Thoughts on Humane Euthanasia... - Aquarium Advice

targaboy78 · 02-07-2003, 02:08 PM

Hi all,

I was surfing around last night and I stumbled upon this site.
http://members.aol.com/sirchin/ailment1.htm#death

Some of the content....

Quote:

Humane Disposal of a fish.
Sometimes although we have given our fish the best possible care, they become ill with something we cannot treat. At this time it is in the fish's best interest to dispose of it. It is the least distressing for your pet. Traditional methods were to chop its head off. Now days some are suggesting placing your fish in a bag of water (adding some ice cubes) and putting it in the freezer. Since they are cold blooded animals they lose heat and they slip into unconsciousness and lose sensation. However, more reports are surfacing that states freezing the animals is not the best choice.

Quote:

The freezer method is OK, but I was informed of a better method by a veterinarian who specializes in fish. I am a third year vet student at U of Pennsylvania and unfortunately I have had some cause to use this method, so I know that it works and it works well. Eugenol is a compound that is used to anesthetize fish; it is better known as clove oil and can be purchased in a pharmacy. It needs to be dissolved in vodka before you add it to the water the fish is in. The proper dose is 1 cc of eugenol + 9 ccs vodka to one gallon of water. When I had to euthanize my rather large oranda I used 2 ccs of eugenol + 18 ccs of vodka added to the 2 gallons of water my fish was in; he just went to sleep very quietly and peacefully. The process takes about 10 minutes. Please post this if you think it could be of help to other goldfish owners; I think its better and certainly quicker than the freezer.

I am leaning towards this second option, unless I hear some compelling facts to the contrary.

Any thoughts or comments

02-07-2003, 02:16 PM

Well, I guess it would be humane, but I've always chopped off their heads with a really sharp knife. I don't know how much pain they feel, but it is very quick.

Since this is a serious topic I won't mention the waste of perfectly good Vodka. (Sorry, couldn't help myself.

)

Just PLEASE, everyone, NEVER Flush a live fish down the toilet. It's gotta be the most inhumane way to euthanize a fish there is.

Grant R · 02-07-2003, 05:32 PM

I don't think I could kill a fish. Not unless it was 3/4 dead already.
Imagine having to kill a really expensive one, or one that had been around for years !

02-07-2003, 08:47 PM

Sometimes you just have to do it, to cease their suffering. Sometimes you know they are sick and will not make it, so it is a merciful act.

On the other hand, there are my pond fish. I'm not embarrassed at all to say I've culled the population several times. I started with cheap feeder goldies, and some comets and fantails that cost $1 or less. Over a few years I realized I had 10 12 very brown ugly fish that you couldn't even see in the pond. They were piggies too, getting more than thier fair share of the food. When I did my fall cleaning that year, I killed all the ones I didn't want. (I did call a few LFS and pond places first, but no one wanted them).

Therefore I had no qualms about chopping off their heads and burying them in my flower beds (good fertilizer).

Hope no one thinks this makes me a bad guy, but I put a ton of work into that pond, and I want fish I can see, and that look good. To me it was an easy call, and I do it when necessary.

Besides, I go fishing for sport and food, I can kill those guys too.

fishfreek · 02-08-2003, 10:25 PM

Well, The concept of something being humane to me means that its the quickest and most pain free method.

With that being the case I found this article rather interesting.

The article is titled Anglers are finally off the hook: fish feel no pain.

THe title above is a link to the full article should you wish to read it for yourself. The article says

Quote:

Originally Posted by Article

An academic study comparing the nervous systems and responses of fish and mammals has found that their brains are not sufficiently developed to allow them to sense pain or fear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Article

report, published in the American academic journal Reviews of Fisheries Science, concludes that awareness of pain depends on functions of regions of the cerebral cortex which fish do not possess.

With that said I guess anything that would keep the fish from suffering in bad living conditions would be humane.

targaboy78 · 02-09-2003, 05:12 PM

Hey fishfreek,

Awesome information. It makes some valid points.

I guess, I'm just a softy when it comes to fish. I think of them having feelings, thoughts and personalities. But that is what makes it hard for me when they have diseases or die.

I'll have to try and keep that information in the back of my mind.

02-09-2003, 08:20 PM

Quote:

I guess, I'm just a softy when it comes to fish. I think of them having feelings, thoughts and personalities. But that is what makes it hard for me when they have diseases or die

I do this too, but lean more towards the side of Quick death is better than suffering.

Also, in regards to culling. like I do in my pond, it's been going on for thousands of years, thats how we get so many breeds of dogs, cats, and whatever. I prefer to think of it as selective breeding.

aimeovaldi · 02-10-2003, 12:23 AM

I also have a garden pond and cull out the koi that are not correct conformation. With as much as I spent on the mating pair of Japanese Koi I started with, I cannot afford to let substandard fish produce irregular fry. If they are still small enough I use them as feeders for my saltwater fish and cichlids. I do not agree with wanton cruelty but survival of the fittest is natures way.

rtroxel · 06-18-2003, 07:31 PM

Fish do feel pain.

I had a clown loach who was attacked by parasites from a new fish that I had dropped into the tank. (The loaches don't have scales like most other fish.)

The loach shook and darted crazily about the tank for several days. It was obviously in pain, because the parasites were biting into it. Finally, I gave it a "bath" in an orange-colored solution that I purchased from the aquarium store. (Sorry, I forget the name of the solution.) The fish lived a few more years, but I have seen other fish attacked by parasites, and they do feel it.

Roy
http://www.webservertimes.com

rtroxel · 06-18-2003, 07:51 PM

Fish do feel pain.

I had a clown loach who was attacked by parasites from a new fish that I had dropped into the tank. (The loaches don't have scales like most other fish.)

The loach shook and darted crazily about the tank for several days. It was obviously in pain, because the parasites were biting into it. Finally, I gave it a "bath" in an orange-colored solution that I purchased from the aquarium store. (Sorry, I forget the name of the solution.) The fish lived a few more years, but I have seen other fish attacked by parasites, and they do feel it.

Roy
http://www.webservertimes.com

02-07-2003, 05:32 PM	#3
Grant R Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: West London, England Posts: 689	I don't think I could kill a fish. Not unless it was 3/4 dead already. Imagine having to kill a really expensive one, or one that had been around for years ! __________________ 45 Gallon FreshWater Community Tank 11.1 Gallon Quarantine / Breeder Tank Don't Forget The UK & Ireland Forums !http://www.proudtobebritish.co.uk/ea...ropics/eng.gif

02-09-2003, 05:12 PM	#6
targaboy78 Aquarium Advice FINatic Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Vancouver, BC. Posts: 521 Images: 2	Hey fishfreek, Awesome information. It makes some valid points. I guess, I'm just a softy when it comes to fish. I think of them having feelings, thoughts and personalities. But that is what makes it hard for me when they have diseases or die. I'll have to try and keep that information in the back of my mind. __________________ "Life is not like a box of chocolates... it's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today... might burn your a$$ tomorrow."

02-10-2003, 12:23 AM	#8
aimeovaldi Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Centralia, Illinois Posts: 108	I also have a garden pond and cull out the koi that are not correct conformation. With as much as I spent on the mating pair of Japanese Koi I started with, I cannot afford to let substandard fish produce irregular fry. If they are still small enough I use them as feeders for my saltwater fish and cichlids. I do not agree with wanton cruelty but survival of the fittest is natures way. __________________ Anthony Eovaldi

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02-07-2003, 02:16 PM	#2
Guest Posts: n/a	Well, I guess it would be humane, but I've always chopped off their heads with a really sharp knife. I don't know how much pain they feel, but it is very quick. Since this is a serious topic I won't mention the waste of perfectly good Vodka. (Sorry, couldn't help myself. ) Just PLEASE, everyone, NEVER Flush a live fish down the toilet. It's gotta be the most inhumane way to euthanize a fish there is.

02-07-2003, 08:47 PM	#4
Guest Posts: n/a	Sometimes you just have to do it, to cease their suffering. Sometimes you know they are sick and will not make it, so it is a merciful act. On the other hand, there are my pond fish. I'm not embarrassed at all to say I've culled the population several times. I started with cheap feeder goldies, and some comets and fantails that cost $1 or less. Over a few years I realized I had 10 12 very brown ugly fish that you couldn't even see in the pond. They were piggies too, getting more than thier fair share of the food. When I did my fall cleaning that year, I killed all the ones I didn't want. (I did call a few LFS and pond places first, but no one wanted them). Therefore I had no qualms about chopping off their heads and burying them in my flower beds (good fertilizer). Hope no one thinks this makes me a bad guy, but I put a ton of work into that pond, and I want fish I can see, and that look good. To me it was an easy call, and I do it when necessary. Besides, I go fishing for sport and food, I can kill those guys too.

06-18-2003, 07:31 PM	#9
rtroxel Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Alexandria VA Posts: 6	Fish do feel pain. I had a clown loach who was attacked by parasites from a new fish that I had dropped into the tank. (The loaches don't have scales like most other fish.) The loach shook and darted crazily about the tank for several days. It was obviously in pain, because the parasites were biting into it. Finally, I gave it a "bath" in an orange-colored solution that I purchased from the aquarium store. (Sorry, I forget the name of the solution.) The fish lived a few more years, but I have seen other fish attacked by parasites, and they do feel it. Roy http://www.webservertimes.com

06-18-2003, 07:51 PM	#10
rtroxel Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Alexandria VA Posts: 6	Fish do feel pain. I had a clown loach who was attacked by parasites from a new fish that I had dropped into the tank. (The loaches don't have scales like most other fish.) The loach shook and darted crazily about the tank for several days. It was obviously in pain, because the parasites were biting into it. Finally, I gave it a "bath" in an orange-colored solution that I purchased from the aquarium store. (Sorry, I forget the name of the solution.) The fish lived a few more years, but I have seen other fish attacked by parasites, and they do feel it. Roy http://www.webservertimes.com