To sedate fish using clove oil

[Mattzilla]

A few people have requested that i post the directions i used when sedating my fish for a quick out of tank operation recently.

So here is the original article i got from the ‘Goldfish and Aquarium Board’. I must stress that i did not write this article, i'm just sharing it.

"To sedate with clove oil

Things you will need:

• Clove Oil - to sedate the fish, so you can treat it. You should be able to find some at a pharmacy (look in the toothache section).

• Clean Towel and pillowcase

• 2 Buckets one for sedation and one to transport fish back to its tank

• Airstone

Instructions

• Set up your work area and make sure everything is very clean.

o Lay out a towel and one of those hospital blue pads. a pillowcase on top would also work (it's smoother than the towel)

o Lay out your other materials within easy reach

• Place 5 drops of clove oil and some water in a ziplock freezer bag for every 4 litres of water needed to submerge the fish.

• Shake well, then pour into container where fish will be sedated. Use water from the tank if possible and match tank temperature. An airstone would help to keep the mixture dispersed.

• Place fish in the solution. When it turns over on its side and gill movements slow, remove it from the solution, perform the procedure. If the fish doesn't roll over in 5 minutes, then add another drop per 4 litres (shake it up in water before adding).

• You will want to work quickly and finish the procedure you're performing as quickly as possible.

• Make sure you keep one hand on the fish at all times in case he starts flopping around. Don't want any falls off the counter!

• After you're done place the fish in a bucket of clean water and return him to the tank.

• You may need to hold the fish for a little while in an area where fresh water is moving through its gills (e.g. by the outflow of the filter) until he gets less groggy.

To perform a procedure without sedation:

Procedures can also be done without sedating the fish, however, care must be taken to make sure fish doesn't get away from you and take a fall. It will be more stressful for the fish without sedation. Place a heavy towel dampened with cold tap water as your base and then place another heavy cold tap water dampened towel over the fish covering the head but leaving the areas you're working on exposed. This will help to keep the fish from flopping around and may help to keep them calm. Keep one hand on the fish at all times. Be sure to have everything that you need laid out ahead of time. "

It's important to know that over dosing clove oil can be fatal in fish. Please do your own research along with this article prior to using clove oil.

Using clove oil to sedate a fish is also a very humane method for fish euthanasia. Use the method above then place the fish in the clove oil solution into the freezer. I have used a slightly stronger clove oil amount when doing this in the past with quick and humane results.

your comments are welcomed.

HTH

Matt

[fullboar]

I used this in my hatchery with Murray cod and Yellas some years ago. It's widely used in most native fish and also trout hatcheries. Works well, didnt think of useing it's on my tank fish. Thanks for the heads up.

Scott

[CThompson]

Using clove oil to sedate a fish is also a very humane method for fish euthanasia. Use the method above then place the fish in the clove oil solution into the freezer. I have used a slightly stronger clove oil amount when doing this in the past with quick and humane results.

This is the most humane way of dealing with fish euthanasia, but I see no reason to ALSO put them in a freezer. The difference between a safe and a fatal dose of clove oil (or clove bud oil as it's also called) is very little, and the difficulty of getting the stuff out of the little Blackamoor bottles will see you shaking the little bottle and excess going into the euthanize container anyway. The fish will be dead very quickly so to add them to the freezer is ....wait for it..."overkill"

I happen to believe freezing (on its own) to euthanize a fish is cruel, better a "concrete-kiss" as it's fast. So why add it to clove oil euthanising method.

FYI an "ice-slurry" is extremely fast. I mean ice that has been through a grinder - not ice cubes is near as fast as a concrete-kiss, but still not as good as clove oil

I do tend to shudder thinking of anybody using clove oil for surgical purposes though.