize them.


To me, the most humane way causes instant death.





Flushing will not kill the fish and won't end its pain. It will merely be out of your sight, and therefore, not your problem anymore. It does nothing for the animal.





Boiling water MAY work... but, it may take a few moments for it to actually die. It may also begin to cook the fish, leaving it a bit discolored.





Freezing a fish might work... but may be hard to do.





My method kills them instantly (though I only use this as a last resort.) Get a small bowl and fill it with water. Place it in the freezer for about 2-6 hours, or until a thin layer of ice develops at the top. Once the layer develops, use a net to drop your fish in. The water kills it instantly without any pain.
Reply:i would not sugest uthin nation if you pet is in the wya find a nice home for it
Reply:wtf?
Reply:k number 1 ur a mess. maybe u will come across it again but if u do, bery the fish. thats what i did for my bala sharks i while back ago
Reply:uh kid wtf are u talking about fish dont get euthanized