Euthanize or continue treating?

Question

I have a buenos aires tetra that I have been treating for about two weeks that I need advice about whether to continue treating it or if it is more humane to euthanize it. The story: this buenos aires lived in a shoal with 8 other buenos aires tetras in their own 30 gallon tank but was always the smallest. I came in one morning to feed them and the other tetras has completely eaten all of this one's fins and tail off (all of the bottom fins as well as the entire tail-just the flesh no bone involved). I immediately moved it to a hospital tank and have been treating it with Maracyn and Maracyn-2. It is not able to swim at all, it lays on its side (it can flip over) and recently has started having a bend to its body. I have been hand feeding it (it will eat a little brine shrimp or tubifex worms) and treating it everyday. Its tail is beginning to grow back and the bottom fins are more than 50% there but it has made no attempt to swim and the bend to the body is getting worse (at least to me).

My question: Should I continue treating this poor fish or is it more humane to euthanize it (humanely of course using clove oil and grain alcohol). Thanks for any and all suggestions.

Answer 1

The clove oil is not a good way to do this.

Put your fish in a plastic cup of water and put it in the freezer.

The fish will just think it is getting cold, and it freezes them so they feel NO pain.

This is the most humane way of euthanizing ANY fish.

Answer 2

it seems to me as if it's suffering. i feel uncomfortable suggesting to you that you should just kill it, because my heart aches. but the best may be to just kill it. less pain for it, less pain for you. good luck. ans sorry if i couldn't be of much help.  

Answer 3

It sounds like it would be more humane to euthanize the fish.  Even if he were to start swimming again, where would you put him?  If you keep a schooler alone thats extremly stressful for the fish.  So he can't be alone but he can't be with the others.  

If his body is starting to deform, he'll probably never swim normally and become a target for any fish in the tank.  As it is now he's probably suffer/stressed which is keeping him from making a full recovery.  I know something like this is never easy and my heart goes out to you.

Here's a good guide to proper fish euthanasia techniques to ensure your poor fella passes on as painlessly as possible.  Warning: some of these techniques might make you feel a bit squemish but they cause the fish little to no pain.

Answer 4

It is really hard for anyone who has tetras to anwer this question, I had this with a neon I moved it out into the hospital tank I can't say it had a bend in it but his tail and fins grew back but he has a chunck missing by the base of the tail. However what you have got to ask yourself is this if you were asked the same question by somebody else what would you say. I believe it would be to stop the suffering. :(

Answer 5

It sounds like it's suffering to me.  I doubt that it will recover completely and even if it does, are you going to put it back into that tank with the other fish again?  If not it will have to live in isolation forever.  If it's getting a bend to the body, it sounds like it has more serious damage than just the fins.  I would euthanize it.  A fish doesn't usually come back from such extreme damage.  Sorry.  I hate it every time I have to euthanize a fish, too but sometimes its the best alternative.

Answer 6

It rips my heart out to say this cuz i love ALL tetras, but you should euthanize it.

Answer 7

The only one who can answer your question is you. If you can be strong enough, treat it for one more week, then you would know within that time if the fish is going to recover. It is a good sign that the fins are beginningg to grow back. It might be deformed with the bend for the rest of its life.Unfortunately our lil' buddies cannot tell us if they are in pain or not. I would keep treating for one more week, see if the swimming improves. Good luck.