| It's a sad thing when a beloved fish friend comes to | | | | container, and allow it to sit for about ten minutes. |
| the end of its lifespan, when it won't eat or swim, or | | | | The fish will begin listing and then sink to the bottom, |
| when it has succumbed to serious injury or disease. | | | | but the gills will still move every few seconds. If the |
| It can be difficult to take the responsibility for ending | | | | fish is still moving after ten minutes, shake up the jar |
| the life of another being but many aquarists feel it's | | | | again and add another quarter of its contents to the |
| worse to allow a creature you know to be in pain to | | | | container. |
| suffer, when its ailments cannot be cured. | | | | 4) When the fish has stopped moving completely |
| Older methods include flushing, fast freezing, fast | | | | except for the gills, add vodka or a similar clear grain |
| boiling, decapitation, and so on, but are now | | | | alcohol to the water. You'll need to use about a |
| considered inhumane. Modern fish-keeping methods | | | | quarter of the original container's volume in vodka: if |
| have suggested a more humane method which is | | | | you put 12 ounces of water in the container, you'll |
| simple, clean, and even inexpensive. | | | | need 3 ounces of vodka (25% of 12 oz) to make |
| Clove oil (also known as eugenol) is sold in most | | | | the process quick and effective. |
| drugstores as a toothache remedy, and has the | | | | 5) Check the fish after twenty minutes; if there is no |
| remarkable quality of putting fish to sleep. Using clove | | | | gill movement after sixty seconds, the process is |
| oil to anaesthetize your ailing fish first will make | | | | complete; if you do see any movement, add another |
| almost any method of euthanasia more humane, but | | | | dose of clove oil, and then another dose of vodka. |
| the quickest and cleanest way is to add a clear grain | | | | For larger fish you'll need proportionally more clove oil: |
| alcohol like vodka to the water inhaled by the | | | | about 10 drops per gallon of water in the container; |
| sleeping fish. | | | | and you may need to wait longer before it takes |
| For small fish, under three inches long: | | | | effect. Once the fish is asleep, use the same 25% |
| 1) Fill a measuring cup with tank water, noting the | | | | dose of alcohol to ease them on their way. |
| volume, and pour it into a separate container (opaque | | | | An aquarist hopes that they will never have to |
| sides will minimize fish stress). Place the fish in the | | | | perform this duty. I think it's better to know that |
| container. | | | | there's a humane way, and never need the |
| 2) Fill a small jar ¾ full with water from your | | | | information, than to need the information and do |
| tank, add one drop of clove oil, put the lid on, and | | | | something cruel to your fish because you didn't |
| shake thoroughly until the water turns a cloudy white. | | | | know. |
| 3) Pour about a quarter of the white liquid into your | | | | |