Should I flush the fish?

[hidinginthenightgarden]

We have 4 fish. One seems to have hurt itself and can't keep itself level. It looks like it is nose diving constantly.
It is really struggling. Should we just let nature take it's course or put it out its misery?

StandUpForYourRights

That isn't in any way recommended. I can't believe some of these posts.

@StandUpForYourRights please stop giving idiotic and cruel ‘advice’ when you clearly have zero knowledge of the subject.

@Maelstrom fair enough but probably best not to give advice then. If your DH removes the fish from water prior to depapitation it would have been stressed and suffocating. If decapitated cleanly under water it would have lost consciousness quickly.

I’m pretty you most of you wouldn't be talking about boiling, freezing or decapitating a pet guinea pig - not sure why you think fish warrant such illegal and cruel activity (Animal welfare act 2096)

If you do need to euthanise a fish, drop it into a bowl of boiling water

That is one of the most horrific things I have read on this site. Substitute the word fish for hamster, cat, dog, or grandma and you'd quite rightly be called a sadistic bastard.

I wish @MNHQ would delete posts that are giving cruel and inhumane "advice" on euthanasia as there'll be people out there who will actually try these batshit suggestions.

The best way would be to use clove oil as PP have said.

As others have said, clove oil is the best thing to use. I actually know a fish vet and this is what she recommended. Take the fish out of the tank and put in a separate bowl and add a few drops of clove oil.
I had to do it to my fish and the it just slowly stopped swimming around and eventually stopped breathing.
Certainly far nicer than some of the ways that have been suggested.