My Twig cat is belly up, and bloodied up. Help....

[tyrel]

I just found my twig catfish this morning, he lying on the ground and hes got blood all over him. Could this be caused by the ich he recenty had? Or the alge bloom my tank has? Or did another fish beat him up?

If hes not gonna make it, how do humanely put down a fish?

thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[Lance M.]

I have a very long farlowella acus (same fish, if not then same species).

They are rather sensitive to water conditions, but once they adapt they are hard to kill. How old (big) is your twig catfish and when did you get him?

What are tank conditions? And my saying the ich he recently had, when was that? Did you medicate the tank and if so how long ago did the ich disappear?

What other fish are in the tank?

The most humane way to put down a fish that I have heard is to freeze them (I have used several times).

Also sorry to say but I do not think your fish will make it if you found him in that condition, just from my experience with these fish.

 

[tyrel]

Well, he died just now. I wasn't aware how sensitive they were. Oh well, live and learn huh?

Just so you know, I read that freezing affects the blood vessles just below the skin and causes pain. It said the best way to kill it was to sever the spine just behind the head.

 

[crazycat]

i'm sorry for your loss--i have 2 farlowella vittatas whom i adore and would be very sorry to lose. my sympathies.

 

[Lance M.]

Sorry to hear it died. They are great fish. I love mine.

I'll have too look up what would be the best way to put down a fish.

 

[earthworms]

How about thump it on the back of the head like one would do to a fish if they caught it in a lake? Never done it to a pet fish....might be hard do to it being a pet and the size of these fish. Sorry to hear about your loss.

 

[7Enigma]

Well, he died just now. I wasn't aware how sensitive they were. Oh well, live and learn huh?

Just so you know, I read that freezing affects the blood vessles just below the skin and causes pain. It said the best way to kill it was to sever the spine just behind the head.

I could imagine that (think of putting your hand in ice water, it hurts). The method you are recommending has been around for a long time. It's called pithing, although I'm not sure if I spelled that right. It has been used on frogs and other species with little to no protection of the nervous bundle. If done correctly it theoretically is painless, but I think the whomping would be the most humane, as long as its a good whomp (so no suffering).

 

[Fishyfanatic]

There are several methods of humanely putting down a fish. Clove Oil, freezing, cutting, and so on. I had a Betta that was suffering from Parasites, no matter how much meds I gave him and how pristene the water conditions were, he still did not get better. After about 6 weeks of deteriating conditions my fiance eventually took him outside and severed his spine. I couldn't be around for it because the thought of doing it was just too much for me, but it was quick and painless for the fish.

 

[Zagz]

So sorry for your loss. Here is a link on the different ways of euthanizing fish and the more humane ways to do it.

 

[Elmware]

I had a livebearer die from ich. It's body was red like as if it got a real bad rash. The pet store staff said this was one of the phase of ich.

 

[waynephinney]

That was a very useful link. The thought never even occurred to me that I may have to do this with a fish at some point.

Unacceptable methods of euthanasia are: freezing, boiling, chopping, removing the fish from water, using a seltzer tablet, slamming, pithing, decapitating, or flushing down the toilet. These methods are slow, torturous, stressful or violent. Clove oil followed by vodka is both inexpensive and humane. The fish goes to sleep just like we might before an operation, and simply doesn't wake up.

I suppose that settles that.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I really don't think that decapitatins is slow and torturous. It is done in an instant. Well, I guess it could be torture if you use a dull blade.

 

[waynephinney]

I'd rather go with the clove oil and vodka. Seems less painful, quick or not.