CONFESSION! I FLUSH FISH!

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ExtraHannah

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Dec 6, 2009
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I don't know how much pain other creatures can feel. How could I? Particularly those so far removed from us as fish. So, I tend to ere on the side of caution. I have no problem killing vermin, but I try to do it as quickly and as painlessly as possible. I don't mind when my husband shoots the field rats that run when he's bush hogging. They cause problems in the barn. But, even then, I'm glad he's a good shot and they generally die instantly. Same with my fish. Most of them I'm not going to go crazy or spend tons of money trying to save. But, I'm not going to flush them live either. I had to put one down the other day. I dropped him in an old rag, covered and whacked with a hammer. It took all of maybe 10 seconds from tank to smack. Then I tossed the whole thing in the trash. I don't have fish big enough to stink before garbage day, so no point in flushing. It didn't traumatize me, I don't feel bad, but I don't want to cause needless suffering to any creature either.

ETA: Oh and if we are being honest....I think that likely any time we buy a fish from anywhere/anyone other than directly from the breeder, we're basically supporting putting fish through stress and discomfort. I don't see how shipping a fish can be anything other than fairly miserable for that animal. It's obviously stressful on some level or they would all arrive looking their very best and brightest. Just a thought...
 
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mozart

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Mar 29, 2007
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Mr. Bishop,
I am not sure when you flush fish, but heh, yeah, let's get real. I have a little fish that has some issues which I am posting about on FWF, but I won't isolate a schooling fish and slam it with a bunch of drugs, Knowing that (from experience) it probably won't make a difference in the grand scheme of things. With that said, I don't flush until they are dead. I can appreciate a "get real" approach, but Bob, I can see a change in your attitude since joining AC. You are special-please stay that way. It's OK to be real, but please continue to teach good technique!
 

platytudes

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Nov 4, 2006
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Well, one thing that makes humans exceptional is their ability to differentiate what's cruel from what's humane. You say fish don't feel pain - but I don't agree, and I'm not sure you 100% believe it.

I can understand not medicating a neon with signs of NTD or whatever. Sure, flush it - but jeez, at least euthanize it first. Why not? It only takes a second...sharp knife, blunt object, clove oil...pick your poison.
 

Zaffy

Why would ******* be censored?
Jul 21, 2008
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Canyon Country, Ca.
many of you need to go back to school and see just where our adored fishey friend reside on the genetics chain of "pain"..which is basically a human assigned emotion to objects that can't respond to it in our terms.
Pain is a reaction to a harmful stimuli. We don't all "feel" pain the same way, but to claim that fish don't feel pain at all is a gross misstatement at best.

Also, if you want to argue semantics, human beings are fish as well. Just a little more derived than our watery cousins.

The dailymail is a horrible source to use if you want people to listen to you.
 

The Zigman

Here fishy fishy fishy!!!
Oct 5, 2007
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Wow..

Havin a bad day Bob? I was just kidding about the dilusions of having a halo in that other thread man, really...


Anyway I'll euthenize a $2 fish rather than medicating it too, but I have never flushed a live fish. I prefer the cold shock method, rather than some of the other clove oil, stomp it till its dead methods though.
 

KarlTh

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Feb 15, 2008
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finsNfur

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May 29, 2008
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What an attention-getting thread title, it really caught my eye! (and yeah, the Daily Mail is like The National Enquirer, lol)

I try to medicate my dying fish first, but if it's clear that they can't be saved, and they are lingering and obviously suffering, I "whack" them, too. (I always wondered if I was the only one who did that) I couldn't bring myself to flush a live fish down the toilet. I even spend a ridiculous amount of time after a water change in my RC tank going through the bucket of dirty water, scooping out any RC's were sucked into the siphon, no matter how tiny they are. I don't want to pour any live ones down the sink or into my potted plants.
 
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