Nitrogen Narcosis while diving is a reversible alteration in consciousness that occurs while diving at depth. It is also termed as Martini Effect or raptures of the Deep. The initial word in fact is derived from narke meaning, “temporary decline or loss of senses and movement or kind of numbness. Narcosis creates a somewhat similar condition as alcohol intoxication or nitrous oxide inhalation, and can occur during shallow dives, but generally does not become perceptible until greater depths, beyond 30 meters (100 ft). The effect is temporary and reversible.
Symptoms of this effect are giddiness, fretfulness, a feeling of euphoria, reckoning, memory recall problems, as well as an irresistible sense of well-being but once back on the float up the effects of nitrogen narcosis goes away almost straight away.
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The history of this effect arises from Narcosis Angelfish (Centropyge narcosis) which is also known as the Narc Angelfish and Deep Reef Pygmy Angel. They are an exclusive species, very rare and hardly available in marine aquarium trade. This outstanding deepwater beauty fish sports a bold yellow coloration, lined on each side of their body with a jet black spot. This species was properly explained by Richard Pyle and Jack Randall in 1993, and is known to accomplish a maximum total length of 3.5 inches (9 cm). They are species found in the Eastern Central Pacific Ocean of Rarotonga, Cooks Islands, but they have also been of late found in related deepwater habitat over 700 miles (1199 kilometers) away in Tahiti.
Chip Boyle and Richard Pyle while diving observed a second angelfish that they didn’t seem to be acquainted with. The fish looked remarkably akin to a Juvenile Lemonpeel Angelfish (Centropyge flavissima), but the black spot on the side of the fish that is usually seen in C. flavissima as a juveniles, was visible on the adults of this novel yellow angelfish. During graduate student seminars, Richard Pyle and friend Randall Kosaki would often pass notes back and forth to each other in an effort to make each other giggle.
One such note which Richard passed said that Chip says he saw ‘another’ new angelfish at 330 feet- all yellow with a black spot. Kosaki, knowing Chip was using compressed air, without conviction wrote “Centropyge narcosis”, which in turn made Richard chuckle. It was then that Richard Pyle made the verdict that if this new angelfish species did continue living it would be named Centropyge narcosis. And here is from where the name originated.
The Narcosis Angelfish was introduced first unswervingly to a particular quarantine tank which enclosed a well-established reef set-up that had a selection of large polyp stony corals, and a few deepwater Acropora species. The temperate of the set-up was gradually synced down to 23 degrees Celsius; previous to introducing the fish into the tank, and LED lighting was operated to light up the aquarium with half reduced power. Several sheets of Black Egg Crate lighting grid were also set on top of the glass cover in the right most section in an effort to provide a very dark area.
These fishes need low lights and cool water temperature. They are shy fishes who for the first few days would simply refuse to come out of the dark corners. Introducing another angelfish in the tank can by large make them comfortable in the new atmosphere.
Talking about Narcosis, it seems to diverge from diver to diver, and those familiar to diving often or at depths are known to feel its effects lesser. A fine way to avoid Narcosis is to limit your deep dive times and keep away from doing any tiring activity while deep diving. Also understanding its symptoms and inception near the beginning will help divers in making the decision to soar up to do away of its effects. Conducting plain checks and tests of mental ability, at habitual intervals on a deep dive will also aid divers to evaluate the need to come up. Mixed gas diving, helium mixed with oxygen instead of Nitrogen helps prevent Narcosis, however it is more costly and may also cause giddiness and nausea for the diver.
