Effects of two anesthetics on water quality during simulated transport of a tropical ornamental fish, the Indian tiger barb Puntius filamentosus.

摘要

Trade in the Indian tiger barb Puntius filamentosus as an ornamental fish is gaining popularity, but growth of this trade is hindered by mortalities during transport. We studied the capability of two anesthetics, tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) at 40 mg/L and benzocaine at 20 mg/L, to reduce stress in fish during transport and thereby maintain water quality. Both anesthetics significantly (P<0.05) slowed the deterioration in dissolved oxygen, total ammonia, carbon dioxide, and pH in the transport water. This was reflected in the cumulative mortality during simulated transportation, wherein the anesthetic-treated groups showed a significantly lower mortality rate (MS-222 group: 8.4%; benzocaine group: 9%) compared with the control group without anesthetic (15.3%). The study showed that the use of MS-222 and benzocaine in ornamental fish transportation reduces the deterioration in water quality and ensures a better transport environment and reduced stress for the fish, resulting in improved survival during transport.