Should I euthanize neons with neon tetra disease ?

[catshanon]

One of my neons has a very advanced stage of NTD ( curved spine and white lesions erupting from the body) . I was thinking that it got into a fight and had a deformity from birth, so I didn't pay close attention... Today I looked at the tank and saw another neon with a similar wound. The one with the most advanced state has its caudal fin down to its stump. I guess I won't be able to save the infected fish, so should I euthanize them ?

I have 10 neons, and a few others have whitish edges around the caudal fins. Most likely they have also contracted the disease. I want to treat the less severly affected ones for tail and fin rot and hope that they will recover.

I have blue emperor tetras and rasboras in that tank, and though they can catch the disease too, they seem to be doing fine...

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

Raj

[firestorm]

If you have some that are already in the further stages of the disease, I would probably euthanize them. And treating the others asap is probably the best thing to do. I would do a good 50% water change first, then put the meds in. I would also add aquarium or epsom salts to the aquarium (1tbsp/5g). Increase the temp to 80, unless it is already that warm, and do water changes between each treatment or every 3 days. Clean water is one of the most important factors in helping sick fish.

To euthanize, the most humane way I know of is to stick them in a ziploc with some water, then put them in the freezer. This method will slowly slow their metabolism, and eventually their hearts stop beating. Some people suffocate their fish by leaving them out of water (too much suffering), or they bash them over the head with a blunt object (my mom used to use the back of a knife). Just DO NOT flush them while still alive, poor fishies

Good luck, hope you can get them better!

[Blue Ram]

A better way (IMO) and much more humane is to take a small container of your aquarium water, place it in the freezer just until the surface is starting to freeze, break open the ice and put the fish in. The fish dies instantly because of the shock. Simply putting them from the aquarium into the freezer is much more painful and can take much more time as the fish suffers until it eventually dies from the temperature change.