Effect of Temperature on Clove Oil Anesthesia in Steelhead Fry

Abstract

The effects of temperature (11, 15, and 20°C) on clove‐oil‐induced anesthesia in fry of steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss (0.18 ± 0.01 g [mean ± SE]) were evaluated at 25, 50, and 100 mg clove oil/L. Induction time decreased significantly with increasing temperature and dose. Recovery time after removal from anesthesia decreased significantly with increasing temperature. Mortality at 24 h postanesthesia increased significantly with increasing temperature and dose. Although clove oil appears to be an effective general anesthetic for salmonid fry, the data indicate that care must be taken in determining the appropriate dose to minimize temperature‐associated mortality.