The evaluation of anaesthetic efficacy of Coriandrum sativum essential oils in three-spotted tilapia (Oreochromis andersonii): a study of fish size and water temperature

The present study aimed to determine the anaesthetic effectiveness, safety, and applicable concentrations of coriander (Coriandrum sativum) essential oils (CEO) for three-spotted tilapia (Oreochromis andersonii). For this purpose, CEO concentrations of 400, 500, and 600 µL/L were tested at two temperatures, 20.90 ± 1.19 °C and 30.60 ± 0.92 °C, on three different sizes (small, medium, and large) of the fish in duplicate glass aquaria with 200 mg/L of tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) served as the control. The sedative efficacy during simulated transportation experiments was also carried out. The results demonstrated that the induction and recovery time in O. andersonii anaesthetised with CEO were significantly influenced by concentration, water temperature, and fish size (P < 0.05). A concentration of 600 µL/L of CEO was found to be highly effective in inducing deep anesthesia and promoting rapid recovery in small and medium-sized fish at both water temperatures (20 and 30 °C). Based on this study, 100 µL/L of CEO is recommended for short-term transportation lasting up to 4 h, while 50 µL/L is advised for longer-distance transport. Although coriander essential oil shows anaesthetic effectiveness in three-spotted tilapia, further research is needed to fully understand the efficacy and safety of CEO across different fish species.