The effects of eucalyptus Eucalyptus globulus and oregano Origanum vulgare essential oils on anaesthesia response in a Namibian marine species, silver kob Argyrosomus inodorus

The anaesthetic effectiveness of separate and combined eucalyptus Eucalyptus globulus and oregano Origanum vulgare essential oils (EO) were investigated in silver kob Argyrosomus inodorus and were compared with clove oil Eugenia caryophyllata. Argyrosomus inodorus adults (595.61 [SE 11.82] g) were exposed to three concentrations of oregano EO (OEO: 25, 50 and 100 µl l−1), eucalyptus EO (EEO: 300, 500 and 600 µl l−1), and their mixtures (12.5 µl l−1 OEO to 150 µl l−1 EEO; 12.5 µl l−1 OEO to 300 µl l−1 EEO; 25 µl l−1 OEO to 150 µl l−1 EEO), with each fish treated as a replicate. Fish were also exposed to 40 µl l−1 of clove oil (CEO), which acted as a control. The two EOs and their mixtures proved to possess anaesthetic capacity in A. inodorus. Anaesthesia induction time (seconds) decreased with increased concentrations, whereas the inverse was reported for the recovery response. Only OEO qualified as an ideal anaesthetic agent for A. inodorus, especially 25 and 50 µl l−1, as the anaesthesia induction times with these concentrations were less than 180 s and recovery was within 300 s. It seems that EEO could achieve greater anaesthetic effectiveness only at a higher concentration (600 µl l−1) or when mixed with OEO (at 25 µl l−1 OEO to 150 µl l−1 EEO). This study introduces oregano as a promising anaesthetic in A. inodorus compared with clove oil and EEO. However, further evaluations are deemed necessary.