Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to determine the potential of Derris elliptica root extract or Tuba vine as an anesthetic agent for hybrid red tilapia, Oreochromis sp. precisely for transportation and general handling. Derris elliptica was collected from Sarawak and extracted by using crushing method which then was squeezed to obtain the extract. The extracts were used to induce anesthetic on hybrid red tilapia and results as induction time, recovery time, survival rate, induction behavior and recovery behavior were observed and compared with the fish inducted by commercial anesthetic tricaine methanesulfonate, MS222. Derris e/liptica root extract showed anesthetic efficiency with low concentration at 0.1 ml/L and 0.3 ml/L. Hybrid red tilapia inducted by 0.1 ml/L and 0.3 ml/L of D. elliptica root extract achieved anesthesia stage almost rapidly and recovered behaviorally more quickly than at higher concentrations but longer than fish inducted by 80 mg/L of MS222. Besides that, hybrid red tilapia inducted with low concentration of D. e/liptica root extract produced anesthesia stages same as the effect produced by commercial anesthetic MS222 and most of the time showed that the fish inducted achieved stage 4 and 5. Those hybrid red tilapia exposed to higher concentration at 0.5 ml/L, 0. 7 ml/L and 1.0 ml/L of D. e/liptica root extract achieved anesthesia stage more faster and recovered obviously longer than low concentration. However higher concentration resulted low survival rate compared to lower concentration of D. e/liptica root extract. The result of this study could be useful for aquaculturist and other handling related husbandry practices that required sedation of fish.
