If you see your pet fish floating sideways or jumping out of the tank, don't immediately grieve and prepare to dispose of the fish's body. Your pet fish is not necessarily dead. To determine this, you'll need to do a few things, check vital signs, deal with dead or dying fish, and consider other issues that cause the fish to just appear dead.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Checking Fish's Vital Signs
Step 1. Try catching fish with an aquarium net
See if the fish struggle when they are picked up with the net. If it's just sleeping, your fish will wake up and try to get out of the net. Otherwise, the fish may be dead or seriously ill.
Step 2. Look at the fish's breath
For some fish species, check the gills. If the gills don't move, it means the fish isn't breathing. However, betta fish and other fish that have a labyrinth (breathing organs) breathe through the mouth. Therefore, check the up and down movement in the fish's body.
Step 3. Check the eyelets
See the eye of the fish as a whole. If the eyes are sunken (sunken eyes), it means the fish is dead or dying. Cloudy pupils are also a sign of death for most aquarium fish.
If you keep mackerel, walleye, rabbitfish, or scorpionfish, occasional cloudy eyes are normal. However, if this cloudy eye does not go away within a few days, contact your veterinarian immediately
Step 4. Check the fish scales
Do it if your fish jump out of the aquarium. Look for cracks in the fish's scales when lifting its body. Touch the fish's body to feel the dryness. These signs are only present in dead fish.
Method 2 of 3: Dealing with Dying or Dead Fish
Step 1. Spend some time with the dying fish
Look for symptoms such as an inability to eat or falling quickly after swimming to the surface. You will feel very sorry, but treat fish like any other pet. Sit next to the aquarium, and talk to the fish if you usually do
Step 2. End the life of the suffering fish
Use clove oil which is a natural anesthetic to end the suffering of fish humanely. You can buy this oil at the pharmacy. Put the dying fish in 1 liter of water. Pour 400 mg of clove oil into the water, and within 10 minutes, the fish will lose oxygen and die peacefully.
Step 3. Remove all dead fish from the aquarium, if possible
Use aquarium nets to pick up dead fish bodies. If you can't find it, don't worry because the carcass won't hurt other fish and decomposes naturally.
Fish parasites and diseases require a living host. If you think your pet fish has died from the disease, the other fish may already be infected. Monitor your pet fish for symptoms. If the fish in the tank don't look sick or develop symptoms of illness after a few days, it means the fish are strong enough to fight off the disease
Step 4. Don't throw fish down the toilet
Fish carcasses should not be disposed of in a place that is not their natural habitat because it will damage the ecosystem. Throw dead fish in the trash or bury them outside. If your fish is large enough, it's best to just bury it. Check your local ordinances to make sure you are allowed to bury pets.
Method 3 of 3: Examine Other Possible Problems
Step 1. Treat constipation with peeled peas
Constipation can cause fish to float sideways. Peeled peas (all varieties) contain a lot of fiber to improve digestion of fish. If your fish hasn't had a bowel movement in a few days, feed 2-3 fresh peas or freshly thawed frozen peas. Soften the beans or let them sink to the bottom of the tank.
- Don't use canned pods as they contain sodium and seasonings that can hurt your fish.
- Soften the peas. Boil the peas in filtered water for one minute. Allow the peas to cool after removing from the stove. Do not use the microwave because the important nutrients in the nuts will be lost.
- Peel the skin of your peas with your fingers. Make sure you wash your hands first!
- Cut the peas into small pieces. First, cut your peas in half if they don't split when peeled. Then, divide into four. If your fish is small, cut it into smaller pieces.
Step 2. Reduce fish feed, if necessary
If you're not constipated, chances are your fish is just eating too much. Overeating will inflate the fish's stomach and make it float sideways. If the fish has recently defecated, do not feed it for 3-4 days.
Step 3. Check the way your fish sleep
Fish stop moving while sleeping. For example, betta fish and goldfish sleep lying on the bottom of the aquarium. Learn how to sleep your fish by reading articles on the internet or reading pet fish care books.
- You can also look for this information on websites or veterinary clinics. Look for pet care books at public libraries or pet stores. If you have access to a database of educational journals, look for articles in veterinary journals.
- There are fish that like to play dead just to surprise you. Make sure you double check.
Step 4. Condition your aquarium water
Chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals in tap water can hurt and kill fish. Add the water conditioner to the aquarium according to the instructions on the product packaging. You can buy this product at a pet store in your city.
- Test the chlorine, chloramine, and heavy metal levels in your aquarium before adding a water conditioner. You can buy a moisture test kit at a pet store. Follow the instructions for use on the packaging to prevent mistaking your aquarium's moisture content.
- Otherwise, you can purchase and use distilled water from a supermarket to fill the tank.
Step 5. Check the temperature of the aquarium water
If you recently changed your tank's water, the sudden change in temperature will take your fish by surprise. Measure the temperature of the aquarium water with an aquarium thermometer. If the water temperature is above or below the ideal temperature, adjust your aquarium's thermostat.
- Monitor your fish to make sure its behavior returns to normal once the water temperature is adjusted.
- Next time, simply replace a portion of the aquarium water to prevent sudden changes in the temperature and pH of the water.
- If you need to change a large amount of water, remove your fish from the tank first. Put the fish with the aquarium water in a plastic bag and let the bag float in the tank so the fish can get used to the new water temperature.
