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How To Euthanize Fish Humanely
Unfortunately there are a lot of misconceptions in this hobby about what constitutes humane euthanasia, and from certain quarters, arguments as to whether fish have the ability to feel pain or not. It is my firm belief both scientifically and morally that they do feel pain, and should be spared of it. I also believe it is my duty as a fishkeeper to provide the best care possible for the fish I've taken responsibility for. Fish are living things, and by virtue of this alone, they deserve humane treatment.
Contrary to popular myths, freezing fish is neither fast nor painless. Death comes slow and causes much stress in the interim. Flushing a fish subjects it to poisonous water and a horrid elongated death; and while some argue that throwing a fish down a garbage disposal is fast, I'd argue that no matter how fast it is, no one likes the idea of being killed by being fed into a wood chipper. Pithing is also bandied about as if the average aquarist is related to either Dr. Frankenstein or Josef Mengele, and the unhelpful suggestion of cutting off a fish's head or knocking its brain against a hard surface might work for Al Qaeda, but let's face it.... those suggestions suck. And they aren't humane by definition.
So it is was with great relief that I discovered a fishery Web exchange board some years back, with two veterinarians talking about euthanasia. The process is painless for aquarist and fish alike, as the fish is first anesthetized in a small bath of tank water. This is done by adding a minute amount of emulsified clove oil. (That just means clove oil mixed with tank water that has been shaken until it becomes milky.) Once the fish is completely asleep, clear alcohol such as vodka is added to the bath, which causes the fish to expire in its sleep.
This method has been widely misstated online as using vodka and clove oil together. This is incorrect. The fish must be put to sleep first using only the clove oil. Only once it is sleeping (anesthetized) should the vodka be added. Adding the vodka while the fish is aware is stressful to the fish.
Clove oil is what the fisheries use to tag fish and operate on fish. It is extremely effective as a anesthetic, and very safe. It is difficult to overdose a fish on clove oil, which is why they use it. It puts the fish into a similar state that we experience when we're put under for an operation. When this process is done correctly, step by step, the fish expires quietly in a stress-free state.
I write for an information hub called wiseGEEK.com, and will now include a link to my article there on this subject. It includes detailed, step-by-step directions. When I have time I will reconstruct those steps for this site, rather than linking to the article, but I haven't had time to write it out yet and wanted this information available.
Hope you never need to use this, but if you do, you'll be glad to know... The Most Humane Way to Euthanize a Fish.
When Not to Euthanize a Fish
Unfortunately, the first thing many aquarists think of when they have a fish they no longer want, is the toilet. There is no reason to keep unwelcomed fishes in your tank, but neither is there reason to kill them, particularly inhumanely. Whether tearing down your tank or just adjusting your population, most local fish stores are happy to take unwanted fish off your hands. In the case of exotic or expensive fish, they might even give you store credit. For common, inexpensive fish, you might have to specify that you aren't looking for credit before they agree, but there's a good reason for this.
- It picks on other fish
- Grew too large
- Creates too much waste
- Out-competes other fish for food
- Digs up the substrate
- Eats the new plants I'm trying to grow
- Jumps out of the tank
- Has the wrong personality type
- Adds stress to the tank
- Is incompatible with the other residents
- Am tired of it
- Lost its cool colors when it got big
- Want a new fish but the tank is fully stocked
- Tank is overstocked and I need to eliminate
- Grew to hate this fish
- It's boring
- Am not going to have a tank anymore
Any fish taken in from a customer must be quarantined for a few weeks before it can be sold. (At least the more reputable dealers will follow this rule.) During this period the store will treat the fish for common diseases as a routine precaution before introducing it to the store's main population. In other words, they will have to invest something in taking the fish off your hands.
If the store you call will not take your fish, call another. It shouldn't take long to find a store that will oblige. In the case of exotic fish, a store might even take a sick fish, willing to nurse it back to health for the ability to sell it. For fish that are too large to sell to a local store, try placing an online ad in recycler.com, or on the message board of an aquaria site to sell to a private party. If you live near a public aquarium, it might also take a large fish off your hands. This is especially easy in the case of saltwater fish, but many public aquariums also have a freshwater display.
Be humane. It only takes a small amount of effort, and you'll feel really good.
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