As a betta fish owner, one would face all the strawberry days of the betta fish’s healthy and youthful life. But the harsh reality of having a pet is to euthanize it or, in layman’s terms, kill it to end its suffering. The point of euthanizing is to end the suffering painlessly. Therefore, you must know how to euthanize a betta fish as a fish owner.
Before we proceed, it should be kept in mind that euthanizing is the ultimate way to help your fish. It would help if you made sure before knowing how to euthanize a betta fish that you have done everything in your power to help your betta fish, but there are no signs of recovery. Only then should you opt for the methods on how to euthanize a betta fish.
If you genuinely want to stop your betta fish’s pain, you must go through the euthanization process. You also want to avoid sickening other fish. Because aquatic infections are highly infectious, you must be attentive and realistic when deciding. There are various humane and inhumane ways how to euthanize a betta fish. It is usually preferable to use humane methods; you do not want your betta to suffer and die unpleasantly.
What Is Euthanizing A Betta Fish?
Euthanasia is derived from the Greek word euthanasia, which means “pleasant death.” When your fish becomes ill, the first thing you should do is treat it. It could be struggling from dropsy or possibly pinecone, which are incurable. Thus the best alternative is to learn how to euthanize a betta fish and practice.
Pinecone isn’t a sickness; instead, it’s a sign of various illnesses that occur after they’ve progressed. The plates of a fish that looks to be pine coning will extend away from the sides, giving it a bloated appearance. This is frequently caused by bloating or a build-up of fluid. It is commonly linked to Dropsy, although it can indicate other pathogens, heart illness, or digestive disturbances.
Hence, dropsy and other pinecone symptomatic diseases are both lethal for your betta and might require you to practice how to euthanize your betta. Here we have discussed a few humane and inhumane ways to euthanize a betta fish.
How To Euthanize A Betta Fish: Humane Ways
Clove Oil Method
The majority of owners consider the clove oil method the best answer to how to euthanize a betta fish since it is the gentlest and most merciful method available. The simplest way to figure out which clove oil is the most beneficial is to ask the pet store owner. To complete this task, you will need two containers, one tiny and one large.
First, you removed a gallon of water from the primary aquarium with the sick betta and placed it in a considerable container large enough to hold a gallon of water. Pour the same water and blended clove oil into the comparatively small container. 4 drops of organic clove oil are now added to the small container and stirred.
It won’t dissolve quickly, so you’ll have to agitate it slightly. You can always use an air pump to mix it and reduce your effort. Pour the clove oil and water mixture into the big container containing the ill betta. You’ll observe the fish will be lying down after a few seconds.
There may be some gill activity, indicating that it has slept off but is not yet killed. Stir, then add more clove oil. Use about 5-7 drops this time. Sit tight until there is no evidence of activity, then inspect the gills and discard the fish.
Using Anesthesia
Like humans using anesthesia makes our cute betta numb, and it dozes off. Adding enough dosage of particular anesthesia is the best solution for euthanizing a betta fish. There is various anesthesia for betta available on the market. The anesthesia will work in 30 minutes to 2hours and provide your betta fish a painless death.
A few of them are:
- Benzocaine Hydrochloride
- Tricaine Methanesulfonate
- Sodium Phenobarbital
Baking Soda Technique
Adding three tablespoons of baking soda to the fish tank is the most cost-effective, painless, and quick death you can give your beautiful betta pet. After adding three tablespoons of baking soda, you must allow it to mix well for effective euthanizing of betta. Baking soda can be considered equivalent to the clove oil method on how to euthanize a betta fish.
Examine the betta’s gills after some moments to see if they are functioning or not. If you notice that it is still running, please be patient for a few more. If you remove the fish from the water before it has died, it will fight to breathe. This will put your cute pal under a lot of pressure.
How To Euthanize A Betta Fish: Inhumane Ways
Using Vodka
While using just vodka is considered inhumane because it burns the gills of betta to death. Adding vodka does not put your fish to sleep. However, adding anesthesia or clove oil, ensuring your fish has gone to sleep, and then adding vodka can be an effective way to ensure your betta has been euthanized. Adding clove oil is the best way how to euthanize a betta fish.
Taking Out Of The Water
The worst answer award on how to euthanize a betta fish goes to suffocating the fish by taking it out of the water. This is because every organ of your betta will fail, and then it will die. Above all, your betta has a unique set of organs that can breathe direct air, making this method the worst way to bid farewell to your little fish.
Freezing Betta
The process has given contradictory viewpoints on being humane or inhumane to many. However, we consider it cruel because it freezes your betta’s gills, making it hard to breathe for your betta for a very long time. This will do nothing but elevate your betta’s pain. This is the worst answer to how to euthanize a betta fish.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
How do you humanely kill a betta fish without clove oil?
You can use the anesthesia mentioned above or baking soda. This will put your fish to sleep first and then kill it slowly without realizing the pain.
How do I know if my betta fish is suffering?
If your betta is struggling to breathe and coming on the surface to gasp for air, if it is pale in color, has a soft tail fin, lazy eyes, and noticeably fluttering gills. Your betta fish is probably suffering immensely.
How long does clove oil take to kill a fish?
Allow the clove oil mixture to be added to the vessel holding the fish. The gills of your fish should cease running in far less than 30 minutes. The fish has been effectively put down when the gills do not pulse for 10 minutes straight.
How to euthanize a betta fish with tea tree oil?
Tea tree oil has always been in the debate regarding euthanization. Some say it might help in euthanization some say it will help remove bacterial or fungal infections. It is best to go for clove oil.
Final Thoughts:
Choosing one of the above-mentioned methods on how to euthanize a betta fish is entirely under your discretion. However, we suggest going for the inhumane ways because if you genuinely love your fish, you will not want it to suffer. Above all, animals deserve to die in peace too. If you’re going to avoid euthanizing a betta fish completely, please take care of your betta properly.
