A good anesthetic should provide predictable results including effective analgesia, good immobilization, and rapid
induction and recovery, while allowing for a wide margin of safety (Brown 1993). Although pain and suffering in fish are
poorly understood, it is clear that the proper use of an agent can minimize the stress experienced by a fish and therefore
prevent the cascade of physiological and biochemical changes that result from a fright and flight situation (Davis 1992; Iwana
1992). Avoiding such an internal upheaval within a fish is key in preventing the disruption of osmoregulation, loss of immune
function, and decreased reproduction.