Anesthetic induction and recovery time of Centropomus parallelus exposed to the essential oil of Aloysia triphylla

ABSTRACT: This study analyzed the effectiveness of the essential oil of Aloysia triphylla (EOA) as an anesthetic and stress reducing agent in the transport of fat snook ( Centropomus parallelus ). Juveniles were exposed to different concentrations of EOA (seawater-adapted: 25-300μL L-1; freshwater-adapted: 200μL L-1) to identify the anesthetic induction and recovery times. In an additional experiment, seawater-adapted fat snook were transported in plastic bags with 10 or 20μL L-1 EOA for 6 or 24h. The increased concentration of EOA proportionally decreased the time required for anesthesia induction. Mortality was 30 and 70% in fat snook transported with 10 and 20µL L-1, respectively, 24h after transport. The addition of 20µL L-1 EOA significantly reduced plasma cortisol levels during transport compared to the control group, but increased blood glucose levels after 6 and 12h of transport. The EOA reduced total ammonia and dissolved oxygen levels at the end of transport compared to control fish. The EOA is recommended for sedation (25-50µL L-1) and anesthesia (100-300µL L-1) but not for transport of fat snook because it increased mortality.