The action of different concentrations of sodium chloride, benzocaine and clove oil in the survival of fingerling and juvenile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus),chitraladalineage, was tested during 5 hours for transportation. A total of 1350 fingerlings were used ( weight 9.74 ± 0.04 g and length 6.79 ± 0.01 cm) and 270 juveniles (average weight 29.6 ± 0.06 g and length 11.52 ± 0.01 cm). The fish were maintained without food for 24 hours in four 500L asbestos boxes with constant aeration. Subsequently, the fish were distributed in 54 5 L plastic bags and maintained in a solution of sodium chloride at a concentration of (0; 4; 8 g/L), benzocaine (0; 20; 40 mg/L) and clove oil (0; 2; 5 mg/L). A randomized block experimental design was used with three replications, in multi-factorial arrangements, with three factors: substances, fish and different concentrations for each substance used. Dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, salinity and ammonia were measured at the beginning of the experiment and the fish glucose at the end of the experiment. The largest glucose levels were detected in the juveniles maintained in water with clove oil and sodium chloride. Significant differences were not observed in the survival among types of fish and substances. However, the doses used of sodium chloride and benzocaine caused significant differences in the survival rate. There was low fingerling survival with 0 g/L of sodium chloride that differed from the doses 4 and 8 g/L. The clove oil presented similar results at all the different doses and all the substances on the glucose rates. Survival was satisfactory at the end of the experiment, with a general average of 97.26%, showing that the three substances can be used to transport fingerlings and juveniles during 5 hours. Sodium chloride is recommended because it was the most cost-effective.
anesthetic; eugenol; glucose; Oreochromisniloticus; salt (NaCl); stress
