Evaluation of two forms of electroanesthesia and carbon dioxide for short-term anesthesia in walleye

North American Journal of Fisheries Management
By: , and 

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Abstract

Anesthetics immobilize fish, reducing physical damage and stress during aquaculture practices, stock assessment, and experimental procedures. Currently, only tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) is approved for use as an anesthetic for food fish in Canada and the United States; however, MS-222 can only be used with certain fish species, and treated fish must be held for a specified period of time before release into the wild. Two forms of electroanesthesia and carbon dioxide (CO2) were evaluated as anesthetics for adult walleye Sander vitreus to determine their suitability for use before intracoelomic implantation of telemetry transmitters. Walleyes were subjected to one of three treatment groups: constant direct current (CDC), pulsed direct current (PDC), and CO2. Fish subjected to these treatments were monitored for induction (where appropriate) and recovery time and whether these forms of anesthesia were conducive to implanting telemetry transmitters, that is, whether they fit a surgery threshold range of 250–350 s. Additionally, all fish were monitored for posttrial survival, and radiographs were taken to determine whether any vertebral damage was associated with the electroanesthesia treatments. Although all anesthetic treatments successfully immobilized fish for enough time to implant a transmitter, PDC electroanesthesia is recommended because of its immediate induction time, quick recovery, high immediate and short-term survival, and lack of evidence of vertebral abnormalities.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Evaluation of two forms of electroanesthesia and carbon dioxide for short-term anesthesia in walleye
Series title North American Journal of Fisheries Management
DOI 10.1080/02755947.2011.629717
Volume 31
Issue 5
Year Published 2011
Language English
Publisher American Fisheries Society
Contributing office(s) Great Lakes Science Center
Description 9 p.
First page 914
Last page 922
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