Using clove and mint oils as natural sedatives to increase the transport quality of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) broodstock

The present study was conducted to create a new strategy for increasing the transport efficiency of brood-stock Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using clove and mint oils for 3.5 h. The fish study was exposed to conditions simulating those normally used in transporting. This study was performed in a fish research center of the Arish University. The average initial weight of the broodstock was 117.07 ± 09.07g (± standard error). The broodstock was randomly distributed into 10 clear plastic aquaria (30 liters capacity) with a stocking density of one brood-stock/3.75 liter of water. The present study examined two concentrations of clove oil as a deep anesthetic for 5 min and two concentrations of mint oil as a sedative. It included five treatments in duplicate, namely, the control group, G1: clove and mint oil at 100 and 20 µL/L, respectively; G2: 100 and 10 µL/L of clove and mint oil, respectively; G3: 50 and 20 µL/L of clove and mint oil, respectively; and G4: 50 and 10 µL/L of clove and mint oil, respectively. Blood samples were taken from all groups before transporting from a random sample and after transport. Results confirmed that G1 had the best parameters of water quality and blood indicators with the highest survival rate followed by G2. Moreover, using clove and mint oil improved the transport efficiency and survival rate after 24 h of fish transporting compared to that of the control group.