Magnesium chloride in high concentration is used for euthanasia of jellyfish to limit overpopulation and for predatory species consumption, but its use could lead to magnesium bioaccumulation and subsequent negative effects in consumers. Two species of scyphozoan jellyfish (Cassiopea andromeda and Aurelia aurita) were subjected to freezing (control), or magnesium chloride baths (144 g/L), with subsequent 30 min baths (one or two) in fresh artificial saltwater and submitted for inductively coupled plasma analysis to determine tissue concentration. Frozen jellyfish consistently yielded the lowest magnesium concentrations, while magnesium chloride euthanized individuals contained the highest concentrations in both species. C. andromeda displayed a significantly higher (p < .05) magnesium absorption capacity than A. aurita in both trials. Single and double baths significantly decreased magnesium concentrations (p < .05) in both species, however, magnesium remained consistently elevated compared to frozen specimens. This study demonstrated species-specific magnesium accumulation in jellyfish posteuthanasia and that rinsing was an effective method to limit excessive magnesium that could be deleterious to animals in public display aquaria. Magnesium concentrations of tissue and receiving water should be tested if magnesium chloride euthanasia is utilized for dietary supplementation in small bodies of water.
Keywords: Aurelia aurita; Cassiopea andromeda; euthanasia; jellyfish; magnesium.
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