The Puffer Forum

i'm still very conflicted as to whether euthenasia is the right thing to do.

I don't want him to suffer, but if theres a chance that he'd be ok I can't just give up on him. I'm just seeing no signs of improvement, every time he does something that makes me think he's recovering, the next day its twice as bad as it ever was. With all the meds, improved water conditions, improved environment, good food, etc. His condition has done nothing but worsened.

What do you all think I should do? I don't know anyone who can take him, I don't know if anyone would even want to, he's helpless and I can't see john at the LFS having a 30+ gallon tank thats free to attempt to rehabilitate a single dying puffer. He has way to many hospital/orphan fish as it is.

no one can make that decision for you.

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I believe that this is outdated now. This article is more recent: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18520

LongGrain, I euthanized a fish once, a young betta with dropsy. I made that decision because A) I did not believe that he would recover and B) I believed him to be suffering significantly, rather than approaching death with only moderate or mild pain and fear. His immobility and defenselessness led me to think that he was undergoing stress and fear, and I guessed that the severe swelling was very painful. This was my reasoning. I used MS-222, AKA Finqel. Not everyone has access to that, though.

LongGrain wrote:i'm still very conflicted as to whether euthenasia is the right thing to do.

I don't want him to suffer, but if theres a chance that he'd be ok I can't just give up on him. I'm just seeing no signs of improvement, every time he does something that makes me think he's recovering, the next day its twice as bad as it ever was. With all the meds, improved water conditions, improved environment, good food, etc. His condition has done nothing but worsened.

What do you all think I should do? I don't know anyone who can take him, I don't know if anyone would even want to, he's helpless and I can't see john at the LFS having a 30+ gallon tank thats free to attempt to rehabilitate a single dying puffer. He has way to many hospital/orphan fish as it is.

As odd as it seems I have saved more puffers than I have personally kept. I have only had a couple losses. Some times thinking out of the box is the way to go but you have to play the hand you are dealt with. If you don't try a force feed / anal shot for IPs than your best bet is to put it down. The method is yours to choose. Going surgical at worst will put the puffer out of its misery. At best it will help and recover. Do what you choose is best.. there is no shame in that.

Only other option to save this fish, is force-feeding. Difficult feat, with a small fish.

well guys, I didn't have to euthanize him. He died on his own last night.

RIP Jerry.

sorry for the loss. We know you did what you could.

Now its time to set my tank up better and let it run for a while before choosing the livestock I'm going to put in.

First order of business is to do a large water change to get the remaining melafix and any detritus/uneaten food off the bottom.

then tonight when I get paid I will be ordering a 50lb box of key largo and a bottle of Dr. Tims.

good stuff. get the set up done.. and then get the fish. +1 to that!

LongGrain wrote:well guys, I didn't have to euthanize him. He died on his own last night.

RIP Jerry.

Sorry to hear of your loss .........

Is that Key Large rock live or dead?

LongGrain wrote:Now its time to set my tank up better and let it run for a while before choosing the livestock I'm going to put in.

First order of business is to do a large water change to get the remaining melafix and any detritus/uneaten food off the bottom.

then tonight when I get paid I will be ordering a 50lb box of key largo and a bottle of Dr. Tims.

So glad you can see the positive. Sorry for your loss. Im certain you will have many happy fishkeeping years going forward

So sorry... You really did try hard to save him.

I'm sorry to hear about Jerry. I wish you the best of luck with the new setup.