Clove oil as an anaesthetic for Australian redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus

Crustaceans are aquacultured both for food and as ornamental organisms. Pain and distress are not entirely understood in crustaceans, but the industry is moving towards requiring protection for the welfare of these animals during handling. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of clove oil as an anaesthetic for redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) as a model for freshwater crustaceans. We also studied how factors such as body weight and sex of redclaw could affect this efficacy. The whole experiment was replicated in two consecutive years. Redclaw juveniles were sorted into three size classes: small (<5 g), medium (5-12 g) and large (12-37 g). At least 10 males and 10 females from each size class were placed individually in water containing clove oil concentrations of 375 and 500 mu l/L. Both concentrations induced rapid induction and recovery times, with 500 mu l/L being the more effective concentration of the two. Induction and recovery times increased with the increase in crayfish size. No significant differences were found in induction and recovery times between male and female crayfish. Results suggest that clove oil is an effective anaesthetic for redclaw.