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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #166302
Title: AQUI-S REDUCES ROUTINE-HANDLING STRESS IN MATURE CHANNEL CATFISH

Author
item Small, Brian
item CHATAKONDI, N. - HARVEST SELECT FARMS

Submitted to: North American Journal of Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/17/2004
Publication Date: 1/1/2005
Citation: Small, B.C., Chatakondi, N. 2005. Routine measures of stress are reduced in mature channel catfish during and following Aqui-S anesthesia and recovery. North American Journal of Aquaculture 67:72-78.

Interpretive Summary: Selective breeding programs for channel catfish inherently involve acute handling stressors. During selection, fish are often seined from ponds, moved to raceways, and graded prior to spawning. These routine-handling procedures can cause elevated levels of blood-born stress factors, such as cortisol, glucose, lactate, and chlorides, known to affect general fish health and reproductive fitness. A relatively new fish anesthetic, AQUI-S, has foodfish approval in Australia, Chile and New Zealand with no withholding period, and is being reviewed for use with foodfish in the United States. In the present research, sedation of sexually mature channel catfish with AQUI-S had suppressive effects on catfish stress factors during routine handling. These results suggest that sedatives, such as AQUI-S may prove to be useful tools during routine handling of mature channel catfish, potentially improving fish health and reproductive fitness.

Technical Abstract: Mature channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus were exposed to water containing three different concentrations (20, 40, and 60 mg/L) of AQUI-STM (50% isoeugenol) at a commercial catfish facility during routine handling procedures. Anesthetic efficacy and stress reducing properties of AQUI-STM were compared to a group of pre-anesthetized (PA) catfish and to fish anesthetized with 100 mg/L TMS (tricaine methanesulphonate). On average, all the fish lost equilibrium at 8.0, 3.9, and 3.7 min when anesthetized in 20, 40, and 60 mg/L AQUI-STM, respectively. Catfish anesthetized with TMS lost equilibrium at 4.5 min. Recovery time in freshwater was 2.1, 2.8, and 5.3 min for fish anesthetized in 20, 40, and 60 mg/L AQUI-STM, respectively. Recovery time after TMS anesthesia was 1.7 min. Short-term (24 h) survival was 100% for all treatments, and long-term (21 d) survival ranged from 87.5% for TMS anesthetized fish to 99% for catfish anesthetized in 40 mg/L AQUI-STM. All anesthetic treatments reduced (P<0.05) plasma cortisol levels relative to PA fish, and circulating cortisol was lower (P<0.05) in all AQUI-STM anesthetized fish compared to TMS anesthetized fish. Plasma glucose concentrations in fish anesthetized with 40 mg/L AQUI-STM were significantly lower (P<0.05) than in PA and TMS-treated fish after both anesthetization and recovery. Plasma lactate and chloride concentrations were not reduced (P>0.05) in any treatment compared to PA fish. Catfish anesthetized with 40 mg/L AQUI-STM had lower (P<0.05) plasma lactate levels after recovery compared to TMS anesthetized fish, and chlorides were significantly lower (P<0.05) immediately following AQUI-STM anesthesia at all concentrations compared to fish anesthetized in TMS. Anesthesia did not affect (P>0.05) affect plasma chloride concentrations following recovery. Overall, AQUI-STM had good efficacy as an anesthetic for mature channel catfish, and demonstrated stress-reducing properties during routine-handling procedures.