Ruby Green with mouth stuck open part 2

[Bravo]

Hi Pam,
I am writing to you again because I need help with a very tough decision for me to make.

It has been almost a week and my fishes mouth is still stuck wide open. I tried many times to put the jaw back in place but I was unable to do so. the fish is now in a 10 gallon hospital tank and he hovers at a 45 degree angle up toward the surface in the corner. He looks so sad with a permament scream on his face. I keep hoping the jaw will go back into place.

My question is should I put him to sleep? Or will he ever be able to eat and have a good life if he cannot close his jaw? Is it possible that he could put his own jaw back into place on his own in time? If I put him to sleep what is the most humane way of doing this? I have heard that it is best to put a bowl of water in the freezer and when it freezes over but before it is frozen solid, take it out and break a whole in the surface and put the fish in there and back into the freezer. Is that the best way? What about putting the fish in a bowl of soda?

I love my fish so this is a very hard decision for me to make. I need some help with it.
Thank you.

[Pam Chin]

Hi Bravo,

I am sorry to hear that your cichlid has not improved. You know your fish better than anyone, and you'll have to decide when he is not having the quality of life that he deserves, then you'll have to euthanize.

The most humane way is to put the fish in a bowl of water and place it in the freezer. Leave it in their overnight, and then in the morning plant the ice chunk in the garden.

It is never easy to make these decisions.