dry ice best way to euthanize? or tranquilizers?

[spartanalia]

My betta fish, the blue one with velvet, is not going to make it He's got open wounds on his body from rubbing himself on the rocks. I've been doing 50% water changes every other day, put aquarium salt in, copper sulfate drops, covered the tank... nothing worked. He got better for a while but never quite shook the infection.

My friend, who's a vet tech, said that "icing" a fish is a very cruel way to kill it. She said it's much better to buy dry ice. You put the fish in dry ice, but not on the block itself, just where there's gas, and it kills it very quickly by suffocating the fish instantly.

The only problem is that I have no access to dry ice. I do have access to leftover benzodiazepines (human tranquilizers). Do you think this would be a humane way to kill my fish? Dissolve 2 pills in a cup and put the fish in, and do you think it will go to sleep?

 

[toddnbecka]

Putting aside the "gross" factor, a brick is probably the quickest way to stop a fish from suffering. No cooldown, just instant death.

 

[nzmolina]

Putting aside the "gross" factor, a brick is probably the quickest way to stop a fish from suffering. No cooldown, just instant death.

LOL that's got to be the funniest $#!+ I've heard today, but true. :lol:

 

[excuzzzeme]

Use the benzos on yourself and a meat cleaver to chop his head off. Quick as the brick method.

 

[thharris]

Id try these methods first, well anything with a Humane rating of 100%
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/faustus/nicoldaquaria/euthanasia.htm

I don't know why but using Alcohol just makes me lol, I can just see somone pouring two shots and take one then put the other in the first tank

 

[H2Ogal]

My betta fish, the blue one with velvet, is not going to make it He's got open wounds on his body from rubbing himself on the rocks. I've been doing 50% water changes every other day, put aquarium salt in, copper sulfate drops, covered the tank... nothing worked. He got better for a while but never quite shook the infection.

My friend, who's a vet tech, said that "icing" a fish is a very cruel way to kill it. She said it's much better to buy dry ice. You put the fish in dry ice, but not on the block itself, just where there's gas, and it kills it very quickly by suffocating the fish instantly.

The only problem is that I have no access to dry ice. I do have access to leftover benzodiazepines (human tranquilizers). Do you think this would be a humane way to kill my fish? Dissolve 2 pills in a cup and put the fish in, and do you think it will go to sleep?

I'm really sorry you're having to euthanize your betta.

I don't know why your vet tech friend recommended dry ice over icing. It's possible that she/he may be thinking that fish "feel" cold as mammals do, which isn't the case. Mammals react physiologically to falling body temperature by shivering, etc. Being cold-blooded, fish don't sense temperature changes as we do, so your betta will not suffer from either of those methods. IMO, the two methods of icing — slipping the fish into a bowl of tank water that has been chilled to almost freezing, or placing the fish in a cup of tank water into the freezer — would be much gentler and kinder than any form of suffocation.

If you wish to use an overdose of anesthetic, clove oil is the best thing. It's available at pharmacies as people use it to numb tooth pain and that type of thing. Clove oil has been discussed many times on AC so you can do a search for specifics of how to use it for euthanasia.

I would not try benzodiazepine (or any human drug). There's no telling if it works as a tranquilizer with fish, and it could cause injury or distress without actually killing the fish.

Again, I'm sorry you're going through this. I know that you did everything you could to save your betta. This is the final kindness you can do for him.

 

[mel_20_20]

Here is a link to humane euthanasia that has very helpful information:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148361

Biologists, reasearchers, veterinarian scientists now know that putting a fish in the freezer is not humane for tropical or warm water fish, which is what a Betta is.

These kinds do not slowly go into a state of hibernation as they get colder; they slow down and stop moving but remain conscious as the tissues in their bodies begin to freeze, forming ice crystals, and this is a slow painful process.

Cold water fish do go into hibernation and become unconscious as they get colder and it is believed that they may be unconscious as their tissues start to freeze.

If you must have to do the near freezing method on a tropical or warm water fish then this is what you need to do:

Put a bowl of water in the freezer and when a skin of ice has formed on the surface... break the ice and make a hole big enough to drop the fish into.

The icy water will trigger fatal heart arythmias due to the shock of the intensely near freezing water. The fish dies in a second or two.

The best method is using pure clove oil, also known at the pharmacy as eugenol, but evenso the procedure has steps that are necessary to help make this as gentle and stress free as possible. The link above gives detailed information.

I hope this helps. I'm so sorry your little guy relapsed. So sorry for your loss.

 

[spartanalia]

Thanks for your condolences. I knew you guys would understand. Everyone keeps telling me "it's just a fish" but he's not, just a fish. He's a living, breathing, sentient being who is suffering. The fact that his disease has progressed to open wounds breaks my heart, fish or not.

I will use the alcohol method. It seems the most humane to me. Thanks again for all your help, I really appreciate it. This has been a 2 month battle, and I gave all I could.

 

[mel_20_20]

Spartan... if you're going to do alcohol... you must use vodka. Not rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol will not be a gentle method. You must use vodka, and not whiskey, rum, or any other of the other types of liquor.

Most importantly, don't use rubbing alcohol, the kind of alcohol in your medicine cabinet. You know how it feels if you get this alcohol into a wound or break in the skin. This will be how it feels to the fish.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I feel hurt and sad over the loss of one of these beautiful little creatures, as you do. Please know that you did everything for the little guy that could be done. You gave him a good home and tried so hard to help him get well.

It is good that you have the courage to do this for him. It is a kind and selfless act. Again, I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[bradlgt21]

I didn't know you could do the freezing water method where you drop the fish in super cold water. I was still using the stick fish and water in freezer. Feel bad know that I know it's bad for them. I actually used ice once not having room in the freezer and I actually did the proper method without even realizing it. The fish died instantly. The Vodka method also interested me. For small fish this looks like a cheap and easy while calm way to pass.