Handling of live fish is inevitable in fish farms and causes a number of adverse physiological reactions, thus requiring the use of anesthetics. The main goal of the present work was to evaluate the efficiency of clove oil as an anesthetic for juvenile tilapia (approximately 55 g and 13 cm) during handling. In the first experiment, fishes were exposed to an anesthetic bath at six concentrations (80, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 mg L-1). Subsequently, the induction time was assessed for different stages of anesthesia. In the second experiment, different times of exposure to anesthesia were tested, aiming to assess the safety margin of the anesthetic. Finally, we evaluated the responses to stress after exposure to 250 mg L-1 anesthesia. The following parameters were tested: cortisol, glucose, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and plasma sodium and potassium levels. The concentration of 250 mg L-1 of clove oil is the most appropriate to induce surgical anesthesia, and 150 mg L-1 for biometrics and brief handling. Anesthesia at the ideal concentration for 10 minutes did not result in severe stress. Only blood glucose and hematocrit were affected after anesthesia.
stress; eugenol; handling; sedation
