Help please, best way to humanely kill a fish, urgent

[Dana]

My Gourami that I recently posted about, with pics of his damaged mouth and body, is floating upside down at the bottom of the tank.

The others are attacking him, he's only just breathing. Advice please on the most humane way to remove him from the tank?

My first loss. He was my favorite &c:ry

[Dana]

He died. The odd gasp so I've put him in a container of aquarium water and he's in the freezer. &c:ry

For future reference, is there a more acceptable way?

About to do a water change as the ammonia and nitrates have hit the roof.

[smidey]

put it in a net and smack it on the concrete, instant.

[Scarletmonuka]

put it in a net and smack it on the concrete, instant.

+1

[camtang]

put it in a net and smack it on the concrete, instant.

+1

[alanmin4304]

+1

[Sophia]

that only works well for fish big enough to get a grip on

I use clove oil for my small fish.

[smidey]

that only works well for fish big enough to get a grip on

I use clove oil for my small fish.

put the fish in a net then smack the net down onto the concrete holding the net handle so the comes down onto the concrete with the fish inside.

I have done it with 2cm fish but just did it onto the work bench rather than the concrete.

[Caryl]

I drop them into a plastic bag then whack it on the concrete. Less mess and I can't see the poor thing :tears:

[smidey]

I drop them into a plastic bag then whack it on the concrete. Less mess and I can't see the poor thing :tears:

that's a tidier way of doing the same thing. good idea.

[David R]

Clove oil is pretty cheap you know, but if you'd rather bludgeon your pets to death I guess that's up to you...

[jackp]

Clove oil is pretty cheap you know, but if you'd rather bludgeon your pets to death I guess that's up to you...

So long as it's quick the only real difference is in your head.

[smidey]

Clove oil is pretty cheap you know, but if you'd rather bludgeon your pets to death I guess that's up to you...

it's not beating it with a club, it's a short sharp impact on a hard surface then the job is done and the cat can enjoy it.

[camtang]

it's not beating it with a club, it's a short sharp impact on a hard surface then the job is done and the cat can enjoy it.

My cats to fussy :an!gry turtles and chickens arnt so much

[Godly3vil]

I just freeze them, then feed them to the neighbourhoods stray cat population hoping that they might pass some disease on that will prevent them crapping in my gardens!

[Sophia]

With a small fish I worry that I won't hit it in the right place and it won't die immediately.

It's hard to tell what is happening to the fish with clove oil, I believe their heart rate gets slower and slower till you realise their gills have stopped moving and they seem dead. It takes about 5 mins though. It's anaesthesia overdose and it looks to be a peaceful way to go at least.

I put the fish in a little container and then drop the oil onto the water, then gently stir it about a bit. They flap their gills a little and maybe do a zip around the container but then they stay still. I leave them in there for an hour or so longer just to make sure they are definitely dead.

Freezing them is now considered inhumane so I would rather not do that.

[Godly3vil]

Freezing them is now considered inhumane so I would rather not do that.

Wow really, most books I read when I started fishkeeping advise it, saying that, most are from the 80's so I guess it is probably out dated now.

[smidey]

Wow really, most books I read when I started fishkeeping advise it, saying that, most are from the 80's so I guess it is probably out dated now.

within reason most info in fish keeping books can be contradicted by info in another, it's the nature of the hobby. there are too many variables for it to be a "black and white" hobby, there are so many ways to achieve the desired result.

[Ira]

I use the freezer method. You're not freezing them while they're still alive. Unless maybe you throw them in a really tiny container of water. I've run a couple tests dropping the temperature of the water while measuring the temp with a thermometer. Checking on the fish every few minutes. On big SA cichlids, which I'd expect to handle the temperature drop better than smaller fish all signs of light stopped around 10 degrees. After holding there for about 15 minutes to confirm no signs up life I brought them back up to tank temperature slowly to see if they would revive.

In no cases did they come back to life. All cases showed no obvious signs of strees, by thrashing around in the container.

There mzy be a hybernation temperture that would be idel.

[#!CrunchBang]

I use the freezer with the fish in some tankwater. They just slow down and then stop. I don't think it's inhumane for non mammals as it's the method used for smaller reptiles and invertebrates that are a biosecurity risk. The ideal method would be by anesthesia and oxygen displacement.

The smacking of the fish on concrete is a bit gruesome for me, and if it doesn't work first hit it's cruel, and what says you're not just paralysing the fish?

[Joshlikesfish]

I used to do the glad bag method until i popped a siamese fighter all over my face.

[David R]

With a small fish I worry that I won't hit it in the right place and it won't die immediately.

Same goes for any fish really, I know it can work and can be quick, but also has a good chance of not working first time and ending up being pretty gruesome and painful. I wonder what the SPCA would say about that method of euthanasia, perhaps someone could suggest it for their excess kittens?

[Scarletmonuka]

what does clove oil actually do? poisions them? you could always do what a lot of people do when out fishing. stick a sharp knife into the brain and give it a couple of twists

[Dana]

I'm interested to hear more about clove oil.

I'm rather attached to my fishies, and although some might find it silly, bashing or stabbing them really does make me feel uncomfortable. I'd do it if it really was the best way though.

I put this boy in the freezer because the other fish had taken out one of his eyes, and half his head. He was gone, but still the odd gasp.

I volunteer for a breed specific rescue org (dogs), and I see horrid inhumane treatment at the hands of people. If I have to take a dog for it's last ride to the vet, then humane and gentle is my priority. I'd hope to do the same for my fish, as silly as it may sound.

[amtiskaw]

what does clove oil actually do? poisions them? you could always do what a lot of people do when out fishing. stick a sharp knife into the brain and give it a couple of twists

It works as an anaesthetic. I wouldn't be confident I could locate a fishes brain, let alone stab it accurately.

It's funny how you get emotionally invested in pet fish. I still enjoy fishing, but I get twinges of guilt sometimes. It must be terrifying getting hauled out of your environment in such a painful manner :tears: