Putting a fish out of it's misery?

[cupsnakes]

We have a very unhappy goldfish (a blackmoor). He has had various illnesses over the time we have had him including a major bout of fin rot (they did eventually grow back). Over the past month he has spent all his time floating still or lying on the bottom of the tank.
Dh cleaned his tank this morning and he is currently in another bowl, lying on the bottom and completlely listless.
Would it be kinder to just let him die? And what would be the most humane way?

Whack his head hard against something I would say

or chop it off

lots of ways here

seriously?

Well that's what you do when you catch one when out fishing (whack head against something)

blimey

I was told by a vet friend to leave them in the air rather than flushing them. The oxygen puts them on a kind of "high" if you like, that will make them die quite quickly. If you flush them, they tend to continue to live in the sewers for a while before they die. He used to just put them in the bin, wrapped in some toilet paper.

Good Luck, not a nice thing to deal with at best of times.

has anyone seen that Mr Bean sketch on the park bench?

sorry, poor taste

I had to do this once and it was horrible but here goes...(God I hate to admit I did this)

Wrapped fish in kitchen towel and then put fish in old carrier bag and stamped on it outside on patio (or any hard surface).That way I couldn't see it and no mess either but definitely quick with my great weight stamping on it.
Far more humane than letting the poor thing continue to suffer.

Good luck.

I would just cover it first and then whack it - at least it would be over with quickly

I once hit a vole on the head with a hammer

It had been tortured by my cat who would not kill it so I put it on the window sill and smashed its head with a hammer

I do think that it is humane to do things like this even if it is horrible

The thought of whacking our pet really makes me queasy (no offence). If we took it out of water and let it die like that would it be really horrible for it?

DH did the euthanasing by wrapping and whacking. Quick and kinder than letting it suffer for much longer. Was a real shame
Soem fish books refer to complicated procedure involving sharp objects/piercing brain but we just worried that it would be so complicated as to make the whole process rather long and drawn out.

but if you cover it, you won't be able to see it when you whack it

it probably does feel strange but at least you are putting it out of its misery

try the whisky or vodka as per my link

sounds the best way to go

you could always take it to the vet and let them do it I suppose

I have killed birds which the cat has mauled. When I say 'I' I actually mean I phoned up dh and got him to come home and do it.
Am going to look at that alcohol one.

Dead impressed with your aim CD-voles aren't exactly large targets!

When I was a school technician, there was a section in the instruction manual dealing with killing poorly livestock. The instruction for goldfish was 'throw the fish hard against the floor'. There was a keypoint - 'ensure this task is NOT carried out in front of students'.

Vodka or any alcoholic drink suitably high in alcohol content is the kindest way. An old butter tub with a lid is the best way, pop them in then put the lid on and leave for a few minutes (it should only take a few seconds, but probably easier not to watch). Is painless and not too distressing for either you or the fish.

GeorginaA's method gets my vote-oh what a lovely way to go....

butter tub - with enough vodka to lie in?

have just realised how this thread title could be misleading to many mumsnetters...

someone suggested freezing when we had a poorly one a while back.

I'd rather drown in gin