# What do you do when a fish is clearly dying?



## seyz (Jul 25, 2008)

This is the second time in the last 3 months that a fish has been clearly dying. Like laying in weird positions, floating weird, just learning on the wall unable to move. What exactly are you supposed to do when something like this happens? I feel awful every time. Is there anything you can do for the fish and for the future to prevent such occurances ?


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*How is your water quality? How long has this tank been set up and is it cycled? Did you let the certain nitrogen levels such as ammonia, nitrite or nitrate get too high to cause the fish to die? Are you overfeeding? What I suggest for all sick fish is to do water changes to keep the water quality in top conditions to promote healing and reduce stress. And you just hope for the best from there. *


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## longtail4711 (Jun 8, 2010)

Nurse Platy's pretty much said it. Check the water quality, then do a water change and hope for the best. 

If the fish is very clearly going to die and is suffering, I euthanize them by placing them in a small bowl of ice cold Vodka. They pass in seconds.


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## ~Mystic~ (Jun 2, 2010)

longtail4711 said:


> I euthanize them by placing them in a small bowl of ice cold Vodka. They pass in seconds.


Ice Cold Vodka? Never heard of that but hey if he survives by chance then he will have a happy smile on his face.
:fish10:


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## Brittrugger (May 30, 2010)

Those are great suggestions, if the fish is clearly dying you can also use clove oil to anaesthetize then decapitate it, not the easiest for some but 100% humane as they dont feel anything due to the clove oil and you quickly end it. Or just increase the concentration of clove oil and they just slip away peacefully.


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