Application of Propiscin – a safe anesthetic for huchen, Hucho hucho (L.) culture

Anesthetics are a group of pharmaceuticals that have been used primarily in intensive fish culture to immobilize fishes and to reduce the effects of stress and mortality during and after manipulation and when transporting large stocks of fish. Nonetheless, many studies have shown that the majority of the anesthetics applied at present have strong toxic effects on fish; thus, it is possible to anesthetize fish only for short periods. Propiscin, a new anesthetic, has been tested successfully, and it allows fish to be anesthetized for up to 30 minutes. Propiscin is a 0.2% stabilized solution of etomidate which can be administered either as a bath or an aerosol. When administered correctly, the required cessation of sense perception and motor reflexes in fish can be obtained in about 2-4 minutes, depending on water temperature and fish size. Clinical tests were conducted on many fish species, including huchen. The results of this study showed that Propiscin is a safe, minimally toxic, very effective product for reducing the impact of polyethiological stress in huchen culture.