Euthanize?

[Homebrewer]

Have a cardinal with a pretty significant gill tumor. I’m rather confident that this is not a parasite as I haven’t added anything wet in I can’t remember how long, this appeared over many weeks, and I’ve had him for 3+ years now.

I’m sure this will take its life. Just wondering what others might do in this situation

Thanks I’m advance for your input.

 

[Pistondog]

See what the experts have to say regarding tumor.
If the fish is eating and not visibly uncomfortable, wait.

 

[GHOSTLY]

not yet. Although sad leave it for a sec

 

[ChaosAquaculture]

Is this the only spot? - kali

 

[Homebrewer]

Is this the only spot? - kali

Smaller one forming under the right gill plate too. May be difficult to see in pics, but the one on the left is massive. It protrudes laterally from the body a good 5-6mm

 

[Pistondog]

@Jay Hemdal

 

[Homebrewer]

Smaller one forming under the right gill plate too. May be difficult to see in pics, but the one on the left is massive. It protrudes laterally from the body a good 5-6mm

Here’s a posterior pic

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Did this develop over weeks/months? Could very well be goiter, hyperthyroidism. These cardinals seem to develop it fairly often. The thyroid is at the base of the gills, when that tissue starts to grow, it extends out of the gill covers. Iodine deficiency is often cited as a cause, but there are other goitrogenic compounds that can cause this - none are really reversible.

Jay

 

[Homebrewer]

Did this develop over weeks/months? Could very well be goiter, hyperthyroidism. These cardinals seem to develop it fairly often. The thyroid is at the base of the gills, when that tissue starts to grow, it extends out of the gill covers. Iodine deficiency is often cited as a cause, but there are other goitrogenic compounds that can cause this - none are really reversible.

Jay

Thanks, Jay.

Could very well be thyroid-related. I appreciate your knowledge and possible diagnosis.
Difficult to see on the pic but the tissue is vascularized. Whatever its root cause, it appears to be a solid tumor and will assuredly end its life.

Therefore, with regard to my original question, because this is likely terminal and likely very uncomfortable for the animal, do you have an opinion on euthanizing it in this situation?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks, Jay.

Could very well be thyroid-related. I appreciate your knowledge and possible diagnosis.
Difficult to see on the pic but the tissue is vascularized. Whatever its root cause, it appears to be a solid tumor and will assuredly end its life.

Therefore, with regard to my original question, because this is likely terminal and likely very uncomfortable for the animal, do you have an opinion on euthanizing it in this situation?

Here is an excerpt from my upcoming book that deals with this topic:

Preferred methods for euthanasia

MS-222
Every aquarist should have a plan for specimen euthanasia before they need to employ it. An overdose of buffered Tricaine methane sulfonate (MS-222) is the preferred method for euthanizing fish. Dosing at a rate of greater than 300 mg/l MS-222 along with 300 mg/l sodium bicarbonate is effective for euthanizing fish within 30 minutes. However, MS-222 is expensive, and not readily available in smaller quantities to home aquarists. Removing the fish too soon from the solution may allow it to recover. It is therefore suggested to leave the fish in a small amount of the euthanizing solution, and freeze it for later disposal.

Clove oil (eugenol)
One product that aquarists can buy that is approved by at least some veterinarians and research biologists is clove oil, also called eugenol. A dose of 50 mg/l is usually sufficient in euthanizing fish. This equates to about 0.20 ml of eugenol in one gallon of aquarium water.

Because eugenol does not mix well with water, and because larger volumes are easier for hobbyists to measure out, it can be dosed using the following method:

1) Add 2 ml of eugenol to 100 ml of tank water in a sealed container and shake it vigorously.

2) Add 10 ml of this suspended solution to each gallon of water needed to euthanize the fish.

3) Place the fish in this solution and keep it covered to prevent it from jumping out and to help keep it calm.

4) Wait at least twenty minutes after it stops breathing, and then remove the fish from the solution and freeze it for later disposal.

Other methods
A variety of other methods have been proposed for the euthanasia of fishes, but none are fully accepted by veterinary experts. Still, home aquarists need more common tools to use, so those methods are listed here in roughly descending order of suitability:

Ethanol
Regular alcohol at a dose of 25 ml per liter will cause respiratory collapse and death in fishes within 30 minutes. The trouble is that alcohol is not available in pure form unless it has been “denatured” by the addition of distasteful chemicals such as turpentine. Vodka is about 40% alcohol by volume, so using it 62 ml per liter will give an effective dose.

Decapitation/pithing
Cutting a fish’s spinal cord, right behind the head, is a quick method of euthanasia that is approved for use in food fishes (where the use of chemicals would otherwise make the flesh unfit to eat). The issue is really that the method is distasteful for most people to do, so it is rarely used by aquarists. However, it is quick and effective.

Freezing
Placing the affected fish in a small amount of aquarium water in a sealed container and then placing the container in a freezer is a euthanasia technique used by some people. However, it is slow to work, so it is not considered humane. Its appeal as a method is that the fish is “out of sight” so people feel more detached from the process.

An option of last resort
The animals in your aquariums are completely reliant on you for proper care. It is your responsibility to see to it that their lives in captivity are humane as possible and that all of their needs are met. If you cannot meet their needs, please find someone who is more able. Euthanasia should be considered only for health reasons, not because it is no longer convenient to care for an animal.


Jay

 

[flagg37]

My cardinal had that exact condition and it cleared up on its own when I kept better water parameters. In my case my po4 had crept up to 0.3

 

[Homebrewer]

Here is an excerpt from my upcoming book that deals with this topic:

Preferred methods for euthanasia

MS-222
Every aquarist should have a plan for specimen euthanasia before they need to employ it. An overdose of buffered Tricaine methane sulfonate (MS-222) is the preferred method for euthanizing fish. Dosing at a rate of greater than 300 mg/l MS-222 along with 300 mg/l sodium bicarbonate is effective for euthanizing fish within 30 minutes. However, MS-222 is expensive, and not readily available in smaller quantities to home aquarists. Removing the fish too soon from the solution may allow it to recover. It is therefore suggested to leave the fish in a small amount of the euthanizing solution, and freeze it for later disposal.

Clove oil (eugenol)
One product that aquarists can buy that is approved by at least some veterinarians and research biologists is clove oil, also called eugenol. A dose of 50 mg/l is usually sufficient in euthanizing fish. This equates to about 0.20 ml of eugenol in one gallon of aquarium water.

Because eugenol does not mix well with water, and because larger volumes are easier for hobbyists to measure out, it can be dosed using the following method:

1) Add 2 ml of eugenol to 100 ml of tank water in a sealed container and shake it vigorously.

2) Add 10 ml of this suspended solution to each gallon of water needed to euthanize the fish.

3) Place the fish in this solution and keep it covered to prevent it from jumping out and to help keep it calm.

4) Wait at least twenty minutes after it stops breathing, and then remove the fish from the solution and freeze it for later disposal.

Other methods
A variety of other methods have been proposed for the euthanasia of fishes, but none are fully accepted by veterinary experts. Still, home aquarists need more common tools to use, so those methods are listed here in roughly descending order of suitability:

Ethanol
Regular alcohol at a dose of 25 ml per liter will cause respiratory collapse and death in fishes within 30 minutes. The trouble is that alcohol is not available in pure form unless it has been “denatured” by the addition of distasteful chemicals such as turpentine. Vodka is about 40% alcohol by volume, so using it 62 ml per liter will give an effective dose.

Decapitation/pithing
Cutting a fish’s spinal cord, right behind the head, is a quick method of euthanasia that is approved for use in food fishes (where the use of chemicals would otherwise make the flesh unfit to eat). The issue is really that the method is distasteful for most people to do, so it is rarely used by aquarists. However, it is quick and effective.

Freezing
Placing the affected fish in a small amount of aquarium water in a sealed container and then placing the container in a freezer is a euthanasia technique used by some people. However, it is slow to work, so it is not considered humane. Its appeal as a method is that the fish is “out of sight” so people feel more detached from the process.

An option of last resort
The animals in your aquariums are completely reliant on you for proper care. It is your responsibility to see to it that their lives in captivity are humane as possible and that all of their needs are met. If you cannot meet their needs, please find someone who is more able. Euthanasia should be considered only for health reasons, not because it is no longer convenient to care for an animal.


Jay

Thanks again.

Chemical euthanasia seems to be preferable. I’m an experienced fisherman as well and have dispatched plenty of fish via the knife.

I think I may wait and see. If it struggles to survive then I may go that route. There seem to be a number of people suggesting a wait and see method, so maybe I’ll give it a little more time.

Thanks again!

 

[Homebrewer]

My cardinal had that exact condition and it cleared up on its own when I kept better water parameters. In my case my po4 had crept up to 0.3

Very interesting. My tank usually runs ultra low on the nutrient side. Nitrates never test above 1ppm and phosphate not gone above .06 since I got the Hanna to test more reliably.

Parameter-wise it could be low iodine, as Jay suggested (if in fact this is thyroid-related), but I do 15% water changes every 2 weeks and use b-ionic for my two-part. Though I don’t test for iodine I doubt it is so far outside the acceptable range that it would cause a goiter.

Interesting observation and I appreciate you sharing your experience!

 

[Homebrewer]

Just to close this out, Cardinal no where to be found this morning. In hindsight, I should have netted him the other day and ended it.

Looked up my records and I had it 3 years, almost to the day. Not a bad run for that species I suppose.

Bummer that it died but happy that this is over with. On the bright side, I was looking to make an add to the tank, now I probably have room for two!