Humanely Kill Tilapia for table

[Sunny Oettel]

Hello, please tell me how you humanely dispatch your tilapia for the table.  When I googled it, some said using ice chokes them, others say shock them (?) others say drive a pin through their skull, or hit them in the head with a hammer.  Wow, I can't picture myself chasing flopping fish with a hammer!  I just want to do the job without causing the fish too much pain.  I also think when something is being killed, it can put out body chemicals (kind of like we have coritsol) because of fear.

[Sunny Oettel]

Thank you, Nic, this is wonderful news. I'm telling all my aquaponic friends and teacher about this product.   I really didn't want to have to deal with the fish banging around for 15-20 min until they died in an ice chest (which WAS my plan, until I found out how violently they would react to the ice water).  What is the smallest package of Aqui-S a person might buy?  (I'm still a really small operation)

Nic Paton said:

Hi Sunny.  AQUI-S has no Methyleugenol.  AQUI-S is a very controlled GMP produced product containing 50% Isoeugenol and 50% excipients to allow the Isoeugenol oil to disperse in water and be available for gill perfusion.  There are no other compounds present in AQUI-S.  I unfortunately do not know enough about Methyleugenol to comment any further on its toxicity or carcinogenicity. 

AQUI-S is available to everyone.  In some regions there are some rules around purchase but we can help with that should after we get an inquiry.  We have distributors located in various countries (See our distributor page HERE) and where no distributors are appointed we can sell direct from New Zealand. 

The beauty of AQUI-S is that only small concentrations are needed to anesthetize fish.  Typically for handling you will need between 20 - 30 mg/L, which is equivalent to 20 - 30 ml per 1,000 L of water.

[Jon Paul]

Thank you Nick Paton for you nice write up!!!  I hope to hear more about this product.

[Nic Paton]

Hi Sunny.  The smallest volume sold is 100 ml which is capable of treating 5,000 L of water at 20 mg/L (20 ml per 1,000 L). 

The additional benefit of AQUI-S is that it gives the operator flexibility when it comes to actually killing the fish.  Ice may well be an appropriate method to kill the fish following AQUI-S exposure as the sedative effects of AQUI-S removes the trauma and energy exertion associated with a standard ice procedure.  The same applies for spiking (Iki Jime -http://www.aqui-s.com/index.php/aqui-s-products/iki-jime), percussion or gill cut. 

There will be no taste tainting associated with using AQUI-S during harvest.  You should however be able to tell the difference between the taste and texture of a stressed fish v's rested fish.  The rested fish should be firmer, sweeter (higher muscle pH) and will have a longer shelf life.  The better stress is managed prior to harvest and during harvest the better the quality of your final product.

Nic

Sunny Oettel said:

Thank you, Nic, this is wonderful news. I'm telling all my aquaponic friends and teacher about this product.   I really didn't want to have to deal with the fish banging around for 15-20 min until they died in an ice chest (which WAS my plan, until I found out how violently they would react to the ice water).  What is the smallest package of Aqui-S a person might buy?  (I'm still a really small operation)

Nic Paton said:

Hi Sunny.  AQUI-S has no Methyleugenol.  AQUI-S is a very controlled GMP produced product containing 50% Isoeugenol and 50% excipients to allow the Isoeugenol oil to disperse in water and be available for gill perfusion.  There are no other compounds present in AQUI-S.  I unfortunately do not know enough about Methyleugenol to comment any further on its toxicity or carcinogenicity. 

AQUI-S is available to everyone.  In some regions there are some rules around purchase but we can help with that should after we get an inquiry.  We have distributors located in various countries (See our distributor page HERE) and where no distributors are appointed we can sell direct from New Zealand. 

The beauty of AQUI-S is that only small concentrations are needed to anesthetize fish.  Typically for handling you will need between 20 - 30 mg/L, which is equivalent to 20 - 30 ml per 1,000 L of water.

[David - WI]

So, what about using Aqui-S 20E prior to harvesting fish for sale as food?  Supposedly there were NO sedatives approved here in the US?

I think it's a fantastic idea... but it has to be legal, too.

[Sunny Oettel]

That is a GREAT question.  How about it, Nic?

David - WI said:

So, what about using Aqui-S 20E prior to harvesting fish for sale as food?  Supposedly there were NO sedatives approved here in the US?

I think it's a fantastic idea... but it has to be legal, too.

[Sunny Oettel]

The only distributor for Aqui-S that I can find in the US is in Washington, and the smallest container I can buy from him is a 1 liter container.  Does anyone know where I could get a 100 ml container of Aqui-S for my Aquaponic operation?

Nic Paton said:

Hi Sunny.  The smallest volume sold is 100 ml which is capable of treating 5,000 L of water at 20 mg/L (20 ml per 1,000 L). 

The additional benefit of AQUI-S is that it gives the operator flexibility when it comes to actually killing the fish.  Ice may well be an appropriate method to kill the fish following AQUI-S exposure as the sedative effects of AQUI-S removes the trauma and energy exertion associated with a standard ice procedure.  The same applies for spiking (Iki Jime -http://www.aqui-s.com/index.php/aqui-s-products/iki-jime), percussion or gill cut. 

There will be no taste tainting associated with using AQUI-S during harvest.  You should however be able to tell the difference between the taste and texture of a stressed fish v's rested fish.  The rested fish should be firmer, sweeter (higher muscle pH) and will have a longer shelf life.  The better stress is managed prior to harvest and during harvest the better the quality of your final product.

Nic

Sunny Oettel said:

Thank you, Nic, this is wonderful news. I'm telling all my aquaponic friends and teacher about this product.   I really didn't want to have to deal with the fish banging around for 15-20 min until they died in an ice chest (which WAS my plan, until I found out how violently they would react to the ice water).  What is the smallest package of Aqui-S a person might buy?  (I'm still a really small operation)

Nic Paton said:

Hi Sunny.  AQUI-S has no Methyleugenol.  AQUI-S is a very controlled GMP produced product containing 50% Isoeugenol and 50% excipients to allow the Isoeugenol oil to disperse in water and be available for gill perfusion.  There are no other compounds present in AQUI-S.  I unfortunately do not know enough about Methyleugenol to comment any further on its toxicity or carcinogenicity. 

AQUI-S is available to everyone.  In some regions there are some rules around purchase but we can help with that should after we get an inquiry.  We have distributors located in various countries (See our distributor page HERE) and where no distributors are appointed we can sell direct from New Zealand. 

The beauty of AQUI-S is that only small concentrations are needed to anesthetize fish.  Typically for handling you will need between 20 - 30 mg/L, which is equivalent to 20 - 30 ml per 1,000 L of water.

[Nic Paton]

Hi Guy's,

AQUI-S 20E has been developed specifically for the North American market and is only available from our distributors in the US (AquaTactics Fish Health).  The active ingredient in AQUI-S 20E is 10% Eugenol (AQUI-S (concentrate) is 50% Isoeugenol).  To purchase this product you will need to sign up to the Investigational New Animal Drug (INAD) program.  Currently the product has a immediate release claim.  Full registration is in process, however this is proving to be a lengthy process in the USA.

I would encourage you to contact Tom Goodrich (contact details).  Tom will be able to help you with your inquiry for AQUI-S 20E directly: http://aquatactics.com/

[David - WI]

I think for fish that's not being sold, that's also not going to be released but rather killed in the next few minutes... clove oil would be my choice.

It's been shown to sedate fish, we don't really care how consistent the "recovery time" is for the fish because he'll be filleted before he wakes up... and clove oil is used in candy, bubblegum, soda, etc already.

I think you have to keep in mind that this is a "one-time" exposure to clove oil... these are not fish that are being sedated and then measured, counted, tested, graded, or operated on before being released; where they might end up being sedated again and again during their lifetime.  These fish are going to be killed and eaten before the sedative wears off.

[Sunny Oettel]

I'm thinking Aqui-S could be handy for sexing the fish, moving them, and all sorts of things we do, especially the dispatching.  It's been tested and approved in other countries.  I also like the idea of helping a good product be approved in the US.  It looks like we would have good support from the company, too, as we learn how to do these things.

David - WI said:

I think for fish that's not being sold, that's also not going to be released but rather killed in the next few minutes... clove oil would be my choice.

It's been shown to sedate fish, we don't really care how consistent the "recovery time" is for the fish because he'll be filleted before he wakes up... and clove oil is used in candy, bubblegum, soda, etc already.

I think you have to keep in mind that this is a "one-time" exposure to clove oil... these are not fish that are being sedated and then measured, counted, tested, graded, or operated on before being released; where they might end up being sedated again and again during their lifetime.  These fish are going to be killed and eaten before the sedative wears off.

[David - WI]

I'm all for that and I certainly hope they get it approved so that we can use it commercially... but the original question was about humanely killing fish to eat at home.

With only one place to buy Aqui-S using Aqui-S seems like it would be a lot more trouble than it's worth for the home user compared to clove oil that's readily available almost anywhere.

[David - WI]

There are a bunch of interesting videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFk143D0gB8

This looks pretty painless: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMf9iJKAEeg

Like I said, we couldn't use it anyway; but I would if I was raising fish for myself & my family.

[Tom Goodrich]

Clove oil is not approved by the FDA for treatment of fish.  Any such use would be illegal and would result in an adulterated product.  And while clove is used, as you say, in candy, bubblegum, soda, etc., it has not been nor ever will be approved by the FDA as a drug, which is what it would be defined as for treatment of fish.  Your common sense logic in this case, unfortunately, does not work.
 
David - WI said:

I think for fish that's not being sold, that's also not going to be released but rather killed in the next few minutes... clove oil would be my choice.

It's been shown to sedate fish, we don't really care how consistent the "recovery time" is for the fish because he'll be filleted before he wakes up... and clove oil is used in candy, bubblegum, soda, etc already.

I think you have to keep in mind that this is a "one-time" exposure to clove oil... these are not fish that are being sedated and then measured, counted, tested, graded, or operated on before being released; where they might end up being sedated again and again during their lifetime.  These fish are going to be killed and eaten before the sedative wears off.