Abstract

The use of crayfish as model animals for experimental studies raises ethical concerns within modern society. Increasingly restrictive legislation in some countries demands that even invertebrates must be anaesthetised before carrying out any experimental manipulation. The most common method for narcotising crayfish is cooling in ice, however observations from previous studies suggest that this is ineffective for crayfish acclimated to low temperatures. This study evaluates a range of alternatives using the yabby Cherax destructor as a test crayfish. Of the agents used, only non-polar low molecular weight compounds showed potential improvement over the use of ice. Factors considered in comparing agents were induction time, duration and recovery time.

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