Anesthesia is an important means to improve the transportation efficiency of live fish, to determine the best anesthesia method, anesthesia effect, and anesthesia time for yellow catfish (Tachysurus fulvidraco). This study explored the anesthesia effect on yellow catfish for three methods of anesthesia (tea tree essential oil, electro-immobilization, low-temperature anesthesia), two sizes (100.58±3.13g; 20.5±0.32cm; 157.35g±7.16g; 25.33±0.51cm）and two domestication temperatures（17℃ and 24℃,7d）. The induction of anesthesia, recovery time and induction temperature (low-temperature anesthesia) of yellow catfish under each condition were recorded. In addition, the changes in cortisol and glucose were monitored during the continuous anesthesia (3-11min) of the yellow catfish（24℃，157.35g）during the three anesthesia methods. The results showed that all three methods of anesthesia can effectively anesthetize yellow catfish, and their anesthesia induction and recovery time are significantly affected by mass concentration, current size, fish weight, and holding temperature (P<0.05). The induction time, recovery time (except electro-immobilization), and anesthesia conditions of the three anesthesia methods all increase with the decrease of domestication temperature and the increase of body weight， Among them, there was no significant difference in the recovery time of electro-immobilization (P>0.05). In addition, the best mass concentration of tea tree essential oil for large and small individuals after being domesticated at 24°C and 17°C is 130mg/L, 120mg/L, and 130mg/L, 190mg/L, separately. Finally, the stress results showed that the levels of cortisol and glucose showed an upward trend with the extension of anesthesia time. Among them, the electrical anesthesia increased the fastest, the tea tree essential oil followed, and the low-temperature anesthesia was the lowest. The ideal exposure time for electro-immobilization is 3-7min, and the ideal exposure time for low-temperature anesthesia and tea tree essential oil is 3-11min. Studies have shown that high-temperature domestication can reduce the mass concentration of anesthetics and reduce the differences in anesthetic effects between individuals. Low-temperature anesthesia is an ideal anesthesia method, which can adapt to various water temperatures and sizes of yellow catfish, reduce processing pressure, and improve their welfare.