to murder a neon tetra

[reallytired]

One of my neon tetras has a really bad case of fishrot. The poor thing can hardly swim. My son wants to treat it again for fishrot. I think the kindest thing would be to fish it out and hit it on the head with a hammer.

Can a neon tetra be treated with such advanced fish rot?

You heartless arse. I can't believe you got a fish without thinking through the implications of looking after it for a long, rewarding life. This poor creature has given you weeks of love and attention, waiting for you to come home every night so you can take it for a cursory swim around the castle, putting it's wet little nose on your lap in a desperate search for attention.

I bet you got it from a backyard paddling pool breeder, didn't you? No responsible fish supplier would have let you have an energetic fish like this in your tiny second floor flat. It's like genocide, it really is.

I think you should talk to a no-fry fish rescue centre - NOT THE SFP - rather than killing one of your fin-babies. It's a disgrace.

Clove oil if you need to dispatch it. Don't hit it with a hammer.

bruxeur

I couldn't bring myself to do it , but sometimes it is the kindest thing, so would get someone else to do it. My parents have a big tank, tetras are usually hardy little things.

Maybe tell a white lie to your DS about it's fate?

*its.

We used to put ours in a tub and into the freezer.

If you think the fish is suffering and the best advice is that further treatment is unlikely to cure it, I'd put it out of its misery.

How old is your DS? This could be a lesson in responsible pet ownership and the life cycle for him (DD was 4 and visiting PIL's when their oldest dog reached the point of excess suffering. We told her that sometimes when animals are in pain and can't be made better the kindest thing was to help them die nicely, and that was why the vet had come. She was upset for a few minutes while the vet gave the injection, then had a last cuddle with the dog and got very enthusiastic about helping to dig a grave and find some flowers to bury with her. Then again, it wasn't her first encounter with death so we were quite prepared to be fairly honest about the whats and whys)

(ps - bruxeur :o)

Its a long time since we had a tropical tank - is the rot contagious? If so, it may be better for the other fish if you PTS this one.

I put my sick goldfish into the freezer as I read this was a painless way to die. (I had tried lots of recommended cures for swim bladder but he wasnt getting better) I wasn't quite so prepared for the look of 'OH!' on his little orange face squashed up against the plastic bag when I took him out to dispose of him; and I did worry that he might defrost and still be flipping around in the wheelie bin.

Just flush it down the toilet, it will be happier in the sea have you not seen finding nemo?

Clove oil and a little vodka/gin to break up the oil (not for the fish to have a final drink ). Its basically an overdose of anaesthetic. Clove oil can be obtained from any chemist, and as for the gin....I assume that as you are on MN you will have a ready supply.....

Please use clove oil rather then any of the other methods outlined. It's a living thing FFS.

Oil firstto anaesthetise the fish, then Vodka or gin to kill it.

I've done the freezer thing. Was sadly miss sold a fish as freshwater when it should have been in brackish water, it got very sick and had to be dispatched.

Freezing a fish without anaesthesia causes unnecessary pain and distress. You can get Eugenol/Clove oil from any chemist for a couple of quid. Instructions for use in the links I gave.

Thanks for the links. The little guy is still alive. I am finding it hard to bring myself to kill him. I think the idea of freezing a fish is horrible. I imagine the pain of having all your cells burst. I think the hammer idea is kinder than freezing. At least it would be quick.

My husband makes the point that we don't care how the cod in our fish and chips died. I will do the clove oil thing. Do you think Whiskey would work instead of Vodka?

Only if it's single malt. Who'd want to drown in blended whisky?

You could save yourself the trouble and get yourselves a couple of dwarf albino african clawed frogs.

MackerelofFact - how far up the food chain are you planning to go?

I second/third/fourth/whatever the clove oil route. And explain to DS how if an animal is in pain and not going to recover, then we have a duty to do something about it.

Imagining a similar thread in the Dog house!

Well, Sticky, the crocodile arrives tomorrow!

Make sure you mix the clove oil into the water and that the fish is unconscious before adding the alcohol.

Mackerel I think that's an AIBU thread just waiting to happen!

Imagining a similar thread in the Dog house!

similar thread in dog house would be
OP 'my dog is very sick. can it be treated?'
A: take it to the vet/mine had this and ....
OP: Vet says it can't be treated What should I do?
A: If he's still eating and happy in himself, keep him comfortable. Otherwise - the best thing really is to go to the vet and have him PTS.
OP sniff. yes you're right
A: so sorry. Un-MNy [hugs]

This is how they go. Really. Don't give a doghouse a bad name and hang it!