Internal tagging for telemetry studies requires invasive surgery procedures, necessitating sufficient sedation to support animal welfare. Challenges with existing chemical sedatives have resulted in technological alternatives, including electrosedation, with these newer methods less extensively studied. Our primary objective was to understand long-term survival, body-condition effects, and incision healing after surgical implantation of an imitation telemetry transmitter under three different sedation techniques.

We collected Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and buffalo Ictiobus spp. from the Missouri River watershed in 2022 and 2023, during each of the four seasons. One of three sedation techniques was applied: electric fish handling gloves, tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222), and eugenol. Additionally, we observed a group of fish that were unsedated but subjected to handling similar to that experienced during surgery. Fish were monitored to determine the effects of treatment, individual characteristics, surgery characteristics, and time-varying environmental factors on survival, body condition, and incision healing over 69- to 85-d holding periods.

Long-term survival was higher for buffalo (86%) than Silver Carp (57%), with the fewest mortalities during the winter trial and most in summer, but sedation treatment did not affect survival. Smaller fish had a greater risk of mortality but better incision healing. Incision healing scores improved in warmer temperatures.

Difference in seasonal effects on survival and healing indicate a need to consider trade-offs when scheduling tagging for projects. However, a lack of difference in survival among treatments, including the group that was handled but did not undergo surgery, suggests no advantage of one sedative over another, but handling impacts may require more consideration.