The Puffer Forum

Dadof4 wrote:You could also try grating the shrimp with a hand grater, like you would with cheese. Soak the shredded shrimp with the med and then feed real small amounts.

Grate it while its semi frozen. Should be easier. probably freeze it with the med too.

Wouldn't freeze the med because honestly I'm not sure if that would effect the integrity of it.

I wouldn't shred the shrimp simply because it will cause waste in the tank that you can't clean up, unless you feed it in a spot that is highly visible and easily accessible.

so far every food I've tried has been supposedly "irresistible". Bloodworms, snails, raw shrimp. He won't eat anything, big or small.

I don't want to seem pessimistic, but if he's not eating that stuff that he used to LOVE (i mean, I watched him eat 5 snails in under a minute once, and he was not in any better shape than he is now) I hardly think he's going to gobble up an earthworm. He won't even hardly lift his head off the sand to look at food. He hasn't moved a millimeter since I took that shrimp out of his tank today. The only reason I know he's alive is because I check every hour or so to make sure he's breathing. He looks like a little black twig at the bottom of the tank. Its killing me to watch him like this. And the worst part is that he has been equally miserable since the minute I brought him home a MONTH ago, I hardly think he even has the capacity to live a fulfilling life anymore.

you can try the earth worm... but there is a good euthanasia article here somewhere.

Last chance that I can think of (that was never mentioned) is to do a direct injection. An eye dropper (a tiny squirt) up the anus may do it. There are always options...

to be completely honest. I don't think I'm qualified to perform something like that, and I don't really know anyone who is.

and honestly, what are the chances that this type of damage is not permanent? He doesn't even know how to swim, I turned my powerhead on for 5 seconds today and he got slammed into every rock and wall in the tank. He was like a leaf blowing in the wind, he didn't even try to wiggle away or anything.

I can't recommend euthanasia because all the other options haven't been exhausted yet. It is your call.

I understand your frustration. The learning curve is very steep. No one will slight you for doing what you think is best for the fish at this point. Just sit down, think about it and don't let emotion get in the way.

Because we believe it is parasites, it is best to treat the entire tank. We don't know what got out and what didn't. If you can't save the fish, you can save the tank.

i have treated the tank for parasites twice.

as far as force feeding/injection/enema etc. Im not that familiar with fish anatomy and handling, i feel like that creates a high risk of me doing more harm than good.

Not a single thing I've tried has helped, everything has only made him worse. Even moving him from a 6 gallon freshwater tank to a 37 gallon marine tank only made him worse. I just don't get it, I feel like I'm doing all the right things, and nothing is making him feel any better.

Can you re-post the tank stats?

and if possible a photo of the tank?

37 gallon marineland
led light fixture, has day light and moonlight.
200w heater
20 lb live sand
20lb aquarium sand
bak pak 2 skimmer
koralia evo 750 ph
head sized chunk of LR and some other decorative rocks, I built like an arch structure.
temp is 76-78 degrees
1.023-1.024 sg
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
25ish nitrate
8.1 pH

how is your skimmer preforming? are you getting a lot of skim mate? / slime in the collection cup?

heres my topic on my skimmer.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=29491

Poor thing...

If you decide to do it, this would be the easiest way

Burgess et all (1998) do not recommend the use of ice or freezing water to euthanise fish, but Brown (2005) specifically describes a process that is acceptable for very small fish (under 5 cm in length). The fish is either (a) exposed to freezing cold water but is not in contact with the ice itself; or (b) placed in a container of normal temperature water from the tank and then that container is transferred to a freezer where it can cool down to below freezing.

I feel like you have put a lot of time and money into this hobby and had almost nothing but stress in return. That really sucks for you and it also really sucks that your fish has had to suffer so much(not your fault). I personally would try to salvage all of this investment you have made by ending the animal's suffering, letting your tank set up a little bit longer and getting it completely ready then add a healthy happy fish. Remember this is supposed to be an enjoyable experience for you and your pet.

I prefer putting them down with clove oil, before freezing.