MetaChat - Is it time for a mercy killing?

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31 May 2006

Is it time for a mercy killing? →[More:]

My fishie is old and sick. He's been old and sick for a long time. I'm going out of town for a week tomorrow and wonder if maybe he shouldn't have a little accident before I go.

It will make me sad when he dies.

I don't know what to do. I think his quality of life is pretty meh, but who am I to make the penultimate decision for him?

What do you think?

post by: Specklet at: 10:20 | 41 comments

Old Yeller II: Underwater

posted by jonmc 31 May | 10:23

How long have you had him?

Don't think of it as death- think of it as a fun trip down a fancy water slide!

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 31 May | 10:30

Don't Flush Him! If you have to let him go, put him somewhere other than the toilet - take him to a park with a fountain or something. Let him die in a natural place outdoors, not rotting in your U-bend.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 31 May | 10:34

How, or what kind of, sick is he? What kind of tank do you have? Is your filter working properly? Does your fish have enough space?

A lot of times, a fish will bounce right back when put into optimum conditions. Of course, this doesn't always happen, and fish owners often buy a nice enclosure for a sick animal that ends up as a nice new home for its replacement.

Have you checked out your fish thoroughly, as far as what kind of sickness he may have? Many fish ailments look the same, even to the trained eye.

But really, fish are pretty replaceable, when it comes down to it. I wouldn't have any qualms at all about killing him; there are always more fish. Hell, you could get a turtle and feed your fish to it, or take your fish over to a turtle-owning friend's place for a treat.

Ugh! If you really like your fishie, I'm sure what I just said was horrifying. Sorry! But it's true; fish are as easy to get rid of as they are to keep.

But you should make sure it's what you really want, first.

posted by Hugh Janus 31 May | 10:36

Maybe you could leave him with a friend while you're gone. Then if he passes away, then he wouldn't have been alone.

Then I hope he'll swim happily in fishie heaven!

posted by halonine 31 May | 10:39

I say give him a chance to fight back
≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by Capn 31 May | 10:44

My new house has a fish pond with goldfish in it! You could put him there and then he can live out the rest of his days with other fishies.

posted by cmonkey 31 May | 10:52

Or he could infect all those other fishies; not guaranteed, but a possibility, depending on what he's ill with.

posted by Hugh Janus 31 May | 10:54

I was totally inappropriately attached to my fish, who rarely, if ever, even cuddled with me. Therefore, I took him to a veterinarian when he was sick. Unfortunately, he was very, very sick and had a little fishie tumor and they had to euthanize him. However, most vets probably don't do stuff on fish; I lucked out by finding a very smart vet who also did work at the local aquarium. Do you have a fish store you go to with a knowledgeable staff? Perhaps you could talk this over with someone there.

I'm not sure how I'd kill a fish by myself, which is why I was relieved that the animal hospital did it for me. In theory, they would know what would be least painful for a fish. But if you have to euthanize your fish yourself, I'll bet this here internet has some humane suggestions.

I'm sure you'll make the best decision for your fish, whatever you decide to do.

posted by Uncle Glendinning 31 May | 10:55

I'm a good fishie mommy: he has a nice clean bowl with plenty of clean water and good food. I know what he has, I've already consulted the fish people and we've treated it accordingly. But he's just old and can't fight it off.

What I'm saying is: I've done everything I can and he's not getting better. He isn't going to get better. So do I kill him? Or let him drag on the way he's been doing for three months?

Like I said, his quality of life isn't so great. I wish I could read his little pepper speck sized mind and see if he's diggin' on life or just wanting to not be on the planet anymore.

I'm not going to let him go so he can live in dirty water and get slowly nibbled to death by healthier fishies, (or possibly eaten by a turtle, possibly belonging to Hugh).

I'm not going to flush him while he's alive, that would be a horrible way to go.

He's not sick enough that he'll die in the next week (I think), so I'm not worried about him dying alone.

I'll be sad if I have to kill him. I really like him. He responds to my voice and everything. But he's so sick and old.

Sigh.

posted by Specklet 31 May | 11:15

I'm sorry, specklepretty. I still remember when our fish Abe died. We even sent out an obit. Could you put him in the freezer and just let him go to sleep?

Or you could give him to a small child along with a kitchen playset. (My parents did that one year for Christmas. Idiots. Goldfish+play stove+small child=ichthyological holocaust.)

posted by jrossi4r 31 May | 11:22

I'll be sad if I have to kill him. I really like him. He responds to my voice and everything. But he's so sick and old.

I'm so glad Specklet is talking of fish today, and not, say, her boyfriend.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 31 May | 11:22

...Christmas. Idiots. Goldfish+play stove+small child = ichthyological holocaust.

Brilliant.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 31 May | 11:26

I'm becoming very curious now, about the most painless way to off a fish (for the fish, I mean), besides just totally creaming him with one fell hammer-blow (which wouldn't be very comfortable for the fish mommy).

I have a feeling gaspode or dhruva could tell us. Meantime, I'm imagining dropping the toaster into the aquarium.

posted by taz 31 May | 11:36

Remind me NEVER, EVER to piss Taz off.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 31 May | 11:44

Lipstick, you now qualify to be one of my husbands, should the need ever arise.

posted by taz 31 May | 11:59

taz: I think jrossi's got it: the freezer route would be the way I would do the deed. Either that or decapitation, which while gruesome, is quick.

posted by gaspode 31 May | 12:23

There is no way in hell I could cut off that fish's head. He's just a little dumb fish, but I love him. I think if I decide to do this it would be the freezer. Then I would bury the little ice block in the back yard and say some words.

Uh oh. I think I've made my decision.

Now I'm sad.

posted by Specklet 31 May | 12:41

Hey, it's okay, Specklet. Fish make nice pets, and you had fun with yours, right? Chin up.

Get a smile on when you think about your fishie, okay?

posted by Hugh Janus 31 May | 12:52

Oh yeah, I wasn't suggesting you actually go the decap route, Specklet. More of an academic thought there. That would be a little too traumatic.

posted by gaspode 31 May | 13:05

Boy, taz sure hates her toaster.

I'm sure you gave your scaley sidekick a good life, Specklet. No regrets.

posted by jrossi4r 31 May | 13:15

Noooooo!

posted by Five Fresh Fish 31 May | 13:19

This is probably the most loved/revered fish ever.

Sorry you have to make the decision, Speck. :(

posted by mudpuppie 31 May | 13:20

I'm so sorry, Specklet.
This site has several suggestions (rating their humane-ness), and even says that alchohol is a painless way to do it.

A final toast for fishy. It's how I'd wanna go.

posted by krix 31 May | 13:54

Four... Fresh... Fish?

Thanks pup. I know you know.

posted by Specklet 31 May | 14:02

If you're going to euthanize them, here's a list of effects alcohol has on narcotizing goldfish (pdf).

otoh, golfish apparently have opiate receptors and will respond to morphine (go out like an old soldier fatally wounded on the field?).

posted by porpoise 31 May | 14:57

If Five Fresh Fish then becomes Four Fresh Fish, will Fishfucker have to become Former-Fishfucker? And what will quonsar put in his pants?

posted by taz 31 May | 15:08

Wait. Is this the fish that you thought had a flake disease or some such awhile back? or is this the replacement fish?

posted by chewatadistance 31 May | 17:02

No, same fish. Had him for three years, which for a betta is pretty old.

posted by Specklet 31 May | 17:21

It appears that simply putting the bowl in the freezer may not actually be the most humane way to do it.

Check out what this website says.

I think I'll go the vodka route.

posted by Specklet 31 May | 17:27

Jesus. The fucking blender??

posted by mudpuppie 31 May | 17:40

≡ Click to see image ≡
Ceiling Cat is waiting for dinner

posted by dodgygeezer 31 May | 17:49

Okay, that's pretty funny, dodgy.

posted by Specklet 31 May | 17:54

When you go away, give the fish to a friend to look after. When the fish dies while you are away, they will scour the pet shops to find one that looks just like the current one and replace it. Then, you can go on living your life amazed that your fish suddenly got better.

Well, it works on TV, anyway.

posted by dg 31 May | 19:10

I'm really sorry i like dg's idea.

booze seems the only way to go
and then you could toast it at the same time.
I'm guessing you'll have to be a bit soused to do it anyway.
I'm sorry but there's no good face to put in this.
yeesh.

posted by ethylene 31 May | 19:17

Thanks everybody. I'm afraid that when I get home today, the little fishie and I are going to do some vodka shots together. eth's got the right idea.

To Beau!

posted by Specklet 31 May | 19:27

Sorry, bunny.

I envy any fish who has you as a mommy. He had a wonderful life.

posted by mike9322 31 May | 19:55

Ask Scarabic.

posted by theora55 31 May | 20:26

I am sorry about your fishie. I hope you're having tequila shots together.

posted by theora55 31 May | 20:26

Sorry, speckles; hurty, but the right thing, I think.

posted by taz 01 June | 01:37

So he's dead.

It was so very much harder than I thought it was going to be. My friend Tom helped me, and we were both totally bawling. So sad. It was so sad.

Anyway, it was painless and he's not sick anymore. He's in the fishie Valhalla, kicking some serious butt.

And fertilizing my poppy plant, which put out its first bloom just for him.

posted by Specklet 01 June | 21:54

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