FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE,MOA,TAIWAN

This experiment aimed to determine the feasibility of saving manpower by using tricanine methanesulfonate (MS-222, 50-350 ppm) and ehyleneglycol monophenyl ether（2-PE, 200-700 ppm）on exfoliation for juvenile abalone Haliotis diversicolor supertexta, shell length of 4.2-5.9 mm. The results revealed that the exfoliation rate, the recovery rate, and the one-week survival rate of the animals were reached to 100%. The above-mentioned anesthetics gave higher survival rate as compared to the traditional brush method on exfoliation for juvenile abalone of which their survival rate in one-day and one-week period were 95% and 85%, respectively. Time for exfoliation and time for recovery was inversely and linearly related to the anesthetics concentration, respectively. To meet the demand of a 100% exfoliation and survival rate and the least time of exfoliation and recovery for abalone hatchery farmers, we suggested that the following safety concentration levels: 175-250 ppm of MS-222 and 200-300 ppm of 2-PE.
Key words: Anesthetics, Abalone, Exfoliation