What to do with dead fish?
 Your pet fish has not been moving since previous night and you are worried that it would die soon but not sure how you would handle it. Death is an inevitable part of every creature’s life and it can be a bit painful in case of pets. In case of your pet fish it is better to confirm if it is really dead? As we may get confuse that it is a sick fish or a dead fish very often.
Identifying the dead fish and the sick fish : It is very important that you remove the fish from the tank only if you are 100% sure that it is dead.
- Take a closer look at your fish and specifically at its gills. Is it breathing? If not then it is dead.
- Tap the glass of the tank. Do you notice any movement? Did it respond to your tapping? If not then your fish might be dead.
- Try lifting it out of the tank for just a second, if it doesn’t struggle then it is an indicator that your fish might be dead.
- Notice the color of the fish. Is it partially or fully white? If it is, then your fish has begun to rot.
- If you are having a goldfish then you must have observed that they sleep lying down at the bottom of the tank. This does not mean that it is sick or about to die.
- Make sure that your fish isn’t sick as sick fish can sometimes look dead. However if your sick fish has not moved for along time then it is dead.
- Check the water temperature as a sudden change in the water temperature can shock your fish and can even lead to their death.
- If your fish is spending a lot of time behind the rocks or plants in the aquarium then it is a clear indicator that it is sick.
How to remove dead fish from the tank: Do not hesitate to remove the dead fish as it can pollute the water by releasing toxins in water.
- Locate the dead fish from outside before opening the lid.
- If the fish is big then the entire lid may be required to be opened.
- Do not remove the fish with bare hands. Use gloves or small fish nets for removing the fish.
- Check the health of the remaining fish in the tank.
Disposal of dead fish: It is very important to dispose off the dead fish in a proper way.
- If the fish is small then you can flush it off in your toilet.
- If the fish is big then flushing it in your toilet may block your toilet.
- It is suggested to bury the big fish at your backyard if it is allowed in your country.
- You can also cover it up in a big plastic bag, tie up the bag and dispose it in the trash properly.
I hope that your fish isn’t really dead but if it is, then hurry up and remove the dead fish before it releases any toxins and now you know what to do with dead fish.
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