Essential oils of Ocimum basilicum and Cymbopogon flexuosus in the seda-tion, anesthesia and recovery of tambacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus male x Colossoma macropomum Female)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to verify use of the essential oils of basil (Ocimum basilicum) (EOOB) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) (EOCF) for the sedation, anesthesia and recovery in tambacu juveniles. Eight fish were tested at concentrations of 0, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 300 µL L^-1. The sedation time was less than 30 seconds at all concentrations, and 10 or 25 µL L^-1 are recommended for sedation for both essential oils to be the most economic doses. The fastest anesthesia and anesthetic recovery times of 113.90 and 152.12 seconds for EOOB and 194.88 and 116.25 seconds for EOCF, respectively, occurred at 300 µL L^-1. In conclusion, we recommend the use of EOOB and EOCF for sedation and anesthesia of tambacu at concentrations of 10-25 and 300 µL L^-1, respectively.