Culling newborns

[darkfalz]

May be a touchy subject for some, but I'm going to have to destroy the babies when my very platy has her next batch which could be any time now. I just don't have the room to raise another batch at the moment. If she gets pregnant again, that might be okay as my current fry should be big enough to be sexed and to go with the adults by the time she has them. Then I'd be raising them strictly for selling though, and I have to make sure I have a store willing to take them first.

I'm thinking of using ice-water for this, just net them straight out the tank and into a shallow bucket of ice water. Is this the best way? If I had big fish I'd just feed them to them, but I only have a Betta. He might be able to eat one or two a day, but keeping them alive just to feed him over a week or two would be a lot crueller than just snuffing them out.

[wildtiger]

Why not just take them straight to the lfs and give them to them?

[flamingo]

either that or why not feed them to the platy's too?

All the fish in your sig will eat them..or just give them to the lfs. THey may get eaten at the lfs too though.

[darkfalz]

I think only my Betta would eat them. They're pretty big for the little guys, and platies/guppies don't have sharp teeth.

[Scy64]

If possible, my first suggestion would be to donate them to a LFS as someone else mentioned. The LFS can either raise them, or feed them to other fish all at once (I'm sure they'd have a lot of larger fish that would eat them quickly). Otherwise, I'd personally just leave them in the tank and periodically feed them to the betta. I don't like the idea of outright killing them, but that's just me- I'd rather let someone else deal with them through donation, or let nature take its course.

[Puffer Pita]

The main recognized humane method of euthanasia is clove oil. Doesn't take much and its very inexpensive. Use a half dozen drops of clove oil then when they stop moving, pop them into the freezer to make sure they are dead (clove oil is also used in very small amounts to knock fish out temporarily for necessary treatments).

Alternatively, you can bash them with a rock (sounds nasty but is supposedly humane).

Ice water and/or freezing fish without the use of clove oil is no longer considered humane.

[JustOneMore20]

I'd just leave them in the tank....usually atleast some fry will get eaten, either by the parents or other fish. If it doesn't go well and you still have alot left, take them to the LFS.

[flamingo]

The only way I kill fish, if only feeding them, is by throwing them against somethign hard. They die instantly. It's kind of gruesome especially with fry, but I'd rather do that then put them in the freezer, which they die an hour or two later.

Giving them to an lfs would probably be the best thing to do. Don't know about the stores where you are, but if I gave some fry to my lfs they'd just throw them in with the fiddlers for food 0.0. Hopefully yours would at least try to raise them.

[doggydad38]

Icy salt water is the preferred form of euthanasia for freshwater fish. They instantly go into shock and die within seconds. It's considered to be the most humane way to destroy the fish in question.
Tony

[Puffer Pita]

Preferred and considered by whom? Certainly not by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

[flamingo]

Originally Posted by doggydad38

Icy salt water is the preferred form of euthanasia for freshwater fish. They instantly go into shock and die within seconds. It's considered to be the most humane way to destroy the fish in question.
Tony

I don't mean to sound rude but it just sounds like your intentionally putting them through a stroke.

[darkfalz]

In my opinion any way which kills a fish quickly is humane, even if they experience a lot of pain right before they die. My conscience can handle that. Letting them starve and be food for other fish seems less humane to me. If they're not going to get to live proper lives, I'd rather snuff them out quickly.