HAVE A HEART  [Letter to the Editor] 

When you hear someone has a pet, you immediately think of cats or dogs, right? Well, in some cases, people have pet fish. Many view pet fish as more of a decoration than a true companion, leading to misconceptions about owning fish as pets. Fish have very specific needs and require attentive and routine care. Neglect can make them sick and even lead to their demise. Taking a fish to the vet isn’t always possible.

In my case, one of my pet fish, Denji, a molly, fell ill. I attempted to treat him, but it appeared he had an inoperable cancerous tumour. Saddened by this, I sought advice from friends on how to ease his suffering and help him pass peacefully. Immediate suggestions included ‘flush it,’ ‘chop its head off,’ or ‘just take it out of the water.’ After all, it’s just a fish, right? Wrong.

Every little life deserves mercy. So, I conducted some research and discovered that the most humane way to help my little friend rest was to use clove oil. Clove oil acts as an anaesthetic for fish and, in specific quantities, can be used to euthanize them.

Approximately 0.4 ml of clove oil per litre of aquarium water is sufficient to euthanize a fish. First, mix the clove oil with a small amount of warm water before gradually adding it to the aquarium water. This gently induces sleep in the fish, allowing them to pass away peacefully.

Rest in peace to my dear Denji, and I hope that more fish owners out there will reconsider flushing their ailing friends down the toilet.

#There’sAnotherOption