A question of ethics!

[denis coghlan]

About six months ago one of my moores lost an eye to a paradise fish. I thought I had the problem solved my reducing the temperature and making the paradise fish more docile and less aggressive. The moore made a full recovery and had managed very well with just the one eye. To my disappointment I awoke yesterday morning to find that the other eye is now gone. The fish can still take food and swim but what does one do in a situation like this; do you keep the blind fish? Is the fish in pain? Would it be better off in fishy heaven?

Like before when the first eye was removed, the fish has been placed in a recovery tank and I have taken the other moore out of the community tank for fear of further injuries. I like the fish and I’ve had it for a year and a half, but what is the best for a blind fish?

Any advice is welcome.

denis

 

[Pure]

A blind fish may have trouble finding food and constantly run into things. Yeah I would put him down.

 

[FroggyFox]

Totally up to you. If you want to keep him and he seems like he's eating well (when he can find food) and healthy, then just be sure to put him somewhere that he's alone and not going to have to compete for food. He may be just fine...I had a friend with a blind goldfish and he swam around the tank like usual and was happy as a clam...but I can totally understand if you dont want to go through the trouble and effort of caring for a blind fish.

 

[denis coghlan]

Ok, Lets say I was going to put it down (just an idea), how would one go about preforming such a task? I dont know a lot about the practice of euthanasia as most fish do the dieing for me. What are the most humain methods. Do I put it in a bag and smack it with a hammer (quick and painless, for the fish anyway!!!), do I leave the fish out of water (long and drawnout).

Is there any chemical way I can send the fish off in a mood of tranquillity and serenity.

Thanks for the input so far.

denis

 

[Pure]

Yup, clove oil. It puts them to sleep, and in high enough doses stops bodily functions. Then freeze it AFTER it is gone to ensure it is gone gone.

Just freezing or flushing are very inhumane methods. If you can't find the clove oil the hammer trick will do, albeit a little messy.

We breed guppies on a pretty large scale. The clove oil method gets a little pricey for dealing with culls so I opt for a blender.

 

[FroggyFox]

mental note...no more smoothies at Pure's house...

 

[cybersymes]

hard call...and it's yours to make...
if it was mine...well it's not easy[no sh*t]...
i guess i'd try and feed the fish for a while...
[frozen bloodworms could be dropped on his nose]...
and if he thrives...fair enough...happy days...

and if he was wasting away...euthanise...
i nearly had to do it once...
and i was preparing to de-capitate with a kitchen knife...
when my betta passed on by himself...

the knife sounds pretty intense...
but i thought it would have been the quickest...and cleanest...

all the best with it ... difficult times...

btw...where in ireland are you...i'm in belfast... !!!

 

[Big Vine]

Just freezing or flushing are very inhumane methods.

Hmm...I agree about the flushing "method" being quite inhumane, but I don't believe that the "just freezing" method is inhumane at all.
Simply bag up the fish with some of its tank water, and then leave it in the freezer over night. The fish's body shuts down so quickly from the cold that any amount of 'suffering' is virtually non-existent.

Big Vine

 

[ninamarie]

BLENDER!!!! iahve never heard that.
Um as for the blind fish if he is eating well I see( no pun i swear) no reason to put him down.

 

[denis coghlan]

The fish is doing fine. Well, he is doing as well as to be expected with no peep holes.

Thanks for all the suggestions, Pure I like your idea of blender. You should develop a protein drink with all those fish you’re putting in! You could call it a "Guppie". Can you imagine going into a pet/food shop, "I'd like one large guppie please", you could make a fortune.

About the fish, (I get side tract easily), I'm still trying to make a decision, he looks terrible with no eyes. It looks like "the swimming dead", if a small child was to see it, they would never get to sleep again. I will have to put a rating on my tank, "this tank is rated R or 18".

Pure, the clove oil you mentioned, is that the same type that is used in aromatherapy?

cybersymes, I don’t think I would be able to use the kitchen knife, as with moores you dont really know where the head ends and the body begins, I'd just have to cut him in half. Not very nice. Oh and I'm from dublin by the way.

I will try and get a pic of the zombie fish.

Thanks again for the input,

denis

 

[ninamarie]

ack! No Cutting inhalf please!!!

His other senses will take over smell and touch. Do fish hsave ears? Hearing also.

See Iam trying to help the guy out.

 

[FroggyFox]

Clove oil is the same you'd use for cooking...not sure about aromatherapy but probably the same thing. You can also use vodka or another strong alcohol if you dont have any clove oil.

 

[ninamarie]

does he look uncomphy? labored or anything other then his eyes missing

 

[jhill]

most fish have excellent senses so I think he would make it.

 

[Seleya]

He should be fine, especially if you feed his food he can rummage around for.

If the time comes, use the clove oil and then either freeze solid, put him in a bag and smack him into a hard surface or cut his head off (right behind the gill cover) NEVER ~just~ freeze a goldfish -- they're cool water fish and don't get shocked as easily as tropicals.

 

[Leopardess]

Mm, fish adapt extrememly well to life without sight. They have the advantage of lateral line systems that we do not have. As long as no massive infection takes place and he still swims around, eating, I see no real reason to put him down. That's my 2c.

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

i had a bubble eyed gold fish who lost an eye... but just one, and he was fine. also i read on here that some guy had a really old goldfish whos eyes fell out, and he said his was fine, just slower at finding food. i would raise the temp and ad aquarium salt to make sure the eye hole heals okay though.

 

[Grymatta]

heh...thats funny. I'm watching the movie "Daredevil" right now when I can across this topic. Its about a superhero who is blind. Maybe your moor will develop hyper hearing and get revenge on his tormentors!

 

[mudracer06]

Haha, I'm watching it too. I agree with the aquarium salt and temperature raising to make sure it heals right. If its eating and not running into things hard, no reason to put it down.

 

[Charlius]

Aren't fish supposed to have a really good sense of smell? Maybe try feeding pungent smelling foods if he's really having trouble feeding. I wouldn't put him down unless he was just rotting away unable to sustain itself at all.