Culling?????

I seem to be the only one posting here, maybe I'm stupid?? lol I'm just trying to learn everything I can!!!

Amongst my 17 blue angels, I have one that swims at 45%, or at a tilt anyway, when it comes to picking bits and pieces up off the floor he's virtually on his side, is he likely to recover from this or should I do the dirty deed before I get too attached to him?? Its something I hate doing, but I already have 2 deformed fish that my daughter wouldn't let me do anything with, I've not pointed this one out to her yet!! He's the same size as the others so not having a problem eating.

Opinions please

It is a shame it's so quiet.

Culling is an emotive subject, in the wild there's no need for culling, since well over 99% of babies produced end up as food for other animals, sick, weak and deformed individuals are the ones who go first. In an aquarium where there are no natural predators, the aquarist has to take on the role of nature, first off that means taking care to select only the best individuals for breeding, since breeding from weak or deformed fish is likely to result in more weak and deformed individuals, but that still leaves the issue of what to do with those fish that don't make the grade.

Realistically if every, runt, misformed and maimed individual is kept as a non breeding pet, eventually you won't have any room for fit & healthy specimens. In this case it sounds like he might be blind in one eye, which can affect the way the fish orientates itself in the water.

Personally I would be inclined to cull, not least because such a fish, if allowed to live, might well find itself on the wrong end of bullying behaviour when it's older.
If you do decide to cull, please do so in an humane way. You'll find various methods advocated, some will recommend freezing, but there's actually a lot of evidence that that method is actually very painful for the fish. IMO clove oil is the best approach. Dissolve a few drops in some aquarium water and simply pop the affected fish into the water. In my experience the fish show no signs of distress but fairly rapidly fall asleep and stop breathing soon after.

Pterophyllum wrote:It is a shame it's so quiet.

Culling is an emotive subject, in the wild there's no need for culling, since well over 99% of babies produced end up as food for other animals, sick, weak and deformed individuals are the ones who go first. In an aquarium where there are no natural predators, the aquarist has to take on the role of nature, first off that means taking care to select only the best individuals for breeding, since breeding from weak or deformed fish is likely to result in more weak and deformed individuals, but that still leaves the issue of what to do with those fish that don't make the grade.

Realistically if every, runt, misformed and maimed individual is kept as a non breeding pet, eventually you won't have any room for fit & healthy specimens. In this case it sounds like he might be blind in one eye, which can affect the way the fish orientates itself in the water.

Personally I would be inclined to cull, not least because such a fish, if allowed to live, might well find itself on the wrong end of bullying behaviour when it's older.
If you do decide to cull, please do so in an humane way. You'll find various methods advocated, some will recommend freezing, but there's actually a lot of evidence that that method is actually very painful for the fish. IMO clove oil is the best approach. Dissolve a few drops in some aquarium water and simply pop the affected fish into the water. In my experience the fish show no signs of distress but fairly rapidly fall asleep and stop breathing soon after.

sound advice that

Thanks Rob I'll get myself some clove oil............. and maybe wait a bit lol just incase

bridgegirl99 wrote:Thanks Rob I'll get myself some clove oil............. and maybe wait a bit lol just incase

I hope you had the courage to do it. I have to keep my culls quiet too. My girls will remind me over and over again about the occasion when a stray goldfish fry got decapitated accidentally with a syphon tube, not a cull but my fault. Even my husband, who isnt into fish, calls me a "Nazi" when I cull a fish with defects. As we are interfering with nature, its just one of the things we have to do, no one likes it. Dont expect any thanks for it, best to do it when no one is around, then make a nice cup of tea and have some cake or chocolate as a reward for being brave.   

The trouble I'm finding is spotting the defects before the fish get too big, it gets harder the bigger they get and I keep putting it off which is stupid! they don't improve   . I've just spotted another that's not growing right, so will have to go   , but on the other hand I'm having more success at breeding, so I know in 2 weeks or so there will be more on the way   !

I find it helps to remember that by culling we're making space for the healthier siblings to thrive, but there's no doubt that it's the hardest part of breeding.
Ultimately the majority of the fish we breed will be sold to fellow hobbyists, either directly, or indirectly if you sell to a shop, so if in doubt about culling, ask yourself, "How would I feel if someone sold me that fish?".
All that said, take care in selecting your parent fish, take care to minimise inbreeding, take care not to overfeed, and keep your water quality good, and there shouldn't be too many that need culling.