Fish · Carassius auratus · typical adult weight 0.01–3.00 kg
Alfaxalone is dosed at 6 mg/L water (immersion bath) Immersion (bath) single immersion to effect in goldfish, per Leonardi F, Costa GL, Interlandi CD, Rosa J, Ghidelli A, Musico M. Immersion anaesthesia in goldfish (Carassius auratus) with three concentrations of alfaxalone. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2019;46(1):79-83. Alfaxalone is used in goldfish for Sedation and surgical anaesthesia for diagnostic handling and minor procedures, induction of anaesthesia, maintenance of anaesthesia. Routes documented in goldfish: Immersion (bath), by immersion. A typical adult goldfish weighs 0.01–3.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Alfaxalone in goldfish, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Alfaxan
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immersion (bath) | 6 mg/L water (immersion bath) | single immersion to effect | Contact time = immerse to the required plane. At 6 mg/L: sedation 5.89 +/- 0.40 min, light anaesthesia 13.79 +/- 1.04 min, surgical anaesthesia 19.75 +/- 1.84 min. Recovery times did not differ significantly between the three concentrations. The paper prints no maximum tolerated exposure time, so the endpoint is the anaesthetic plane, not a clock. | Sedation and surgical anaesthesia for diagnostic handling and minor procedures | Moderate | Leonardi F, Costa GL, Interlandi CD, Rosa J, Ghidelli A, Musico M. Immersion anaesthesia in goldfish (Carassius auratus) with three concentrations of alfaxalone. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2019;46(1):79-83. doi:10.1016/j.vaa.2018.08.006 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30528215/ |
| by immersion | 5–10 mg/l | not stated in the cited source | — | induction of anaesthesia | Moderate | Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.9.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| by immersion | 1–2.5 mg/l | not stated in the cited source | — | maintenance of anaesthesia | Moderate | Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.9.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (mg/l) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–10 | IMMERSION | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.23 | 5-10 mg/l by immersion for induction of anaesthesia; 1-2.5 mg/l by immersion for maintenance of ana |
| 1–2.5 | IMMERSION | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.23 | 5-10 mg/l by immersion for induction of anaesthesia; 1-2.5 mg/l by immersion for maintenance of anaesthesia g. |
| 0.5 | IMMERSION | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 2.3 | 0.5 mg/L bath sedation; 5 mg/L anesthesia |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
Enter your goldfish's weight to check these cited ranges in the calculator — unit and concentration math done for you.
Neuroactive steroid that modulates GABA-A receptors, producing dose-dependent sedation to general anesthesia.
Apnea with rapid IV injection — titrate slowly. No analgesic properties. Short shelf life once broached (use within 6 hours unless preserved formulation). Good safety profile in exotic species.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for goldfish may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Alfaxalone dose ranges in goldfish, with cited source references: Immersion (bath) 6 mg/L water (immersion bath) single immersion to effect; by immersion 5–10 mg/l not stated in the cited source; by immersion 1–2.5 mg/l not stated in the cited source. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Alfaxalone in goldfish: Immersion (bath), by immersion.
Cited course lengths for Alfaxalone in goldfish include: Contact time = immerse to the required plane. At 6 mg/L: sedation 5.89 +/- 0.40 min, light anaesthesia 13.79 +/- 1.04 min, surgical anaesthesia 19.75 +/- 1.84 min. Recovery times did not differ significantly between the three concentrations. The paper prints no maximum tolerated exposure time, so the endpoint is the anaesthetic plane, not a clock.. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Alfaxalone is indicated in goldfish for: Sedation and surgical anaesthesia for diagnostic handling and minor procedures, induction of anaesthesia, maintenance of anaesthesia.
These are general warnings for Alfaxalone across species; consult the goldfish dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Apnea with rapid IV injection — titrate slowly. No analgesic properties. Short shelf life once broached (use within 6 hours unless preserved formulation). Good safety profile in exotic species.
Why a species-specific page? Alfaxalone pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in goldfish — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.
| 5 |
| IMMERSION |
| Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 2.3 |
| 0.5 mg/L bath sedation; 5 mg/L anesthesia |
| 10 | IMMERSION | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 2.3 | 10 mg/L bath induction; 1.0-2.5 mg/L maintenance |
| 1–2.5 | IMMERSION | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 2.3 | 10 mg/L bath induction; 1.0-2.5 mg/L maintenance |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.