Effects of Tricaine Methanesulfonate (MS-222) on Hematocrit: First Field Measurements on Blacknose Dace
- 1 May 1997
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
- Vol. 126 (3) , 500-503
- https://doi.org/10.1577/1548-8659(1997)126<0500:eotmmo>2.3.co;2
Abstract
Tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) is an anesthetic commonly used to reduce fish stress during transport or sampling. The exposure of blacknose dace Rhinichthys atratulus to MS-222 at concentrations of 300 mg/L or 500 mg/L for 9 min or less did not raise hematocrit levels above those of controls. Hematocrit levels tended to be somewhat lower in experimental groups than in controls; however the only significant difference (P = 0.044) among treatments occurred between the control fish (35% ± 2.3; N = 6) and fish exposed to 500 mg/L for 3 min (30% ± 1.8; N = 7). This difference suggests that initial exposure to MS-222 may cause stress or, less likely, that the anesthetic has some inherent hemodilution effect. Workers who monitor environmental acidification may be concerned with the hematocrit of the acid-sensitive blacknose dace because hematocrit increases during acid stress. The use of MS-222 to ease hematocrit sampling should not elevate measurements.Keywords
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