Effect of anesthetic, tag size, and surgeon experience on postsurgical recovering after implantation of electronic tags in a neotropical fish: Prochilodus lineatus (Valenciennes, 1837) (Characiformes: Prochilodontidae)

Abstract

Implantation of telemetry transmitters in fish can be affected by different parameters. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of type of anesthetic, tag size, and surgeon experience on surgical and postsurgical wound healing in the neotropical fish Prochilodus lineatus. In total, eighty fish were surgically implanted with telemetry transmitters and forty fish were kept as controls. Forty fish were implanted with a small tag and other forty were implanted with a large tag. Similarly, forty fish were anesthetized with eugenol and forty fish were anesthetized by electroanesthesia, and forty surgeries were performed by an expert surgeon and forty surgeries were performed by novice surgeons. At the end of the experimental period seventeen (21.3%) tagged fish had postsurgical complications, including death (1.3%), tag expulsion (2.5%), antenna migration (2.5%), and infection (15%). Tag size was the key determinant for postsurgical complications. Surgical details and postsurgical wound healing were not affected by type of anesthetic. Incision size, duration of surgery, and wound area were significantly affected by tag size and surgeon experience, and the number of sutures was significantly affected by tag size only. The results indicate that successful implantation of telemetry transmitters is dependent upon surgeon experience and tag size.A implantação de transmissores em peixes pode ser afetada por diversos aspectos. Este estudo objetivou avaliar a influência do tamanho do transmissor, do tipo de anestésico e da experiência do cirurgião em parâmetros cirúrgicos e recuperação pós-cirúrgica do peixe neotropical Prochilodus lineatus. Foram marcados oitenta indivíduos com transmissores de telemetria, enquanto outros quarenta foram utilizados como controle. Quarenta indivíduos foram marcados com um transmissor pequeno e outros quarenta com um transmissor maior. Foram utilizados dois tipos de anestésico sendo quarenta indivíduos anestesiados por eletronarcose e outros 40 por eugenol e as cirurgias foram realizadas por dois grupos de cirurgiões, experientes e inexperientes com quarenta peixes em cada grupo. Dezessete peixes (21,3%) apresentaram impactos diretos resultantes da cirurgia como o óbito (1,3%), perda do transmissor (2,5%), migração da antena (2,5%) e infecções internas (15%). Estes efeitos estão ligados ao tamanho do transmissor utilizado. A experiência do cirurgião possui relação direta em três parâmetros cirúrgicos (tamanho da incisão, tempo de cirurgia e área de cicatrização). O tamanho dos transmissores utilizados possui relação com quatro parâmetros (tamanho da incisão cirúrgica, número de suturas utilizadas, tempo de cirurgia e área de cicatrização). O anestésico não teve relação com os parâmetros cirúrgicos. Os resultados indicam que tanto a dimensão dos transmissores quanto a experiência dos cirurgiões têm impacto direto no sucesso de implantação dos transmissores.

The critical importance of an undammed river segment to the reproductive cycle of a migratory Neotropical fish

“…The sterile procedures followed the protocol outlined by Lopes, Alves, Silva, Bedore, and Pompeu (2016). While on the tagging plat- …”

Long-term implantation of acoustic transmitters induces chronic inflammatory cytokine expression in adult rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

“…External healing rate at the surgical site following tag implantation has been extensively studied in a variety of fish species. These studies have revealed that there are several factors which influence healing rate such as fish species, age, environment, water temperature, tag size, and suture type (Collins et al, 2013, Lopes et al, 2016, Rozynski et al, 2017, Schoonyan et al, 2017). In the current study, the presence of the acoustic tag did not appear to influence external healing when compared to individuals who received the sham surgery alone.…”

Upstream and downstream migration speed of Prochilodus costatus (Characiformes: Prochilodontidae) in upper São Francisco basin, Brazil

“…Voucher specimens were deposited at Lavras Federal University Ictiological Collection (CI-UFLA09989991000). The tagging protocol used was the one outlined by Lopes et al (2016). Individuals selected for tagging were transferred to an aerated tank with eugenol (0.05 mg/L).…”

“…If the gonad could not be visualized, the sex of the fish was classified as indeterminate. After the tagging procedure, fish were placed in a net pen in the river until fully recovered from surgery (sensu Lopes et al, 2016) and then released at the location of capture.…”