How do you assist a dyeing fish?

[billsreef]

MS-222 (finquel). Available through aquatic eco systems and DFS.

An over dose of MS-222 is the approved method for use in research labs that need to adhere to strict animal welfare protocols.

 

[Vegas.]

Thank you uhuru and Bill, I'll pick up some ms-222 and hopefully never have to use it.

 

[cabezon2469]

I've used boiling water rather than cold water. It looked like it was almost instantaneous.

 

[dread240]

I've used boiling water rather than cold water. It looked like it was almost instantaneous.

did you add any seasoning or vegetable extract?

 

[pwoller]

I've used the Vodka method and it seemed to work fine.

 

[troyman]

how can somthing you watch and take care of in your tank and if it gets sick by probaly no fault of its own be just thrown away

 

[Vegas.]

how can somthing you watch and take care of in your tank and if it gets sick by probaly no fault of its own be just thrown away

What's your recommendation then?

 

[DeepSeaHunter]

that is what i'm saying, if you can't care for it any longer, then you must dispose of it, but to buy extra things to kill it or to boil it and stuff seems ridiculous. boiling, freezing it, all those things hurt me more then just flushing it. at least if i flush it, it left my hands while it was still alive.

 

[billsreef]

So killing a fish via torturous cellular disruption of plunging a SW fish into FW is less ridiculous than other methods?

BTW running a university wet lab I get to euthanize fish in rather large numbers at the end of the growing portion of some experiments. In the course of the hobby and fishing, I've used methods such as freezing and severing the spinal cord with a fillet knife. IME, the overdose of anesthetic (MS-222) is by far the quickest and most humane method I've ever seen or used.

 

[Gawain1974]

I agree that MS-222 is the most humane, but most people don't have that on hand. Back in my LFS days, people used to call the store and ask for advice on how to do this, and I always gave them a few options so they could choose what they were most comfortable with. I always recommended decapitation, followed by the freezer method for those who were squeamish. Honestly, as long as it's quick, I don't really care. I had one lady who swore by the garbage disposal method.

Personally, I'm very squeamish, so I used the freezing method, or put the fish in a bag and whacked it on the cement floor (with enough force, it's quite instantaneous). If the fish was small, I fed it to the tank of large oscars who inhaled them immediately.

 

[cabezon2469]

did you add any seasoning or vegetable extract?

mmmm, that's a mighty fine gumbo.

how can somthing you watch and take care of in your tank and if it gets sick by probaly no fault of its own be just thrown away

well, IMHO as a responsable fishkeeper, it is my duty to minimize the suffing for those whom I have been allowed the privelige to care for. If I see a fish that is on its last legs (or fin), I take it out of the tank and ease it on its journey. OTOH, it is a fish and I do not attach to it. If it were my son it would be a much more excruciating decision.

that is what i'm saying, if you can't care for it any longer, then you must dispose of it, but to buy extra things to kill it or to boil it and stuff seems ridiculous. boiling, freezing it, all those things hurt me more then just flushing it. at least if i flush it, it left my hands while it was still alive.

It may hurt you more, but it hurts the fish a whole lot less than adding to its misery with chlorine burn, osmotic bursting and fecal poisoning. To care for a fish life is to care for a fish death.

 

[gweston]

I think I should track down some MS-222. Sounds like it is quick, effective, and as painless as possible. Yeah, they may just be fish.. but I'll leave the other methods for dealing with dead/dying fish to Monty Python... such as slapping a man in a suit across the face repeatedly with one.

 

[Inklinkerman]

Knife to spinal cord. Very quick.

 

[dcforester1]

Garbage disposal? Just a joke, and I know a sick on. I use the freezer, and then flush method.

 

[paal]

Knife. Quick and easy.
Hopefully, the only part that will stress the fish is when I net it out of the tank.

 

[flying_dutchman]

+1 on MS-222 or clove oil.
but MS-222 is a known carcinogenic...
For clove oil, 10 drops per gallon, once there is no visible voluntary muscle control, freeze or place in vodka, ethyl or isopropyl alcohol. From Matthew Wittenrich's breeder's guide.

 

[dcombs44]

that is what i'm saying, if you can't care for it any longer, then you must dispose of it, but to buy extra things to kill it or to boil it and stuff seems ridiculous. boiling, freezing it, all those things hurt me more then just flushing it. at least if i flush it, it left my hands while it was still alive.

So you're saying if my dog gets sick I should flush the dog? It would cause no less torture to the dog than it would your fish.

Humanely euthanize the fish just like you would your dog.

I don't care the method, just make it quick and as painless and stress free for the animal as possible.

 

[sobes94]

MS-222 then the flush

 

[Wzrdbear]

bag it, and bubble some co2 in the water ( i have co2 for the calcium reactor, i know not everyone has access to this method). This is a common anesthetic for fish. Then freeze and bury in the flowerbed.

 

[aquaph8]

I refuse to waist it. If it dies then it becomes food in most cases. My serpent star can handle most deaths pretty quick. If its a large fish a nice thump on the head works for me. And the circle of life goes on.