MS-222 as a Tranquilizer.

MS-222: Tricaine Methanesulfonate. This can be fairly tricky at first so practice is important. Using a gram scale measure out two grams of MS-222 and four grams of baking soda. MS-222 MUST be buffered. Without the buffer, the Ph of the water to be used may drop as far as 3.3! That is ACID. In a matter of a few minutes the gills will be compromised and after several more minutes the fish skin and gills may be permanently damaged.

Add the MS-222 and baking soda to five gallons of aged pond or q-tank water that is well aerated . Mix thoroughly and you are ready. DO NOT LEAVE THE FISH UNATTENDED DURING THIS TIME. As the fish becomes sedated it will lay over and become quiet and easy to handle. If at any time you think it is too far sedated revive it at once by holding it in a tub of fresh untreated water and move it back and forth assisting it in using the gills. Once sedated, a fish can be tabled for 5-10 minutes without worry. The first time is usually far more stressful on the owner than the fish.

Reviving the fish, as mentioned, is to place the fish in a temperature compensated tub of aged pond or q-tank water that is well aerated. Place your middle finger in the mouth and with the other hand gently hold the tail stop area. Move it back and forth in the water. As the fish comes out of sedation you will feel a constriction of the mouth. That will tell you that the process is nearly complete. If the fish is slow to revive, continue the process. The heart of a koi will beat for over two hours, so have patience and do not stop the process until the fish has recovered.


The dose rates for Finquel as copied from Argent's web site are:

Finquel (MS-222): Applications

Finquel (MS-222) is a highly versatile anesthetic/tranquilizer intended for the temporary immobilization of fish, amphibians and other aquatic cold blooded animals. Finquel has long been recognized as a valuable handling tool during manual spawning (stripping), weighing, measuring, marking, sorting, transportation, photography and research. Finquel is manufactured by Argent Laboratories as a white, water soluble powder.

Fish anesthetized with Finquel show rapid reversibility when placed in fresh water. Further, the level of sedation is proportional to the strength of anesthetizing baths. Finquel is not affected by salinity.

APPLICATION LEVELS

Rapid Anesthesia - Induction time 2-5 minutes.

Use: Spawning/marking/some surgical operations. Maximum Exposure: 2-3 times induction period.

Dose: Finfish 100-200 mg/l (100-200 ppm).

Moderately rapid anesthesia - Induction time less than 15-20 minutes. Use: Spawning/marking/surgical operations where longer exposures are more important than rapid immobilization.

Maximum exposure: 2-3 times induction period.

Dose: 50-80 mg/l (most species).

Sedation - Induction of sedation occurs within 15 minutes. Reactivity to visual and vibrational stimuli, opercular activity are all decreased.

Use: Transportation

Maximum Exposure: Variable
Dose: Finfish 15-40 mg/l (ppm) Ornamental (Tropicals) 60-70 mg/l (ppm)
A detailed fact sheet on Finquel is published by Argent Laboratories and is available upon request.

Direct experience by Stephen:

”I have used both clove oil and Tricaine without any issues. My first year or so in the hobby I used clove oil. Dr. Allen C. Riggs came to our house on a regular basis to check on our fish. He suggested that I may want to try his preferred method of sedation, Tricaine Methanesulfonate (aka: Tricaine-S, MS-222, Finquel) I liked using it better just because of its' ease use and exactness. No more counting drops, just weigh out on a gram scale.

Dr. Rigg's holy book was Fish Disease - Diagnosis and Treatment by Edward J. Noga, M.S., D.V.M. So I got a copy of that as well and highly recommend it. Noga probably was the source of info for some of the folks that Steve E mentioned above.

Noga (P.297) mentions that some fish need a higher exposure at lower temperatures for the same effect (Schoettger & Julin, 1967). Also, in low-alkalinity water (< 50 mg/l as CaCO3) sodium bicarbonate should be added to buffer the solution to prevent a rapid & severe pH drop, at the ratio of 2 parts baking soda: 1 part tricaine. Noga also mentions that Tricaine is unstable in light.

Noga also says that activity may vary considerably with water quality, fish species, fish size and fish density. Overdosing is indicated by a recovery time greater than 10 minutes. Induction and recovery is faster at higher temperatures. Tricaine is rapidly cleared by fish and usually no residues are detected after 24 hours."