Description
This article is from the Beginning
Fishkeeping FAQ, by Thomas Narten with numerous contributions
by others.
63 Euthanasia
It's come to this has it? You've read all the FAQs, found out
everything you can about diseases, ailments and the proper treatments,
asked for help from several knowledgeable sources and have come to the
conclusion that you cannot nurse your fish back to health. And since
you took on the responsibility of caring for the fish you now must
find the most humane method in helping it to die.
Several options exist for euthanizing your ill pet. They include
chemicals, decapitation, and donation. The best method is probably
through the use of chemicals. A few vets recommend an overdose of
MS-222, a fish anesthetic. It can be purchased from chemical supply
companies as MS-222, tricaine methanesulfonate or Ethyl
3-aminobenzoate, methanesulfonic acid salt. Immerse the fish in a
container of 350 ppm MS-222 (350 mg MS-222 per liter of water) for 10
minutes. This is very humane and is non-traumatic for both the fish
and owner. Another chemical method is the injection of pentothal into
the abdominal cavity. This may be more difficult for the owner as
syringes may be hard to come by and sticking animals with needles may
not sit well with some people. It is almost painless for the fish if
this helps ease your hesitations regarding this method. Finally one
can use alcohol to euthanize a fish. Make a 1:5 (20%) solution of
Vodka (or any other similar strong grain neutral alcohol) and water.
Then place the fish into the container and it will simply `go to
sleep'. These 3 methods are highly recommended as they are very
humane.
One method that has been recommended by a non-veterinary (but
experienced Oscar breeder) type is the use of Alka-Seltzer. Place the
fish in a shallow container of water and place 2 Alka-Seltzer tablets
in a position under the gills. The fish supposedly will `fall asleep'
within minutes.
A non-chemical but effective method is decapitation. Once again, some
owners may be squeamish over this method. If done properly is quick
and painless for the animal, and has the benefit of being cheap; most
of us own knives but not anesthetics. Use a sharp knife and sever the
spinal cord by quickly cutting down through the body just behind the
eye at the level of the lateral line. The quicker you make this cut
the better it will be for the fish. Remember to disinfect this knife
after the procedure if you plan on using it for anything other than
euthanizing fish.
If you are unable to go through with any of the above methods try
contacting a local university. It is possible that one of the
departments in biology or similar fields will take your sick fish off
your hands. They may use the fish for research and study its disease
or will be able to dispose of it properly.
Methods that are not recommended but are often mentioned include
variations on freezing. Fish tend to suffer in these procedures. It
does not matter whether they cool down slowly when you place them in a
bowl of water in the freezer or if the water is already cold from the
addition of ice cubes. Fish react to these methods in a negative way,
and it is painful to watch. Finally one should NEVER flush a fish down
the toilet. This is not an effective method of euthanasia but is a
form of torture as the fish ends up in a septic tank or similar place
where it is bathed in nasty chemicals and sewage before finally
succumbing hours if not days later.
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aquaria, fish, acquarium, tank, fishkeeping
