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Transportation of silver catfish, Rhamdia quelen, in water with eugenol and the essential oil of Lippia alba

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Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of eugenol and of the essential oil (EO) of Lippia alba when used in the transport of the silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen). These investigations involved measurements of blood (pH, PvO2, PvCO2 and HCO3 ) and water parameters, survival and ionoregulatory balance. Fish (301.24 ± 21.40 g, 28.90 ± 1.30 cm) were transported at a loading density of 169.2 g L−1 for 4 h in fifteen plastic bags (7 L) divided into five treatments: control, 1.5 or 3.0 μL L−1 of eugenol and 10 or 20 μL L−1 of EO of L. alba. The water parameters were measured before (0 h) and after (4 h) transportation. The net Na+, Cl and K+ losses were higher in fish from the control treatment compared to the other treatments. The PvO2, PvCO2 and HCO3 increased significantly in all of the treatments at the end of the transport period. In conclusion, based on the water (total ammonia nitrogen) and ionoregulatory indicators determined in the present study, our findings indicate that eugenol and the EO of L. alba are recommended for use in the transport of this species because these anesthetics apparently reduce stress.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by research funds from the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS/PRONEX, process 10/0016-8) and Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico (CNPq, process 470964/2009-0). B. Baldisserotto and A. G. Becker received research and PhD fellowships, respectively, from CNPq. T.V. Parodi and C.G. Heldwein received PhD and MSc fellowships, respectively, from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). The authors are grateful to Dr. Gilberto Dolejal Zanetti for the identification of L. alba.

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Correspondence to Bernardo Baldisserotto.

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Becker, A.G., Parodi, T.V., Heldwein, C.G. et al. Transportation of silver catfish, Rhamdia quelen, in water with eugenol and the essential oil of Lippia alba . Fish Physiol Biochem 38, 789–796 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-011-9562-4

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