COMPARISON OF AQUI-S 20E AND MS-222 AS ANESTHETICS IN CLOWNFISH Amphiprion ocellaris

Jose Reyes-Tomassini
 
jose.reyestomassini@wartburg.edu

Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) is a popular marine ornamental fish. Here, we studied the ability of the anesthetic Aqui-S 20E to induce anesthesia in the marine clownfish.  We monitored post-recovery behavioral changes, including food intake.  Aqui-S 20E is a clove-oil derived anesthetic currently pending FDA approval for use in the US aquaculture industry. We compared AQUI-S 20E at the recommended dosage of 220mg/l and MS-222 at a dosage of 75mg/L.  The induction time and recovery time were recorded and post-recovery behavior was monitored for 24 hours after the fish was returned to its holding tank. Neither anesthetic had a negative effect on food intake the day following anesthesia.  Both anesthetics were effective in inducing anesthesia at the recommended dosage. Recovery with Aqui-S 20E was also slower than with MS-222 (5.71 min vs. 2.01 min).  Aqui-S 20E is an effective alternative to MS-222 as a fish anesthetic.