Tranquilisation, anaesthesia and euthanasia in pet fish

Abstract

Many commonly used veterinary anaesthetics for small animals can also be used with pet fish. Treating tropical aquarium fish is not as hard as one might think, and tranquilising them prior to handling them for physical examinations and diagnostic tests makes the process easier. A number of surgical procedures have been performed on anaesthetised fish, especially with large species such as koi or fish on display in a public aquarium. Anaesthetising the fish prior to any surgical procedure is essential. Euthanasia of aquarium fish is sometimes necessary, and using an overdose of anaesthetic agents can make this process quick and painless. Anaesthetic agents can be added to the water, given orally or injected into the fish. This paper reviews the drugs, dosages and routes of administration used for tranquilisation, anaesthesia and euthanasia in aquatic veterinary medicine.