Ethical Euthanasia

[insecurity]

Yeah, its a topic no one really wants to talk about it. Sadly, I'm having a special case of it here.

So I have a hobby aquarium business going on. Nothing fancy- I'll setup, install & maintain aquariums for people.
What I've been getting recently however, is an influx of people emailing me asking if I can take their fish for them, as they've lost interest in fish-keeping or they're moving, etc. Not wanting to see a fish neglected, I've been saying yes, and petting these fish into my spare tanks.

But now I have a problem: I have too many of these fish, and I can't seem to get rid of them. I can't sell them because nobody is interested in buying them. I've been trying to get rid of them by putting them into the tanks I setup and install, but at this rate, I'll be forever trying to get rid of them.
And that's where the topic of euthanasia comes into play.
Now, granted, there's nothing ethical about euthanizing a perfectly healthy fish, and I agree with that. But what about my bottom line?
All told- I don't depend on my hobby business, but at the same time, I do have a couple thousand sunk into it.
Is it ethical to euthanize these healthy fish to protect my bottom line?

 

[Kristian Tombs]

Yeah, its a topic no one really wants to talk about it. Sadly, I'm having a special case of it here. So I have a hobby aquarium business going on. Nothing fancy- I'll setup, install & maintain aquariums for people. What I've been getting recently however, is an influx of people emailing me asking if I can take their fish for them, as they've lost interest in fish-keeping or they're moving, etc. Not wanting to see a fish neglected, I've been saying yes, and petting these fish into my spare tanks. But now I have a problem: I have too many of these fish, and I can't seem to get rid of them. I can't sell them because nobody is interested in buying them. I've been trying to get rid of them by putting them into the tanks I setup and install, but at this rate, I'll be forever trying to get rid of them. And that's where the topic of euthanasia comes into play. Now, granted, there's nothing ethical about euthanizing a perfectly healthy fish, and I agree with that. But what about my bottom line? All told- I don't depend on my hobby business, but at the same time, I do have a couple thousand sunk into it. Is it ethical to euthanize these healthy fish to protect my bottom line?

I would say it would be better to give them away for FREE rather than euthanise them

 

[HUKIT]

There is nothing wrong with euthanizing fish for that specific reason, it's far better than some of the alternatives. I understand this is a aquarium website and most here won't like this response, but it's not like your putting down puppies they're fish afterall. As long as it's done in a humane way I don't see any issues personally. I use a somewhat barbaric method involving a dead blow hammer but I will also incorporate clove oil when I have that on hand which acts like high dosage of anesthesia.

 

[insecurity]

There is nothing wrong with euthanizing fish for that specific reason, it's far better than some of the alternatives. I understand this is a aquarium website and most here won't like this response, but it's not like your putting down puppies they're fish afterall. As long as it's done in a humane way I don't see any issues personally. I use a somewhat barbaric method involving a dead blow hammer but I will also incorporate clove oil when I have that on hand which acts like high dosage of anesthesia.

Humane all the way. My sister is a research lab tech at a marine biology lab, and she quite often does it.

 

[Kristian Tombs]

There is nothing wrong with euthanizing fish for that specific reason, it's far better than some of the alternatives. I understand this is a aquarium website and most here won't like this response, but it's not like your putting down puppies they're fish afterall. As long as it's done in a humane way I don't see any issues personally. I use a somewhat barbaric method involving a dead blow hammer but I will also incorporate clove oil when I have that on hand which acts like high dosage of anesthesia.

why do you euthanise your fish? I've only ever euthanized one fish and that was a rasbora that had really bad fin rot and it's tail fin had rotted away and it couldn't swim.

 

[HUKIT]

why do you euthanise your fish? I've only ever euthanized one fish and that was a rasbora that had really bad fin rot and it's tail fin had rotted away and it couldn't swim.

I run a large fish room breeding over a dozen species of central american cichlids so that could be from unwanted fry, birth defects, aggression, and disease. I have anywhere from 750-1200 fish throughout the house at any given time.

 

[Kristian Tombs]

I run a large fish room breeding over a dozen species of central american cichlids so that could be from unwanted fry, birth defects, aggression, and disease. I have anywhere from 750-1200 fish throughout the house at any given time.

sounds amazing

 

[Fibsog]

Just give them away for free. Killing fish is sad

 

[Kristian Tombs]

Just give them away for free. Killing fish is sad

agreed.

 

[Hobgob]

There is nothing wrong with euthanizing fish for that specific reason, it's far better than some of the alternatives. I understand this is a aquarium website and most here won't like this response, but it's not like your putting down puppies they're fish afterall. As long as it's done in a humane way I don't see any issues personally. I use a somewhat barbaric method involving a dead blow hammer but I will also incorporate clove oil when I have that on hand which acts like high dosage of anesthesia.

What the difference between a puppy and a fish? I'd gladly cull a dog then my discus! Especially since my discus is gonna live longer!

 

[DragonFish71]

You can't always find people to take fish off your hands, even for free.

As for situations like Hukit's. When you run a breeding room, you do have to cull out any defects.

I don't run a huge breeding operation, just a few different things here and there, but even I have to cull out defects. Yes, I hate it, but it is my responsibility to make sure that only the best quality genes get into other people's tanks.

It's the sad, but honest truth.

 

[DragonFish71]

There is nothing wrong with euthanizing fish for that specific reason, it's far better than some of the alternatives. I understand this is a aquarium website and most here won't like this response, but it's not like your putting down puppies they're fish afterall. As long as it's done in a humane way I don't see any issues personally. I use a somewhat barbaric method involving a dead blow hammer but I will also incorporate clove oil when I have that on hand which acts like high dosage of anesthesia.

Dog breeders do cull puppies as well. Personally I think humans should be culled too, but hey...

 

[Hobgob]

And culling is very important aspect of fish keeping breeders do it all the time! Like mention above bad fry(birth defects) is the biggest reason why. You don't want someone purchasing that and breeding it. Also I don't agree with taking in defected fish as it gives a bad rep.

Personally the best way to cull fish is either with clove oil or temperature shock. I personally use temperature shock the most.

 

[Hobgob]

Dog breeders do cull puppies as well. Personally I think humans should be culled too, but hey...

Bumping was used for many animals especially in pig farmers it is something that needs to be done with every animal in every situation.

 

[Kristian Tombs]

Bumping was used for many animals especially in pig farmers it is something that needs to be done with every animal in every situation.

how does temperature shock work?

 

[bud29]

how does temperature shock work?

Several methods are gone over here: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/an-overview-of-euthanasia-73775.html

 

[Hobgob]

It is not the one where ypu freeze the fish though. You freeze the water.

 

[HUKIT]

Dog breeders do cull puppies as well. Personally I think humans should be culled too, but hey...

I'm aware but that's not something I could do. Here is another one people won't agree with but I was a Ranger in the Army and I'd rather put down a enemy over putting down a puppy or even worse a kitty!!!

 

[Hobgob]

Thats your job...

 

[MermaidGurl]

No, I don't think it would be ethical to euthanize perfectly healthy fish. I would say that you should try to give them away for free, but I don't think you should euthanize them, it just seems like a cruel thing to do, and I personally would never do tht to a perfectly healthy fish.