Table 2.

Anesthetic evaluation. Fish were anesthetized in solutions of MS222 that were diluted to a concentration of 150 mg/L and buffered with sodium bicarbonate. Anesthetic solutions were prepared from stock solutions that were stored for 2- and 6-mo at 4 °C and -20 °C. A fresh solution was also prepared (0m). Fish were evaluated for time (s) to stop swimming (cessation of forward purposeful movement), loss of equilibrium (dorsal fin no longer upright), and no response to 2 consecutive von Frey (VF) applications to the tail fin. Fish were considered under a light plane of anesthesia and transferred to a recovery tank with fresh water. Time (seconds) to neutral buoyance (dorsal fin upright) and to start swimming were measured. All times expressed in mean ± SEM. ^{*, a}Statistically significant (P-value <0.05).

		MS222 Treatment
	Time (s)	0m (n = 10)	2m4 (n = 10)	2m-20 (n = 10)	6m4 (n = 10)	6m-20 (n = 10)	P
Induction Tank	Stop swimming	21.0 ± 18.9	19.9 ± 13.1	14.4 ± 9.5	21.68 ± 8.84	13.7 ± 7.6	0.30
	Loss of equilibrium	28.6 ± 10.4	29.5 ± 8.7	27.4 ± 8.5	27.9 ± 5.2	26.3 ± 7.5	0.916
	No response to 2 VF	44.1 ± 14.5	54.9 ± 9.7*	40.0 ± 8.2*	45.6 ± 6.7	39.6 ± 7.70*	0.006
Recovery Tank	Neutral buoyance	49.2 ± 10.7	90.8 ± 48.4a	43.9 ± 40.8	56.3 ± 32.4	34.7 ± 34.6a	0.007
	Start swimming	125.5 ± 37.6	133.8 ± 28.7	118.7 ± 58.9	110.7 ± 22.0	96.9 ± 24.7	0.228