My iridescent shark is obviously dying as he has been upside down for three days but still breathing!?

Question

How long will this go on? I am hoping that he will hurry and die, because I hate to see him suffer. He is about 8 years old. I know there is nothing to do to save him now, but why is he still breathing? I've never had a fish hang on that long.

Answer 1

No-one can tell you how long it will go on, but it need not be going on at all. You can end it's suffering any time you want to, and that would be the kindest thing to do. Take the fish out of the tank and place it on concrete or a flat rock, then get a heavy object like the flat butt section of an axe blade or even a hammer, and squash it's head. That is far kinder than allowing it to suffer for days on end.

That may sound like overkill, but I don't know how big the fish is. If it's only a tiny one, just drop it into boiling water. That will kill it instantly, but if it's bigger, doing as I first suggested would be the best solution.

I grew up on a property/ranch in the country, and because we were in contact with animals constantly, we would regularly find animals suffering/dying from different causes. For some reason, a lot of city people seem to think that killing an animal to end it's suffering is 'cruel', but nothing could be further from the truth. To leave an animal suffering is the most cruel thing a person can do. If an animal is beyond help, killing it is the most humane thing to do, no matter whether it is a small animal or a large one.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

obviously dying.

Answer 3

Have you taken him into the vet yet or something? If you haven't you should.