Premium
Comparison of MS‐222 and Electronarcosis as Anesthetics on Cortisol Levels in Juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon
Author(s) -
Balazik Matthew T.,
Langford Briana C.,
Garman Greg C.,
Fine Michael L.,
Stewart Jennifer K.,
Latour Robert J.,
McIninch Stephen P.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1080/00028487.2013.824924
Subject(s) - anesthetic , sturgeon , fight or flight response , anesthesia , medicine , plasma concentration , juvenile , fish <actinopterygii> , biology , endocrinology , fishery , ecology , biochemistry , gene
Invasive surgical procedures on sturgeon (family Acipenseridae) are sometimes conducted without anesthesia. We examined plasma cortisol concentrations in Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus exposed to the anesthetic MS‐222 (tricaine methanesulfonate), electronarcosis, or no anesthetic 1 and 24 h after a small incision mimicking an invasive procedure (tag implantation or laparoscopy). We also determined the feasibility of using electronarcosis in the field and the effect of salinity on electronarcosis. One hour after surgery under electronarcosis or MS‐222 anesthesia, cortisol concentrations did not differ significantly from those in untreated controls but all three were significantly lower than the no‐anesthetic group. There were no significant changes between 1‐ and 24‐h blood cortisol concentrations. We recommend electronarcosis as a method to minimize stress in fish studies involving surgical procedures because it avoids the use of toxic chemicals and because induction and recovery are virtually instantaneous.