Evaluation of the Anesthetic Metomidate for the Handling and Transport of Juvenile American Shad

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Abstract
Juvenile American shad (Alosa sapidissima) were exposed to three levels of metomidate (0.0 = control, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/L) and three types of sedation or handling (none, sedation only, and handling after sedation) to determine the efficacy and safety of the drug for use in transport and handling of this species. Mean sedation times were 9 and 3 min, and mean recovery times were 6 and 7 min, respectively, for the 0.5- and 1.0-mg/L concentrations of metomidate. For fish exposed to 1.0 mg metomidate/L, normal swimming behavior was delayed as long as 4 h after fish were placed in drug-free water. Aggregating and parallel orientation behaviors, precursors of normal schooling, were significantly reduced at the highest drug level for 1 h, but not for 24 h, after recovery. No posttreatment difference in behavior was observed as a result of handling fish (removal from water, weighing, and measuring) under sedation. Long-term (50-d) survival was not affected by drug concentration in one experiment and was im...

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