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To Euthanize or Not

Tyler

Tyler

Hey everyone, I am being tasked with a difficult choice right now. Yesterday I rescued a group of fish including 2 tangs and 2 chromis. Everybody seems so much happier already under my care except the one chromis. He was badly deformed and all he does is float at the surface. Other than that he is in okay health, but I don't knew whether or not it's fair to just euthanize him. I don't think his quality of life is very well as it is right now and I don't want him to suffer or have to die for no reason. If anybody could give me their opinion please let me know. Here is a picture of him.
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MaxDamage984

MaxDamage984

I am a firm believer of letting nature take its course. If the fish is capable of surviving than it deserves a chance. If it dies anyways then it was meant to be.

I would actually try isolating it with one of those 3$ petco floating isolation tanks and feed it extra food soaked in garlic extract and see if it improves.
 
Tyler

Tyler

MaxDamage984 said:
I am a firm believer of letting nature take its course. If the fish is capable of surviving than it deserves a chance. If it dies anyways then it was meant to be.

I would actually try isolating it with one of those 3$ petco floating isolation tanks and feed it extra food soaked in garlic extract and see if it improves.
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When I rescued these guys the lady just let me have everythint so I have one of those now. I will try that and see how he does. Unfortunately all of the the fish were kept in the dark and only fed tetra flakes so they are very malnourished and both tangs had extremely bad hole in the head. Look at the poor yellow tang
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diana a

diana a

Staff member
NJRC Member
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I hope it is in a hospital/quarantine tank. Tangs need a big tank to do well. If it is in a small tank, it will suffer/get sick.
 
Tyler

Tyler

My tank is 46 gallons. I did not keep the tang because I know it was too big at 6 ish inches or so and I brought him to my LFS and they have him in a dim system. Was just there and he is still kicking which is good, but they told me the bone damage was so severe that his fins would be permenently damaged. Regardless I am glad I got him to a better place. I did keep the blue tang, she's about 2.5" and is in the 46 (the lady I got them from also gave me the tank and it was a 46). I plan to keep the blue for a year or so (or until she hits the 4-5" mark) and then give her away on here to someone I am sure will take good care of her in a big system


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Tyler

Tyler

By the way, if any of you would like to give the yellow tang a forever home he is at Tropiquarium in Ocean because he is too big for my tank. Like I said he has bone damage in his fins so he will always be a very "ugly" yellow tang but it would really make me happy if somebody would pick him up and take good care of him. If you just go in to the saltwater section he is on one of the bottom tanks, but I'm sure you can ask one of the guys there where the ugly tang is and he will know which one. If anybody does take him home please let me know [emoji4]


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Mark_C

Mark_C

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Nice work.
As JR said, Poseidon has a space reserved for you in the Elysium Fields.
:encouragement:

Also, as much as I let things happen, I've had 2 fish in the past that were so damaged that I had to euthanize. I used 100% clove oil. Place fish in a smallish (1/2 - 1 gal container) and add 4-8 drops of clove oil. Ever 15 minutes add another drop or two. Over the course of a few hours the fish will fall into slumber, and clove oil is a natural anesthetic.
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

Besides space though, I think a healthy tang is one that is fed frequently. Unfortunately many of us work or are not home for a period of time...so we may only feed the tank 2x a day. In those cases I highly recommend getting a seaweed clip or similar to help feed them. This will help them feel more at "home" since that is pretty much what they do all day - graze graze graze. I like Ocean Nutrition and while expensive, you can buy in bulk (50 sheets) which with one tang will probably last you a year or more. Something like this Ocean Nutrition Bulk Seaweeds Green Marine (50 Sheets) - Marine Depot

Trying to save the fish would be my goal, but euthanizing is sometimes necessary. I have raised clownfish fry and the losses can be staggering (gut wrenching). I don't recall purposefully trying to kill the fry, but if I saw one that was suffering (e.g. not eating, really struggling) then I would definitely consider it.

Long ago I was gifted a small turtle that had a clear deformity in its back. I thought about bringing it back to the petshop - but then considered that no one would buy it and probably it would die a sad death. So i kept it and fed it but it could never grow to full adult size..and passed after several years. My point is - you have tried your best -(e.g.by bringing them home).
 
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Tyler

Tyler

Hawkeye said:
Besides space though, I think a healthy tang is one that is fed frequently. Unfortunately many of us work or are not home for a period of time...so we may only feed the tank 2x a day. In those cases I highly recommend getting a seaweed clip or similar to help feed them. This will help them feel more at "home" since that is pretty much what they do all day - graze graze graze. I like Ocean Nutrition and while expensive, you can buy in bulk (50 sheets) which with one tang will probably last you a year or more. Something like this Ocean Nutrition Bulk Seaweeds Green Marine (50 Sheets) - Marine Depot

Trying to save the fish would be my goal, but euthanizing is sometimes necessary. I have raised clownfish fry and the losses can be staggering (gut wrenching). I don't think I purposefully tried to kill the fry, but if I saw one that was suffering (e.g. not eating, really struggling) then I would definitely consider it.
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I buy nori at the grocery store, I get 8 square feet for like $5. The tang and blenny can go through a 4" strip in a day and I'm sure if I put in a bigger piece they would destroy it too.
Anyway, I did end up having to euthanize the chromis. I came home from school one night and he was at the point he could no longer move and wouldn't even if I touched him. I scooped him up in a cup of tank water and slowly added some vodka for a few minutes until he was asleep then added in more than triple what was in the cup and added ice cubes to make sure his organs definitely shut down after he was asleep. I hope what I did was the least painful way it could be done.


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Hawkeye

Hawkeye

yeah - the seaweed grazer (innovative marine) thing i bought - my tang tries to destroy the thing. The neon goby sits on the thing, and the rest of the fish (clownfish, damsels, gobies) come around and hover near the tang waiting for bits of seaweed to eat. I even found a mini serpent star in the grazer. It's a lot of fun watching fish feed themselves lol.


oh i forgot - every once in a while my sea urchin sits on the grazer and then that's it. Pig. LOL
 
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