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Survival of Tilapia guineensis Fingerlings Transported With Different Plant Extracts As Anaesthetics

Akinrotimi OA1, Ikeogu CF2 and Anyaobu-Cookey IK3

The survival of Tilapia guineensis fingerlings transported with different plant extracts such as clove, nut Meg and mustard seed as anaesthetics was carried out. A total of 450 specimens of T.guineensis fingerlings (mean length 6.99cm±1.07 SD and mean weight 11.88g±1.81SD) were sourced from NIOMR Brackish Water Fish Farm, Buguma, Rivers State, Nigeria at low tide. They were exposed in three replicates to different concentrations (0.00mg/L- control; 10.00; 20.00; 30.00 and 40.00 mg/L) of clove, nut Meg and mustard seed aqueous extracts. The exposed fish were later transported in open plastic tanks placed inside a bus from Buguma to Rivers State University, Port Harcourt over a distance of 60km. During this process, the survivals of the transported fish were monitored at time intervals of 0, 30, 60, and 90 minutes. The results of the study indicated that the survival of the fish increased significantly (P<0.05) with increasing concentration of the anaesthetics in the exposed fish. The lowest survival rate (10.0%) was recorded in the fish transported with no anesthetics, while 100% survivals were recorded in fish exposed to 40.0 mg/L of clove seed extracts. Comparative survival of in the fingerlings of T.guineensis transported with these plant extracts indicated that higher survival rates were recorded in fish transported with clove seed extracts when compared to nut Meg and mustard seed. In conclusion, this study suggests that application of clove seed extracts using 40.00 mg/L reduced the stress response in T.guineensis during transportation, thereby enhances their survival.