Destroying unwanted discus.......

[Ben]

When I say, "destroying unwanted discus" I am referring to culling ones that are maybe deformed, not growing or in some cases ones that are simply unwanted.
I just had the very unpleasant experience of culling one of my young blue diamonds. I had bought 6 x4cm blue diamonds and they have all grown incredibly except for this little poor bugger, he would eat like the others and I could see that he had a full stomach so he was not getting bullied by the others, he simply was not growing.

I took his life as best and quickly and as humanely as I could.

How do others do this?

We all know its for the best, but there is nothing worse that taking the life of a discus.

RIP, my little bluey.

[wyldchyld01]

know how you feel with the little bd,

i use two methods, if i just want to be quick and not go through a lot of effort, the usual quick hard smack on the concrete with the fishy in the net (only use this for small, or one fish that needs culling), find it a bit cruel

large fish or larger amounts of culling required i use a plastic bag filled with a bit of water, add to this a couple of drops (teaspoon) of clove oil, the effect is that the clove oil coates the gills of the fish and they die peacefully (more often than not) within a minute or so from suffocation, close the bag and throw away. you do have to be careful not to get any clove oil on your hands if your putting them into a tank afterwards (or wash really well)

brenton

[Trebs]

I've used clove oil mixed with vodka to cull fry in the past. It works pretty fast and doesn't seem to stress them too much. Takes about 1 minute depending on dose. Brenton, you're right about the smell, best to do it outside.

I don't really like the idea of putting fish in the freezer, I think it would take too long.

It could be argued that one quick blow on the concrete could be better as it's faster. I prefer the clove oil method though. Really a personal choice here. Whatever you go for quick and painless is always the aim.

[duck]

If it's not growing is that bad?

I'm not having a go just a question.

duck

[nicholas76]

deep freezer

puts them to sleep dead in minutes

[Proteus]

ditto to Nick's method...

appropriate sized container, fill with tank water, place the fish in there, put it in the freezer...

basically it just slowly starts to shut down, falls asleep, then dies...

IMO the most humane way of doing it.

[Sean]

If there is nothing wrong with the fish i.e. not sick, wouldn't it be preferable to find a LFS that will take it off your hands? They can then sell it for a reasonable price and increase the number of people who will get to love keeping discus tooooo. I kow culling is an important part of breeding programs but discus are a popular fish and I think we are in a position to encourage other people to the hobby by offloading the one we don't want :)

[Kaza]

hey I'am with Sean, why kill a perfectly healthy fish just because it is small. I know standards have to be maintained especially for breeders but taking the fish to a LFS may allow someone else the pleasure of having discus who may not be able to afford a good quality fish. I have my own little runt who I love because of his get up and go, he has personality plus, and lets face it are we perfect!

[Ben]

Sean and Kaza, thanks for your feedback!

My little guy was doing ok, but lets say i took him to my local fish shop, and they sold him for cheaper than normal price. In theroy i am off loading a reject onto someone else! if he is not growing he would have to have some problems with him, lets say he is ok in the short term but what about the long term??

i would not even give him away to someone as lets say he dies in 6 months, the person/people might have grown attached to the little bluey.
ok this might seem harsh, but it is a harsh world,
and no, i am not perfect.

I like to call it EUTHANASIA...........

[Sean]

Hi prodigy,
I think that you have the right to make decisions regarding your fish. I just wanted to say that there are always options for getting rid of unwanted fish - your reject fish may become someone's loved pet. We are lucky with discus as there are always someone who will take our excess stock. I think that we have the responsibility to give the fish in our care the best possible environment, clean water etc., meds when they are sick and also to cull them when they are suffereing and there is nothing else that can be done.

[Kaza]

Once again I agree with Sean, however prodigy I wasnt coming down on you, for many years I worked with orphaned kangaroo joeys, sometimes I had to make hard choices and put them to sleep. I am still relatively new to discus and so at the moment I havent had to make those choices.

But I still would prefer if they are healthy but small to find them new homes.

Sean I wont need to lend your male I AM A MOTHER. OMG

[funkyfish]

parrahna lik little discus to circle of life big fish eat little fish

[kalebjarrod]

unfortunately in the wild the weakest die or are eaten

this is what leads to a strong gene pool

understand that although it may seem cruel, the controled culling of fish that will grow deformed or runted can be considered humane on a fish that may/will continue to have major health issues in the future

in a ideal world returning these fish to a LFS may work, but if one runted fish with a lower immune system was to enter the tank with 6 healthy strong fish it may be the cause for sickness throughout all the fish.

it is a moral and ethical question that has plaged fish keepers for many years.

i belive that the selective culling of fish in our aquariums is nessecary for the long term growth and strengh of our hobby

personal opion, frezzing in a large container

[bob]

sometimes your small guy can be your best friend
(ya know ?)

[DiscusMan]

I always do mine in a container in the freezer.

Ok you take the fish to the LFS they sell it for $40 or whatever but it will still be a lot more than a platty or guppy. Fish goes home and dies. People never buy a discus again due to thinking there to hard to raise.

Culling is needed as it is done in nature, it is our obligation as fish breeders and keepers.

Oh well thats my opinion :)

Wayne

[leanne31]

I agree in culling if its deformed etc but is everyone saying that if you have a small as in stunted fish that you should cull it as its gonna die anyway or do you cull it just because its small and doesnt look the best please explain :?

[kalebjarrod]

i would not kill a fish because it does not have great colours or fins or is a little smaller, if we all did that sort of thing my mum should have done it too me two mins out of the womb.

but i do belive that we should be "selective" in what we allow to grow, deformed, truley stunted, and inferior fish can lead to problems throughout your tanks later on.

IMPO only