Dying pleco

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Sillyfishies

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Jul 6, 2012
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I have a dying pleco:(. Water params are fine etc. it's just he's REALLY old, blind in one eye, super lazy, and absolutely terrified of light. I don't necessarily want him. He has a HUGE bio load (he's like 7 inches now), I never get to see him, and he doesn't eat algae.

Anyway, lately he's been sitting inside of a cave and refusing to move. Occasionally he'll be on a different side of the cave but he's not eating any of his food. So what would the most humane way of killing him? I know that's harsh but I just feel like he's lived a long life and he's nearing the end. I don't want him to sit decomposing in my tank until I notice.
 
I have a dying pleco:(. Water params are fine etc. it's just he's REALLY old, blind in one eye, super lazy, and absolutely terrified of light. I don't necessarily want him. He has a HUGE bio load (he's like 7 inches now), I never get to see him, and he doesn't eat algae.

Anyway, lately he's been sitting inside of a cave and refusing to move. Occasionally he'll be on a different side of the cave but he's not eating any of his food. So what would the most humane way of killing him? I know that's harsh but I just feel like he's lived a long life and he's nearing the end. I don't want him to sit decomposing in my tank until I notice.

I'll take this hard question and do my best.

First your sure its sick or dying? Have you tried to net it and maybe put it in a hospital tank? Maybe your local pet store will take it? A friend?

If you choose to put it down. There a few ways. I can only tell you the way I've used. Clove oil and vodka. I put the fish in a little tub with ice ice cold vodka and clove oil also some ice. May sound weird or strange but I do a shot and I give it about an hour then I bury it down the FD where we have a garden. Fire house it literally next door.

That's how I do it. I've also heard of people using this stuff in a overdose

Pond Fish, Koi, & Tropical Fish Health & Anesthesia: Finquel Aquatic Anesthetic

Just please don't just kill it because you don't want it. If anything ask your local fish/pet stores. Maybe they will take it.
 
I am sorry but it doesn't sound like what you are doing is for the right reasons. Just because something is "old" isn't reason enough to kill it.
 
Speak to your lfs I'm sure they will take him off you. Please just don't kill him.
 
Speak to your lfs I'm sure they will take him off you. Please just don't kill him my plec just sits about all the time till the lights go off, it's just what they do.
 
Sorry went through before i finished.

It's fine. I tried to give him away. I think he's pushing the mid- to late 20s now... This was a more futuristic question. Because I fear he's getting close. But if he's fine and recovers ill keep him. I'm just worried he'll die, cause an ammonia spike and kill the fragile 60$ worth of other fish in there. It would be a few days till I notice he's dead
 
Not that I'm trying to cause problems, but if you were worried that the fish was sick, wouldn't you check the fish more, and would therefore know immediately if it was dead? I'm just saying...
 
Dying Pieco

It's fine. I tried to give him away. I think he's pushing the mid- to late 20s now... This was a more futuristic question. Because I fear he's getting close. But if he's fine and recovers ill keep him. I'm just worried he'll die, cause an ammonia spike and kill the fragile 60$ worth of other fish in there. It would be a few days till I notice he's dead

If you think the poor little thing is sick he shouldnt be in that tank anyway, take him out put him in a ht and see how he is in there.
 
Not that I'm trying to cause problems, but if you were worried that the fish was sick, wouldn't you check the fish more, and would therefore know immediately if it was dead? I'm just saying...

I can't see him... It's fine u didnt cause any problems:)
 
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