Jump to content





Posted Image

PCS & Stuart M. Grant - Cichlid Preservation Fund - Details here


Photo

How Do I Euthanase My Fish?


  • Please log in to reply
17 replies to this topic

#1 Hydonia

Hydonia
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 27-October 08
  • Location: Baldivis

Posted 01 December 2008 - 05:53 PM

Thankfully all my fish are fine right now, but I was told ( aren't you all sick of me saying that?) That you put them in the freezer with a bit of water, and it's a painless death. Is this true? Or is there a better way? I have been looking thorugh the posts and cannot find anything.

Thanks,
Alize

#2 STEVEGREEN

STEVEGREEN
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 18-September 04
  • Location:behind you
  • Location: Darling Downs

Posted 01 December 2008 - 05:55 PM

freezing fish is torture for the poor things , use a sharp knife and remove there heads IMO.

thats how i'd wanna go tongue.gif

Cheers
Steve Green

#3 Hydonia

Hydonia
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 27-October 08
  • Location: Baldivis

Posted 01 December 2008 - 05:56 PM

OK, if thats best......what does IMO mean?

#4 Sazabi

Sazabi
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 22-August 08

Posted 01 December 2008 - 06:11 PM

QUOTE (Hydonia @ Dec 1 2008, 06:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
OK, if thats best......what does IMO mean?


in my opinion

#5 Cawdor

Cawdor
  • Admin
  • Joined: 26-December 05
  • Location: Byford

Posted 01 December 2008 - 07:35 PM

Cutting the head off is quick if you don't hesitate, have a good grasp on the fish and a sharp long knife or cleaver.
It should be done in one motion, not hacking and sawing away.

Another method is shock-freezing the fish, basically it requires a container of ice water and you put the fish in that straight from the aquarium. The difference in temperature will lead to shock death. It is quick and you are not cutting the fish open or crushing it.

Another method for smaller fish is using a blender. The blender has to be running as you drop the fish in and it has to be dropped in head first.
I haven't used this method myself - I couldn't handle the aftermath...

#6 Fox

Fox
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 30-July 06
  • Location:Perth
  • Location: Ellenbrook W.A

Posted 01 December 2008 - 07:56 PM

I just use a brick.. Simple, fast and painless...

Put fish on ground (pavers or concrete) and then drop brick.. Bit a of mess but I couldnt cut the fishes head off. tongue.gif

#7 Pyro-San

Pyro-San
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 24-September 07
  • Location: Bentley, WA

Posted 02 December 2008 - 08:06 AM

QUOTE
1. Be sure that the fish is really ill before using any euthanasia method.
2. Place the fish in a small container or bucket with enough tank water to keep it comfortable.
3. Add either clove oil, or some form of ethanol (distilled vodka works best and is cheap). Either of these will quickly cause the fish to pass out allowing you to end it's life without any pain or suffering.
4. With the fish passed out you must now end it's life in some way. The least messy way to do this is to put it in the freezer for several hours, but you also have the option of decapitating the fish, or simply crushing the fish if it is small enough.
5. Dispose of the fish in some way. The best way to do this is to either wrap it in paper towel or a plastic bag and throw it in the trash, or you can simply bury it in the dirt somewhere. Whatever you do, do NOT flush the fish down the toilet, besides I'm sure the worms in your yard would appreciate a nice fishy snack.


* Do not put the fish in the freezer or in cold water before incapacitating it. Unlike humans who fall asleep and die from the freezing temperatures, fish can actually feel the ice crystals forming on their skin causing immense pain and suffering before death. Fish do not pass out from cold as humans would and tend to live for hours at extreme temperatures before death.
* Do not flush the fish down the toilet. Not only can this spread disease to local waters if the fish was ill, but the fish could still be alive and could regain consciousness in the sewer waters.


Do NOT flush, freeze, suffocate, or microwave the fish. It's just plain cruel. Avoid torturing the fish in any way. The point of euthanasia is to end the animal's life as peacefully as possible.


http://www.wikihow.c...a-Fish-Humanely


#8 4x4xfar

4x4xfar
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 29-March 08

Posted 02 December 2008 - 10:31 AM

I used to just throw them in the freezer, but I might try this clove oil method above.

#9 Hydonia

Hydonia
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 27-October 08
  • Location: Baldivis

Posted 02 December 2008 - 11:30 AM

How much clove oil or vodka would I use? I don't want the little guys to suffer if I do have to put them down.

#10 Sazabi

Sazabi
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 22-August 08

Posted 02 December 2008 - 12:11 PM

enough for it to swim in

Edit: Oopsy forgot to put this in:

"One of the proper ways, (and the one I use) is to immerse the animal in Eugenol (Clove Oil)in a tupperware or water-tight container. Eight to ten drops to a two liter container filled with water from the aquarium the fish is coming from. The solution is prepared by vigorously shaking the eugenol in the water before the fish is added, to make sure the oil is emulsified in the water. The commonly used painkiller works like an anestethic, killing the fish by calmly overdosing it in 12 to fifteen minutes."

#11 dazzabozza

dazzabozza

    Life Member

  • Admin
  • Joined: 16-March 07
  • Location: Beeliar, Perth WA

Posted 02 December 2008 - 12:30 PM

QUOTE (Sazabi @ Dec 2 2008, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
enough for it to swim in


Looking at the Wiki notes above it says a mixture of tank water and clove oil/vodka. Doesn't say what ratio though.

QUOTE
2. Place the fish in a small container or bucket with enough tank water to keep it comfortable.
3. Add either clove oil, or some form of ethanol (distilled vodka works best and is cheap). Either of these will quickly cause the fish to pass out allowing you to end it's life without any pain or suffering.



#12 Elle

Elle
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 23-April 08
  • Location: Greenmount

Posted 03 December 2008 - 05:51 PM

How do you know if the fish needs to be euthanised
and when you do put it in the solution to knock it out, what kind of behaviour do you look for to see if you have succeeded?
Does it stop swimming?

What is the committees stance on this too. Its something i havnt dealt with before, but i have seen it done and know that it has its place/use

#13 Fish Antics

Fish Antics

    Treasurer / Life Member

  • Admin
  • Joined: 21-October 03
  • Location: Ellenbrook

Posted 03 December 2008 - 09:00 PM

Sorry if this is a bit long, this is a copy of an Article I wrote on the subject for a magazine a couple of years ago.

Tony.


Fish Euthanasia

Following an interesting discussion at the open forum at the May meeting of the Perth Cichlid Society on the practice of “fish euthanasia”, and the proposed code of practice by the Department of Fisheries and the RSPCA, I have done some research on the subject. Fish euthanasia is often a subject many aquarium books either avoid mentioning or, worse still, suggest methods such as slow cooling. This may seem convenient and less stressful to the fish keeper, however is unsuitable and likely to cause the fish additional suffering.

As Hobbyists we know that fish are susceptibable to many diseases and parasites. We also know that many potentially fatal diseases can be cured if detected early enough. Even some severe wounds and Tumours may be treatable. But sometimes the fish is beyond hope and is best put out of its misery. The biggest decision that most fish keepers will have to face is deciding whether a sick fish is beyond hope. In contrast to human and animal medicine, we cannot give fish drugs that will alleviate pain during their illness. So a very sick fish may suffer silently unless something is done.


When is hope gone?
This is a very difficult question to answer. In general terms, if the fish is still swimming fairly normally and it is feeding, then it probably isn’t in immediate danger. However it may be in stress and may well get worse, depending on what’s wrong with it. Some potentially fatal diseases and parasites can be treated with over the counter medication from your Local Fish shop. Sometimes, however, the fish’s chances of survival are difficult to assess. Before making a critical decision like this I would advise fish keepers, especially novices, to seek advice from a knowledgeable fish keeper, aquarium shop staff, a fish health professional or a vet.


Do fish feel pain?
Based on accumulating evidence ( Neuman1991, Kestin 1994, Chervova 1997) on anatomical, biochemical and behavioural studies, Fish do feel pain, all be it, they probably perceive pain in a different way to us. Recent studies on commercial slaughter methods used on various fish used electroencephalography, self initiated behaviours, Response to stimuli and Clinical reflexes to determine the onset of brain failure and indicated stress and Pain responses.


Determination of the Onset of Brain failure by electroencephalography (EEG):
A study was conducted by D.H.F.Robb, S.B.Wotton, J.L. McKinstry, N.K. Sorensen and S.C. Kestin on the onset of brain failure by commercial slaughter methods used on Atlantic salmon. The findings were published in the Veterinary record September 9, 2000.
The study measured the VER (visual evoked response) using surgically placed electrodes. The study investigated the main methods of slaughter used in commercial fishing, Exsanguination (gill cutting) without prior stunning, or Carbon dioxide narcosis followed by exsanguination, or percussive stunning (by blunt object such as a priest) or spiking the brain. In the tests only percussive stunning and spiking the brain killed the fish immediately with minimal signs of aversive behaviour. The other two methods resulted in slower loss of VER of between 148 and 554 seconds and aversive reactions by the fish.

Another paper written by S.C. Kestin, J.W. Van De Vis and D.H.F Robb published in the Veterinary record March 9, 2002 on the protocol for assessing brain function in fish and the effectiveness of methods used to stun and kill them used various methods to evaluate brain function, including EEG, Self initiated behaviours such as swimming and equilibrium, Response to stimuli such as handling, prick test with a needle, and stimulation with a 6V source and Clinical reflexes such as eye roll and breathing.
These tests also showed that Percussion, spiking and electrical stunning cause immediate loss of VER and the other methods of assessing brain function.
Other methods such as: Leaving the fish in air, Gill cutting, carbon dioxide narcosis, placing in ice slurry and placing in Salt all showed behavioural and EEG measures of brain function showing stress and suffering.
It was also found that correct anaesthetising of the fish before percussion or spiking also helped with stress as the fish was considered insensible and should lower any reactions to handling and placing before slaughter.



Unacceptable methods of euthanasia

Leaving the fish out of water to die.
Flushing the fish down the loo.
Cooling: Placing the fish (in water) in a fridge or freezer, or dropping it into iced water. The fish will lose activity, but will probably still feel pain. Regrettably, this method is widely advocated in the aquarium literature. Dropping the fish into hot or boiling water is similarly unacceptable.
Decapitation.
Snapping the spine (backbone).


. Acceptable methods of euthanasia

Anaesthetic overdose
The fish is placed in a suitable fish anaesthetic (at the correct overdose level) until it loses consciousness and dies.
Concussion
The fish is removed from the water and gently restrained by wrapping its body in a layer of soft paper tissue. It’s then placed, belly down, on a firm surface, and its head struck withy a heavy object. The aim is to instantly stun the fish and cease brain function so it doesn’t feel a thing and doesn’t recover.
Spiking
A spike is inserted manually into the brain and rotated to destroy it. This is normally done with a pneumatic gun. This method is only suitable for very large fish.



Terms

Anaesthesia: Loss of sensation. Basically, an inability of a fish to sense its surroundings and other stimuli.
Sedation: A calming effect. This is preliminary state of anaesthesia, involving drowsiness and reduce sensory perception.
Analgesia: Relief from pain.


Anaesthesia

The preferred method of fish euthanasia is anaesthetic overdose. A suitable anaesthetic is added to a small container containing some of the aquarium water the fish is kept in. The fish is placed in the anaesthetic bath until it loses all activity and its gill flaps have stopped beating. It is left in the anaesthetic for a further 20-30 minutes, to ensure fatality. Anaesthesia medications are not available to the general public and anesthetising a fish requires proper training as too high a dose and the fish may become very stressed. Some Fish keepers use other household chemicals available such as Clove Oil and Alka-seltzer. Unlike some powder anaesthetics, there are no known human health risks in using it. But like all anaesthetics, it’s important to get the dose right, so if the product doesn’t come with detailed instructions – don’t buy it.
After speaking to Dr Fran Stevens BVSc (Hons) now working with the Department of Fisheries, the recommended procedure that she advises is to start at 0.1 ml/ litre of water (2 drops/Litre). This may just anaesthetise the fish. After a few minuets add another few drops until the fish stops breathing. Leave the fish in mixture for at least one half hour. Avoid adding to much clove oil at the start as the fish will stress and trash about, this defeats the purpose of the anaesthetic.
Another household method is Alka-Seltzer (or similar antacid tablets). The effervescing tablets are said to produce a mixture of carbon dioxide, carbonic acid and bicarbonate, which anaesthetise the fish. This method is not widely advocated because it is stressful to the fish as it has a similar effect to suffocating the fish until it losses consciousness... The dosage is also confusing with some fish health experts suggest using two or three tablets per litre of water, others suggest as many as six or seven.

What about vets?
‘DIY” fish anaesthesia and euthanasia by hobbyists is obviously not an ideal situation, however there are only a few vets that have expertise in fish. Euthanasia of a fish need not be expensive in terms of anaesthetic material, or a vet’s time. It may save the fish keeper a lot of anxiety and such a service might encourage more fish keepers to routinely visit their vet with fish health problems. This in turn might hopefully prompt veterinary colleges to include more on ornamental fish health in their teaching programs. You just have to consider how many more ornamental fish are sold every year in Australia than any other pet animal.




#14 Elle

Elle
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 23-April 08
  • Location: Greenmount

Posted 04 December 2008 - 06:22 AM

Tanks tony

That covered all the bases

Cheers

#15 Hydonia

Hydonia
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 27-October 08
  • Location: Baldivis

Posted 04 December 2008 - 06:47 AM

thanks heaps Tony. I hate killing anything, but if I have to do it, I really want to do it properly.

#16 Cicolid

Cicolid
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 29-April 06
  • Location: Bouvard, Mandurah WA

Posted 17 December 2008 - 06:59 AM

Found this on RSPCA website.


Euthanasia methods

#17 Cawdor

Cawdor
  • Admin
  • Joined: 26-December 05
  • Location: Byford

Posted 29 August 2009 - 06:49 PM

I had to put one of my fish down (old age I believe) and I have tried clove oil for the first time. I have written a small article here:

http://www.perthcich...showtopic=27497

#18 drukqs2369

drukqs2369
  • Banned
  • Joined: 09-July 09
  • Location: Western Australia

Posted 28 September 2009 - 03:28 PM

i just had to brick my oscar... pretty ******* up






1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users