Most Humane Euthanization Help

Connie · Oct 17, 2013

I have been so proud to have had my Blue Spot Jawfish for over a year and he has done so well.....until this morning. I think he has the skin disease that they often get. His tail is gone. I'm not talking about his tail fin...I'm talking about his body. It looks like it is eaten away. His under belly has very little skin and is raggedy. Bless his heart, he is trying so hard to live. He's not breathing hard or anything...just sitting in a corner and when a tankmate gets close to him, we lamely swims away. What is the best way to euthanize him. He is too far gone to save and I don't want him to suffer longer than he has to. Please help.

Connie · Oct 17, 2013

I will never buy another BSJ. They need to be left in the ocean.

robbrouse · Oct 17, 2013

This is sad. Also would like to gear advice.

Steviereefs · Oct 17, 2013

Put him in a zipplock bag with the tank water and place him in the freezer. This is the most humane. Sorry

Steviereefs · Oct 17, 2013

Steviereefs said:
Put him in a zipplock bag with the tank water and place him in the freezer. This is the most humane. Sorry

Let the water freeze it's painless the fish will just go to sleep when his body temp drops and pass on too the great reef.

SeahorseKeeper · Oct 17, 2013

Steviereefs said:
Put him in a zipplock bag with the tank water and place him in the freezer. This is the most humane. Sorry

I do not think that freezing a fish is the most humane method. I would use clove oil. It would be like using a strong anesthetic.

mainereefer · Oct 17, 2013

personally I would qt and feed some live food....

Connie · Oct 17, 2013

It is done. :frown: I feel awful. RIP my buddy. I will take a picture after he passes, so everyone can see what he looked like and maybe better understand why they need to stay in the wild.

Steviereefs · Oct 17, 2013

Steviereefs said:
Let the water freeze it's painless the fish will just go to sleep when his body temp drops and pass on too the great reef.

Can someone back me up on this so Connie can feel ok about this advise please,
Thank you.

robbrouse · Oct 17, 2013

I've read the freezing and the oil. They both work just don't what is the best.

harriszm · Oct 17, 2013

baking soda mixed with tank water, C02 is what the SOP is at Petsmart

Connie · Oct 17, 2013

I took him out of the freezer to see if ya'll think he can be saved via quarantine. He was only in the freezer 3 or 4 minutes. Be honest, I can take it. He won't eat. I would love to save him, but I think my attempts would be futile. Here are pictures. Tell me what you think I should do

robbrouse · Oct 17, 2013

Poor guy looks like he been eaten. Thighs is so sad so so sorry Connie

harriszm · Oct 17, 2013

Bacterial infection will be your main concern if the temp fluctuation hasn't stressed already

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Connie · Oct 17, 2013

I went to the pharmacy and got clove oil. I had decided to dose him with that, then freeze him; however, when I got home the little fellow was burrowing and spitting sand like normal. Since he doesn't seem to be on the verge dying, I am going to put him in QT and treat with Melafix. I'll keep updating.

SeahorseKeeper · Oct 17, 2013

Can you hook up a chiller to the QT? I would try to keep the temp of the tank 72-74.

Squishie89 · Oct 17, 2013

Jesus he looks rough.
I use the freezing method, but I have heard of clove oil. I need to get that to have on hand.
But if he is fighting to live, no reason to not try and help him out. I wish you and the BSJ the best.

Connie · Oct 17, 2013

I don't have a chiller, but the QT is a 10g. The thermostat in my house is kept between 70 and 72. I'm not going to use a heater. I'm thinking the light over it will keep the temp between 72 and 74. Do you think that will be sufficient Krista?

cdness · Oct 17, 2013

Make sure you use Melafix Marine in a QT/Hospital tank. I had a fish that looked just like that. It was my Tribal Blenny. It started as fin rot but I didn't catch it right away and it had taken the whole tail. Melafix Marine killed off the bacterial infection and allowed him to survive. He has grown back a stubby tail and is a happy inhabitant in the tank. I have no clue what caused it, but I know the Melafix Marine fixed it.