Short-Term Anesthesia with Clove Oil and Propofol: Physiological Responses in Persian Sturgeon (Acipenser persicus)

Anesthesia is commonly used in sturgeon aquaculture to reduce stress and pain during handling and procedures. This study compared the effects of clove oil (rich in eugenol) and propofol—an anesthetic widely used in human and veterinary medicine—on Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) fingerlings. A total of 405 fish (6.88 ± 0.90 g) were exposed to varying concentrations of clove oil (25, 50, 75, 100 mg L−1), propofol (10.0, 12.5, 25.0, 50 mg L−1), or no anesthetic (control) in triplicate. Hematocrit and monocyte levels remained unchanged across treatments, but the highest doses of both anesthetics significantly reduced leukocyte percentages (p = 0.049 and p = 0.043, respectively). While serum enzymes were stable, cortisol levels increased significantly at the highest concentrations of both clove oil (38.92 ± 5.1 ng mL−1; p = 0.001) and propofol (36.48 ± 3.4 ng mL−1; p = 0.035), indicating secondary stress responses. Propofol at 25 mg L−1 showed fast induction and recovery times and induced milder stress compared to clove oil. Overall, short-term anesthesia with both agents triggered physiological stress, but propofol at 25 mg L−1 appeared more suitable for minimizing adverse effects in Persian sturgeon fingerlings.