Evaluation of AQUI-S (TM) (efficacy and minimum toxic concentration) as a fish anaesthetic sedative for public aquaculture in the United States

A preliminary evaluation of efficacy and minimum toxic concentration of AQU I-S(TM), a fish anaesthetic/sedative, was determined in two size classes of six species of fish important to US public aquaculture (bluegill, channel catfish, lake trout, rainbow trout, walleye and yellow perch), In addition, efficacy and minimum toxic concentration were determined in juvenile-young adult (fish aged 1 year or older) rainbow trout acclimated to water at 7 d egrees C, 1.2 degrees C and 17 degrees C. Testing concentrations were based on determinations made with range-finding studies for both efficacy and mi nimum toxic concentration. Most of the tested juvenile-young adult fish spe cies were induced in 3 min or less at a nominal AQUI-S(TM) concentration of 20 mg L-1. In juvenile-young adult fish, the minimum toxic concentration w as at least 2.5 times the selected efficacious concentration. Three out of five species of fry-fingerlings (1.25-12.5 cm in length and < 1 year old) w ere induced in less than or equal to 4.1 min at a nominal concentration of 20 mg L-1 AQUI-S(TM), with the other two species requiring nominal concentr ations of 25 and 35 mg L-1 for similar times of induction. Recovery times w ere less than or equal to 7.3 min for all species in the two size classes. In fry-fingerlings, the minimum toxic concentration was at least 1.4 times the selected efficacious concentration. There appeared to be little relatio nship between size of fish and concentrations or times to induction, recove ry times and minimum toxic concentration. The times required for induction and for recovery were increased in rainbow trout as the acclimation tempera ture was reduced.