# How do I use clove oil to euthanize a fish?



## JKfish

I'm going to go get some clove oil soon, because Phoebe has taken another unexpected turn for the worse. At this point, I'm almost surprised that I'm still surprised when something else pops up with her health... The red septic splotch is back, this time at the base of her pectoral fin almost by her gills, and it's scaring me. I'm going to start another round of treatment with maracyn 1 and 2, but I want to know how to gently put her down should the infection get out of hand.


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## redbettagirl

I really hope your fish gets better. If not:

Clove Oil: Use at a dosage of 0.25 ml per liter of water. Shake mixture vigorously. Add fish immediately, before the oil has a chance to separate. Once the fish is deeply anesthetized (does not twitch with gentle prodding, and no gill movement is observed), add lots of crushed ice to the water.


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## Abby

so put it to sleep then freeze it (or chill it deeply?)????


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## redbettagirl

Yup. That's the gist of it. Anesthetize it with the clove oil, then the extremely cold temperature of the ice-water will do the rest. You don't want to actually "freeze" the fish (by putting it in the freezer). It's thought that fish may actually feel ice crystals forming in the tissue, which would be extremely painful.


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## Scrambles

Ya, what Abby said! Don't poison her just freeze her. If you just put her in a small glass or plastic bag with a little bit of water in it then pop her in the freezer that would be nicer. That way her system will slowly shut down and she will "fall into a deep sleep forever", much less cruel in my opinion!


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## Abby

im questioning this because it looks like taminas time is up so in container of water and into freezer is humane? i dont want her in any pain or anything, i dont have any clove oil either.


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## redbettagirl

If you want to go one better than clove oil, the best way to euthanize a fish is by using Tricaine Methanesulfonate (also called MS-222). It's available for purchase online, and is a great fish sedative/anesthetic. To use, bathe fish in 250 mg per liter of water for 10 minutes, then add lots of ice to water.

I'm a student in a research facility that studies danios (zebrafish). This is our method of choice for euthanizing sick or dying fish. This method is in accordance with all animal care regulations. It is also approved by the FDA, and considered humane by the American Veterinary Medical Association.


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## Abby

ok well im looking for a tonight solution i dont want to have to use blunt force trauma or the pinning because i seriously could not bring myself to do either


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## Abby

im sure i read somewhere you can raise their tank water for an hr or so let them adjust then without acclimatisation put them in to icy cold water thus sending them in to shock and eventual death?


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## redbettagirl

I'm not sure of any other good methods besides blunt force trauma. Are you sure that your betta won't pull through? They're pretty resilient...


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## Abby

she has till tomorrow to improve or not get worse but shes been floating on her side too. 
another method i was just told on the phone to my pet store is put salt in water in the freezer and it wont freeze it will get REALLY to the point it should freeze cold and put her in it and back in freezer 
the store has offered to replace her as well which i find very nice.


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## demonr6

redbettagirl said:


> If you want to go one better than clove oil, the best way to euthanize a fish is by using Tricaine Methanesulfonate (also called MS-222). It's available for purchase online, and is a great fish sedative/anesthetic. To use, bathe fish in 250 mg per liter of water for 10 minutes, then add lots of ice to water.
> 
> I'm a student in a research facility that studies danios (zebrafish). This is our method of choice for euthanizing sick or dying fish. This method is in accordance with all animal care regulations. It is also approved by the FDA, and considered humane by the American Veterinary Medical Association.


GAH now I need to do the math and figure out the correct quantity for a small QT tank. Marco is not doing too well and I think we may be losing him. :-(


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## JKfish

I'm not freezing her, because apparently that's painful, sort of like people who die of exposure to freezing temps suffer from frostbite and stuff before they die. I'll be getting clove oil soon, and it works as way to put them to sleep. 

redbettagirl: thanks for that info, I'll have to keep that in mind, but at the moment, clove oil is already on the way, so I'll use that this time.

I asked on another forum, and so far I like this response best out of all the responses I've gotten.


> 1.) Get yourself an empty milk or water gallon jug, cut out the top of it so it's wide enough to put a fish into it easily. Then fill it up with water from the same tank your fish is in & add the fish to the jug.
> 
> 2.) Mix 3 drops of clove oil into 1 cup of water. Once you've mixed the clove oil & 1 cup of water thoroughly, add it to the gallon jug with the fish in it. Within a couple of minutes you should see your fish get "sleepy" (_e.g._ swimming wobbly).
> 
> When you see this you can go ahead and add another 3 drops to the jug. Your fish should then float up to the top like it's dead, but it still might be breathing. Wait another 2 - 3 minutes & add another 3 drops & observe. Your fish should be dead by now, but if not, then go ahead and add a few more drops until it is no longer breathing. The amount of clove oil you'll need will vary from fish to fish.
> 
> The key is to introduce the clove oil gradually (not all in one shot) in order to minimize the stress to your fish.
> 
> When your done throw out the gallon jug. Clove oil is potent & being an oil it's hard to rinse off well.


What do you all think?


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## Abby

sounds like a good one to keep on file.
Unfortunately Tamina took the decision on how to euthanise her out of my hands, she passed away over night.


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## turtle10

Scrambles said:


> Ya, what Abby said! Don't poison her just freeze her. If you just put her in a small glass or plastic bag with a little bit of water in it then pop her in the freezer that would be nicer. That way her system will slowly shut down and she will "fall into a deep sleep forever", much less cruel in my opinion!


Actually it is more cruel. Clove oil isn't poison, it is an anesthetic for fish. It is like the anesthesia they give you to go to sleep for surgery. Basically when using clove oil the fish will go to "sleep", if removed from clove oil it will wake back up. 

When water freezes it expands. Bettas are made of of millions of tiny animal cells, and when exposed to freezing temperatures the fluid in the cells expands and the cells burst. This makes freezing a very painful and stressful process. The system doesn't slowly shut down, they just start to freeze alive. And even if freezing wasn't painful, the fish would still be very cold and scared.


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## Marona

But you're basically overdosing the fish, Turtle.

Even anesthesia can kill you in high amounts.

Least that's what biology tells me clove oil would do.


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## turtle10

Marona said:


> But you're basically overdosing the fish, Turtle.
> *Even anesthesia can kill you in high amounts.*
> 
> Least that's what biology tells me clove oil would do.


That is why you measure the proper dose.


Wait, how am I overdosing?


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## Marona

...I failed to read the quote. LOL xD I'm sick and my fish is scaring me, sorry. ;A;


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## turtle10

Wait….what? I'm confused lol.


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## Marona

I didn't read what you had quoted before, thus misinterpreted what you were saying. Lol


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## turtle10

Ooohh lol. I do that a lot .

If your interested, the method I used was put the right clove oil dosage in, wait for the fish to be passed out, then pour in vodka. We didn't have any liquor, so I had to use some white wine. It still worked humanely and I was able to make a toast a nd take a (big) gulp.


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## Marona

LOL...Should I be laughing? xD


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## turtle10

True, it is sort of a non-laughing topic. But I believe my passed betta Turtle would want me to find some humor in the situation , he didn't like to see me sad.


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## Marona

Yeah. I'm not easily broken up about pets dying...It's not that I don't care. I just don't get worked up. :/

Though my fish is going to make me sad if he doesn't pull through whatever just hit him. ;A;


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## turtle10

Same. I get really sad the day it happens. When Turtle died I cried so hard, and also the next day at his funeral. But I guess my mind makes it fade away so it doesn't hurt as bad. What really hurt me was the fact that his death was my fault. Inexperience, ignorance, and bad water quality does not mix well :/


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## Marona

Yeah. I think that's what's getting me right now. Just plain inexperience. I can't recognize what reasons my fish could be acting up.


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## Nanglebadger

Clove oil is humane.

My bro works in a tropical fish shop here in NI and that is the method they employ when necessary.

Phil.


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