How do you anesthetizes live fish?

[Rick Inman]

I need to anesthetizes some big, live rainbow trout for some video taping. They cannot be released into the river where we are filming them, so I need to have them "under the influence" enough so that they won't swim away, but so that they can be lifted out of the water in a fly-fisherman's hands and look alive. The fish will be transported from a hatchery in an aerated fresh water holding tank (meaning, a big cooler). Is there some kind of chemical that can be put into the water to temporarily cool their jets, but keep the gills moving?

Thanks!!

 

[The Kraken]

Get some buckeye leaves, crumble them up in your hands, and dump them into the water.

Don't do to much or you'll be having sushi for supper. :11:

the K

 

[Rick Inman]

Get some buckeye leaves, crumble them up in your hands, and dump them into the water.

Don't do to much or you'll be having sushi for supper. :11:

the K

Where do you get them?

 

[MoonWrasse]

Where do you get them?

Ohio.

 

[MookieMoose]

Here's a link to a web page with anaesthetic drugs and doses for fish. I don't know what drugs you may or may not have access to to sedate these fish, but one of the listed drugs is sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). If you add enough baking soda to decrease the pH of hte water to 6.5, then add an additional 642 mg per litre of water, you should be able to get the trout to co-operate for about 10 minutes. Keep in mind that you may need to adjust this dose to get the fish to behave the way you need them to - start with less and increase the dose if necessary. You may need to practice this once or twice before your actual shoot.

http://www.ccac.ca/en/CCAC_Programs/Guidelines_Policies/GUIDES/ENGLISH/V1_93/APPEN/APPXIII.HTM

Good luck - let us know how this turns out.

Cam

 

[The Kraken]

Buckeye bushes.
Generally found in low lying wet areas like creek bottoms.

Native Americans used them for fish gathering.

the K

 

[Hank49]

You have to be real careful if you're going to actually put them into the river. the anesthesia will wear off quickly, like if you switch to O2 when breathing laughing gas, and they'll snap out of their trance real fast. If this is a fish that would be an environmental catastrophy were it to get lose and breed, I wouldn't do it. And if I had an economic interest in making sure it didn't get into the waters, I would protest this activity adamantly.

 

[ItsBruce]

You might try contacting Dr Jim Greenwood, Canterbury Veterinary Clinic, 182-184 Canterbury Road, Canterbury 3126 9836 2708 ... He is a vet who operates on fish. I saw a bit on him on TV.

 

[Jcsgt]

Some folks use clove oil. Ask your local fish salesman for doses.

 

[Rick Inman]

If this is a fish that would be an environmental catastrophy were it to get lose and breed, I wouldn't do it.

Don't worry. There is no way this fish will end up in the gene pool, even if it gets away (don't ask).

Thanks all for the help!