Tetra has a "lead-like" rear end

**vanessa** · 8th Oct 2005, 00:08

Hi Everyone,

I am writing to this forum because my tetra has been going down hill for a couple of weeks now. He's alive, but it really takes everything he's got to swim. He lays at the bottom of the tank like he's got lead in his rear end. I don't think he's going to make it much longer. I've taken everything out of the tank, given him fresh water and food and he's not eating at all. He just lays at the bottom of the tank. He still surprises me with a little spunk, but over-all he looks tired.

Anyone have any suggestions or treatments?

**stormhawk** · 8th Oct 2005, 03:44

Vanessa, your fish probably has a problem with its swim bladder. This is usually bacteria-induced and I've not read of a possible cure for this problem. I guess you just have to let it go.

**planters** · 8th Oct 2005, 04:15

agree with stormhawk...

**Enda** · 10th Oct 2005, 15:26

Hi Vanessa, sorry about your fish, but glad to hear that you're taking such good care of it. Do you have any other fish in the tank? Take care to make sure that this disease, because it is caused by bacteria, does not spread to other fish.

**andrewtyr** · 10th Oct 2005, 16:06

you sound very attached to your fish. I usually don't feel a thing when I see my fish number decrease. hee, maybe I am more feelingless. = p

**vanessa** · 11th Oct 2005, 00:55

I guess I need to put him out of his misery. What is the best humane way I can do that?

**stormhawk** · 11th Oct 2005, 00:59

Vanessa, I usually euthanise fishes that are badly infected or sick by freezing them in the fridge. The temperature drop slows down their movement and is a painless death I supposed.

Its better than what I used to do... smacking them head first on a hard floor so that they die instantaneously. I didn't like doing that so I went with the freezer option.

**Justikanz** · 11th Oct 2005, 01:02

The freezer option is actually a painful process... The freezing of the blood causes immense pain...

I hate to suggest... But breaking the 'neck' region is still the most painless way... Never tried it but it sounds most logical... Mags like TFH and PFK suggests so too..

**stormhawk** · 11th Oct 2005, 01:19

Yikes! Well I usually don't have to deal with that option since most of the sick ones die off even before I take them out.

**vanessa** · 11th Oct 2005, 01:52

Aw, man. I don't like either of those options. Should I just let him wait it out? Poor thing just sits at the bottom of the tank...breathing...and occasionally swims up to the top and then sinks back down. I don't want to smash his head with a rock or give him intense pain by freezing his blood.

I wish he'd just float on up to the top on his own...

Thanks for all your suggestions.

**Justikanz** · 11th Oct 2005, 13:57

Personally, I won't practice euthanasia... I dun believe in killing the animal when I dun really know if it is going thru an immense enough pain to want to kill itself...

**Sweet Angel** · 12th Oct 2005, 00:29

Guys, I usually juz throw the poor fella into the ditch in front of my house...

That's becoz I don't want to see it die, and maybe there's still possibility that nature will safe it

**Justikanz** · 12th Oct 2005, 00:33

No offense... That's the ostrich approach, right?

**stormhawk** · 13th Oct 2005, 04:22

Usually the fishes we release into the "ditches" or drains seldom survive unless they're really tough. It is however not a good idea to release the fishes into our environment. Living in the drain is not a good thing for them since the water levels are seldom constant and it gets polluted every now and then. By releasing them we're actually "killing" them.

**Sweet Angel** · 13th Oct 2005, 11:27

Yeah I know, but the methods you guys talked about above, they all mean to kill the fish isn't it...?
So I think better not to watch them die & still give them any slight chance to survive...

**Sweet Angel** · 13th Oct 2005, 11:28

Yeah I know, but the methods you guys talked about above, they all mean to kill the fish isn't it...?
So I think better not to watch them die & still give them any slight chance to survive...

Justikanz, what is ostrich...?

**stormhawk** · 13th Oct 2005, 11:42

Angel, double post?

Yes the methods are meant to kill the fish to take it out of its misery. I guess I'm lucky since my sick fishes are always dead before I have to euthanise them.