To flush or not to flush...

[jazzbass]

*sigh*

I think that it depends on the fish. It is easy enough to put a tetra into a bowl of water and add ice... wait until it is unconscious (which happens quite quickly) and decapitating or crushing it. I have done that with fish that were slowly dying and seemed to be suffering.

But what if it is something a lot bigger or poisonous (lionfish) or spiny or mean?

I've killed countless fish in my lifetime... uh, trout, sunfish, and salmon... for food, that is. The salmon were a challenge, as they were usually about 3 feet long and 20 lbs or more... a quick blow to the skull and cut the gills.

There are freecycle groups on yahoo for thousands of communities all over the country and the world. If you have an unwanted fish, I would recommend joining a freecycle group or something similar or put an ad in the classified section of the local newspaper.

If it is terminally ill fish, then euthanasia is appropriate. Otherwise, the most humane thing would be to find it a new home (but don't release it into the wild).

And if it is a big fish, don't flush it, lest it get stuck.

 

[themadblimper]

If the fish is flushed, it would either A: Die a painful death in a septic tank full of YOUR crap, or B: get taken away to your local sewage treatment plant. If its lucky, it would have died already, otherwise it would be shredded and completely dissolved in the treatment process. Not a humane process...

The "least" painful way is to mix a little alcohol (drinking stuff, not rubbing) in a cup with some water and place the fish in it. It should go to sleep quite quickly, then place it in the freezer.

 

[joephys]

What is the best method to euthanise. I have heard of buying ammonia in a store and placing the fish in a bowl of it. :huh:

Ammonia is not euthanasia. It burns the gills of the fish and causes it to suffer. If you breathe in ammonia gas you'll feel your lungs burn.

IMO if someone wants to euthanize a fish because they simply want different fish, they don't deserve the pleasure of owning fish.

If it is a small fish and you know it is free of disease you can let a larger fish eat it. That is what would happen in nature.

 

[HolyBull]

i just throw them into my flowerbed.

 

[LesbianChap]

I hear 5 parts water to 1 part vodka does wonders for euthanizing. The fish gets happy drunk, then passes out drunk, then goes into an alcoholic coma and dies...

After it's dead, then flush it. Flushing it live subjects it to hours or even days of chemical torture before it finally kicks the bucket.

 

[mykidsmylife]

Here is my flushing story-

My hubby lived here prior to me and his uncaring sister "left" her fish tank for him to care for. It had only a common pleco surviving. He called a LFS to ask what to do with the fish because he didn't want the tank. They told him to flush it.

He told me this years after we married and I was setting up a fish tank. I now envision this huge ugly pleco surviving in our septic tank *shiver*. I know it's not possible but I think those things could survive a nuclear war. How incredibly cruel but he really did what he thought was best out of sheer ignorance. My stupid sister in law didn't want the tank and brought it to him as a housewarming gift. Long story with her.

 

[daveedka]

I hear 5 parts water to 1 part vodka does wonders for euthanizing. The fish gets happy drunk, then passes out drunk, then goes into an alcoholic coma and dies...

I would think vodka would be in the same class as ammonia, I seriously doubt the fish would get drunk. There is a far cry of difference betwen swimming in vodka and drinking it.

as the article clearly states, there are several humane methods, several debateably humane methods, and quite a few inhumane methods that are often reccomended. The price of a bottle of clove oil really isn't that significant. Clove oil is not the method I use, and my method is humane but many fish keepers simply do not want to or are not able to physically kill a fish. With that in mind, clove oil is really hands down the least debateable least painful method (for fish and fish keeper both). Mix the clove oil well before adding the fish to the mixture.

Either way flushing is not a good option. Whether the fish is dead or alive when it is flushed, it makes no sense at all to do so. It may have been the way of things for years, but better methods of euthanasia and disposal are easy to find.


Dave

 

[cyberbeer65]

huge ugly pleco

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[mykidsmylife]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Yes, you are completely right and I apologize to all the big pleco's out there. There is just something about some of those huge ones that does give me the shivers.

 

[emergent]

:thud:

Ok people. Maybe I should have created a poll on how everyone feels about flushing. I have read all the articles on this site about Euthinising fish. I agree with them all. However, I have heard of so many people just flushing their fish down the drain, that I was CURIOUS to hear how people on this site feel about it.

I just do not understand why poeple only read one or two key words in a post and think they know what is being stated and then go off in a tangent thinking I want to get rid of my fish by flushing them down the drain.

I did see some people actually read the ENTIRE post and saw that it was a hypathetical question to see how diferent people feel about flushing.

I have even had one person go as far as PM me trying to help me get rid of my fish in fear that I was going to do something drastic like FLUSH THEM DOWN THE DRAIN

I am truely sorry I asked the question.

If at all possible if a moderator could close this thread that would be great. I didn't think it would be such a touchy subject since people can't comprehend what they read.