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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #308071
Title: Effects of metomindate hydrochloride and tricaine methanesulfonate on the short term cortisol response in channel catfish

Author
item Wood, Monica
item Flora, Corrin
item Peterson, Brian

Submitted to: Aquaculture America Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2014
Publication Date: 2/1/2015
Citation: Wood, M.L., Flora, C.L., Peterson, B.C. 2015. Effects of metomindate hydrochloride and tricaine methanesulfonate on the short term cortisol response in channel catfish. Aquaculture America Conference. P. 501.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The effects of metomidate hydrochloride and tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) on cortisol stress response of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, were examined during 10 minutes of sedation. Channel catfish were assigned to three treatments: 1. Metomidate hydrochloride (12.5 mg/L), 2. MS-222 (100 mg/L), and 3. Control (fish anesthetized immediately before the bleeding interval). Fish were netted and transferred to buckets containing metomidate hydrochloride or MS-222, while Control fish were netted and transferred to buckets containing no anesthetic. Blood samples were then taken at two minute intervals from time zero (stage three sedation) to 10 minutes. After 6 minutes of sedation, cortisol levels were significantly different across all treatments (P < 0.05). Additionally, cortisol levels in the control were greater than both anesthetics, while MS-222 cortisol levels were greater than metomidate hydrochloride. Differences remained significant for the remainder of the study. Although there were no significant differences during the first 5 minutes of sampling, the data suggests metomidate hydrochloride may be a better choice for suppression of cortisol response if sampling is more than 5 minutes.