The Use of Isoflurane and Adjunctive Magnesium Chloride Provides Fast, Effective Anaesthetization of Octopus vulgaris

Anaesthetising invertebrates is a welfare issue, but because there are so many different invertebrates (97% of all animal species), it is of the utmost importance to work out the most appropriate way to anaesthetise each group or even particular species of animals. In order to reduce stress and pain to the animals, clinical anaesthetics offer a standardised approach, given their known and well-studied effects at both system and cellular levels. Here, we show that the clinical anaesthetic isoflurane (1%), often used by veterinarians, can anaesthetise octopuses quickly and efficiently when used in conjunction with 1% magnesium chloride, which acts as a muscle relaxant. Recovery is equally quick, and the whole process from anaesthetisation to recovery is completed in 30 to 35 min, minimising animal stress.