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Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture: Enhancing Production Methods, Innovating Feeds, Promoting Animal...
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Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture: Enhancing Production Methods, Innovating Feeds, Promoting Animal Welfare and Minimizing Environmental Impact

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Aquatic Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 8086

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Cosmas I. Nathanailides

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, University of Ioannina, 47100 Arta, Greece
Interests: aquaculture; biotechnology; ecophysiology; environmental education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue entitled "Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture: Enhancing Production Methods, Innovating Feeds, Promoting Animal Welfare and Minimizing Environmental Impact" will focus on the principles and practices of sustainable aquaculture.

The overexploitation of fish stocks and growing global demand for seafood have spurred aquaculture development, presenting a range of challenges. This necessitates a multi-faceted approach that involves collaboration among governments, researchers, and industry stakeholders. It also requires ongoing research and development efforts to find innovative solutions to make aquaculture more sustainable while meeting the global demand for seafood.

Furthermore, addressing these challenges involves the critical necessity to reduce dependence on wild fish for aquaculture feeds and minimize the use of antibiotics, highlighting the significance of alternative strategies for disease management and animal health. One such alternative is the incorporation of functional feed additives. These additives can enhance the nutritional value of feeds and improve the overall health of aquaculture species.

Accepted papers for this Issue will present original research and also delve into the analysis of trends and prospects for enhancing aquaculture sustainability, encompassing production methods, innovative feed solutions, animal welfare, and environmental considerations in aquaculture development.

Prof. Dr. Cosmas I. Nathanailides
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • functional feed additives
  • fish feed innovation
  • aquaculture

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 725 KiB  
Article
Nematodes Can Substitute Artemia in a Co-Feeding Regime for Pacific White Shrimp Post-Larvae Reared in a Biofloc Nursery System
by Nils Phillip Sommer, Mateus Aranha Martins, Priscila Costa Rezende, Walter Quadros Seiffert, Laurent H. Seychelles, Cláudia Aragão and Felipe Boéchat Vieira
Animals 2024, 14(18), 2679; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14182679 - 14 Sep 2024
Viewed by 751
Abstract
This study evaluated nematodes as an alternative to live Artemia when provided in a co-feeding regime to Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) post-larvae (PL) reared in a biofloc nursery system. A 20-day experiment employing PL11 was performed for an evaluation [...] Read more.
This study evaluated nematodes as an alternative to live Artemia when provided in a co-feeding regime to Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) post-larvae (PL) reared in a biofloc nursery system. A 20-day experiment employing PL11 was performed for an evaluation of four dietary groups: control [C] (fed exclusively with a dry commercial feed); artificial Artemia [AA] (dry feed composed of extracted and processed Artemia cysts and dry commercial feed); live Artemia and dry commercial feed [LA]; and nematodes and dry commercial feed [N] (Panagrolaimus sp. dry nematodes). The diets were provided twice a day, with the remaining six feed provisions being a commercial dry feed for all experimental groups. A biofloc system was chosen as it offers a potentially sustainable approach to intensive shrimp farming. Alkalinity and pH in the [N] group were significantly higher in the last 5 days of the experiment (p < 0.05), likely causing the significantly lower nitrite levels observed in that same group (p < 0.05). Total and volatile suspended solids were significantly lower in the two live feed groups when compared with [C] and [AA] (p < 0.05). Although PL fed the dry diets exhibited higher growth rates (p < 0.05), the [N] and [LA] groups presented significantly higher final survivals (p < 0.05). No differences were found for survival after a salinity stress test (p ≥ 0.05). These results suggest that nematodes can successfully substitute Artemia in a co-feeding regime for P. vannamei PL reared in biofloc nursery systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture: Enhancing Production Methods, Innovating Feeds, Promoting Animal Welfare and Minimizing Environmental Impact)
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15 pages, 3169 KiB  
Article
Effects of Dietary Lipid Levels on the Growth, Muscle Fatty Acid and Amino Acid Composition, Antioxidant Capacity, and Lipid Deposition in Mirror Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
by Xiaona Jiang, Zhenguo Song, Chitao Li, Xuesong Hu, Yanlong Ge, Lei Cheng, Xiaodan Shi and Zhiying Jia
Animals 2024, 14(17), 2583; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14172583 - 5 Sep 2024
Viewed by 607
Abstract
In fish, increasing the crude lipid level of feed can save protein and improve feed utilization. Mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio) is one of the most widely farmed fish species in the world. In this study, mirror carp larvae were fed isonitrogenous [...] Read more.
In fish, increasing the crude lipid level of feed can save protein and improve feed utilization. Mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio) is one of the most widely farmed fish species in the world. In this study, mirror carp larvae were fed isonitrogenous diets with different lipid levels (3%, 5%, 7%, 9%, 11%, and 13%). The rearing trial lasted for eight weeks. The results revealed that when the fat content was 9%, the AWGR, WGR, and FCR were highest, whereas FCR was lowest. The AWGR was correlated with the dietary lipid level, and the regression equation was y = −2.312x2 + 45.01x + 214.49. Compared with those in the control group, the T-CHO and TG contents were significantly greater in the 13% lipid content groups and significantly lower in the 9% lipid content groups (p < 0.05). In terms of muscle quality, the contents of MUFAs, PUFAs, and DHA + EPA were significantly greater than those in the other experimental groups (p < 0.05). Oil red O staining revealed a lipid content of 13% with severe fat deposition. In addition, the results of the analysis of antioxidant enzyme activity revealed that the activities of GSH, CAT and T-AOC were significantly greater at the 9% lipid content, and that the MDA content was significantly greater at the 13% lipid content (p < 0.05). Similarly, the mRNA levels of GH, IGF-I, FAS, and LPL were significantly highest at a lipid level of 9% (p < 0.05). The above results revealed that the optimal dietary lipid requirement for the fast growth of mirror carp (6.86 ± 0.95 g) was 9.74% on the basis of nonlinear regression analysis of the AWGR. The dietary lipid level (9%) improved the growth, stress resistance, and lipid utilization of mirror carp to a certain extent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture: Enhancing Production Methods, Innovating Feeds, Promoting Animal Welfare and Minimizing Environmental Impact)
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19 pages, 2999 KiB  
Article
Effects of Hypoxia on the Antibacterial Activity of Epidermal Mucus from Chilean Meagre (Cilus gilberti)
by Belinda Vega, Teresa Toro-Araneda, Juan F. Alvarado, Claudia B. Cárcamo, Fanny Guzmán, Félix Acosta, Marcia Oliva, Edison Serrano, Janeth I. Galarza and Claudio A. Álvarez
Animals 2024, 14(13), 2014; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14132014 - 8 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 760
Abstract
Comprehending the immune defense mechanisms of new aquaculture species, such as the Chilean meagre (Cilus gilberti), is essential for sustaining large-scale production. Two bioassays were conducted to assess the impact of acute and intermittent hypoxia on the antibacterial activity of juvenile [...] Read more.
Comprehending the immune defense mechanisms of new aquaculture species, such as the Chilean meagre (Cilus gilberti), is essential for sustaining large-scale production. Two bioassays were conducted to assess the impact of acute and intermittent hypoxia on the antibacterial activity of juvenile Chilean meagre epidermal mucus against the potential pathogens Vibrio anguillarum and Vibrio ordalii. Lysozyme and peroxidase activities were also measured. In general, fish exposed to hypoxia showed a 9–30% reduction in mucus antibacterial activity at the end of hypoxic periods and after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide. However, following water reoxygenation, the activity of non-stimulated fish was comparable to that of fish in normoxic conditions, inhibiting bacterial growth by 35–52%. In the case of fish exposed to chronic hypoxia, the response against V. anguillarum increased by an additional 19.8% after 6 days of control inoculation. Lysozyme exhibited a similar pattern, while no modulation of peroxidase activity was detected post-hypoxia. These results highlight the resilience of C. gilberti to dissolved oxygen fluctuations and contribute to understanding the potential of mucus in maintaining the health of cultured fish and the development of future control strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture: Enhancing Production Methods, Innovating Feeds, Promoting Animal Welfare and Minimizing Environmental Impact)
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15 pages, 859 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Gamma Aminobutyric Acid and Sodium Butyrate in Juvenile Red Seabream (Pagrus major) Diets Containing Graded Levels of Fish Meal and Soy Protein Concentrate
by Buddhi E. Gunathilaka, Seong-Mok Jeong, Kang-Woong Kim, Seunghan Lee, Sang-Woo Hur, Sang-Guan You and Sang-Min Lee
Animals 2024, 14(13), 1973; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14131973 - 3 Jul 2024
Viewed by 763
Abstract
The experiment was conducted to evaluate the supplementary effects of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) and sodium butyrate (SB) when a graded level of fish meal (FM) was replaced with soy protein concentrate (SPC) in diets for juvenile red seabream (Pagrus major). [...] Read more.
The experiment was conducted to evaluate the supplementary effects of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) and sodium butyrate (SB) when a graded level of fish meal (FM) was replaced with soy protein concentrate (SPC) in diets for juvenile red seabream (Pagrus major). A control diet was designed to contain 60% FM (F60). Two other diets were formulated by reducing FM levels to 40% and 20% with SPC (F40 and F20). Six more diets were formulated by adding 0.02% GABA or 0.2% SB to each F60, F40 and F20 diets (F60G, F60S, F40G, F40S, F20G and F20S). Each diet was randomly assigned to a triplicate group of fish (5.52 g/fish) and provided for eight weeks. Final body weight, weight gain and specific growth rate of fish fed F60G, F60S, F40G and F40S diets were comparable and significantly higher (p < 0.05) than other groups. The growth of fish fed SB-containing diets was significantly increased (p < 0.05) compared to fish fed the respective control diets. The feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratios were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the fish fed all diets containing 60% and 40% FM compared to F20 and F20G groups. The F40S diet resulted in the highest feed utilization values. The F20S group exhibited significantly higher (p < 0.05) feed utilization than the F20 and F20G groups. Serum lysozyme activity was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in fish fed the GABA- and SB-containing diets compared to the F20 group. The F60S group exhibited the highest lysozyme activity which was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in the F20 and F40 groups. Therefore, the growth performance, feed utilization and innate immunity of red seabream can be enhanced by dietary supplementation with GABA or SB in low-FM diets containing SPC. The FM level in the juvenile red seabream diet can be reduced to 40% with SPC and GABA or SB while maintaining performance better than a diet containing 60% FM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture: Enhancing Production Methods, Innovating Feeds, Promoting Animal Welfare and Minimizing Environmental Impact)
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18 pages, 342 KiB  
Article
Dietary High Levels of Coconut Oil Replacing Fish Oil Did Not Affect Growth, but Promoted Liver Lipid Deposition of Orange-Spotted Groupers (Epinephelus coioides)
by Kun Wang, Tao Song, Liner Ke, Yunzhang Sun and Jidan Ye
Animals 2024, 14(11), 1534; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14111534 - 22 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 891
Abstract
In this study, we conducted an 8-week feeding trial to investigate the effects of replacing fish oil (FO) with coconut oil (CO) on the growth performance, blood components, tissue fatty acid (FA) profile, and mRNA levels of genes related to lipid metabolism in [...] Read more.
In this study, we conducted an 8-week feeding trial to investigate the effects of replacing fish oil (FO) with coconut oil (CO) on the growth performance, blood components, tissue fatty acid (FA) profile, and mRNA levels of genes related to lipid metabolism in the liver of the orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides). Five isolipidic and isoproteic diets were formulated through increasing the CO levels (0, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, respectively). Triplicate groups of twenty-five fish (initial wet weight of about 22.4 g/fish) were fed one of the diets twice daily to apparent satiety. The 25% CO diet had the highest growth rate and feed utilization, and the 100% CO diet exhibited a comparable growth and feed utilization with that of the control diet, indicating a suitable FO substitute. Moreover, the hepatosomatic index, intraperitoneal fat rate, liver lipid content, as well as the serum HDL-C content and ALT activity had positive linear and/or quadratic responses, but the serum TC and LDL-C contents exhibited the opposite trend, with an increasing CO inclusion level. The FA profile in the liver and muscle generally mirrored the FA profile in the feed. Furthermore, the mRNA levels of the fas, acc, g6pd, srebp-1c, and δ6fad genes in the liver had positive linear and/or quadratic responses, but the mRNA levels of elovl 4 and elovl 5 had the opposite trend, with increasing dietary CO inclusion levels. When compared with the control diet, 25% and 50% CO diets up-regulated the mRNA levels of cpt 1, while the 75% and 100% CO diets down-regulated its mRNA levels. The hsl and atgl were down-regulated through the addition of dietary CO. The mRNA level of lpl was not affected by dietary treatments. Results showed that CO could completely replace FO without affecting growth performance, but high CO will lead to the significant liver lipid deposition and lower LC-PUFAs contents of fish flesh. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture: Enhancing Production Methods, Innovating Feeds, Promoting Animal Welfare and Minimizing Environmental Impact)
13 pages, 1856 KiB  
Article
Morphometric and Enzymatic Changes in Gills of Rainbow Trout after Exposure to Elevated Temperature—Indications for Gill Remodeling
by Franz Lahnsteiner
Animals 2024, 14(6), 919; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14060919 - 16 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1152
Abstract
Seven-month-old rainbow trout acclimated to 9 °C were used. The fish were gradually adapted to a water temperature of 20 °C over a period of seven days and then exposed to this temperature for 32 days. Changes in gill morphometry and histology and [...] Read more.
Seven-month-old rainbow trout acclimated to 9 °C were used. The fish were gradually adapted to a water temperature of 20 °C over a period of seven days and then exposed to this temperature for 32 days. Changes in gill morphometry and histology and in enzyme activities in comparison to fish kept at 9 °C were investigated. No histopathological abnormalities were discerned at the heightened temperature. The gill epithelium thickened by approximately 40%, suggesting an increase in the branchial diffusion barrier for ions, water, and gases. Concurrently, there was a significant decrease in the activities of gill H+-ATPase and Na+/K+-ATPase, indicative of a reduction in osmoregulation under elevated temperatures. Carbonic anhydrase activity exhibited an increase following the 32-day exposure to 20 °C, potentially mitigating the adverse effects of increased gill epithelium thickness on gaseous exchange. There were no indications of gill surface enlargement as the measurements of the length of the primary and secondary lamellae, as well as of the distances between them, were similar at 9 and 20 °C. The activities of the gill enzymes associated with glycolysis and the citric acid cycle displayed a varied response following the 32-day exposure of rainbow trout to 20 °C. Pyruvate kinase decreased, while lactate dehydrogenase increased, and malate dehydrogenase remained constant. This might suggest a decrease in the glycolytic rate, a greater reliance on anaerobic pathways at 20 °C compared to 9 °C, and the consistent efficiency of the citric acid cycle in the gills of rainbow trout in response to elevated temperatures. In summation, the data suggest a remodeling of rainbow trout gills in response to elevated temperatures, affecting both morphometric and metabolic aspects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture: Enhancing Production Methods, Innovating Feeds, Promoting Animal Welfare and Minimizing Environmental Impact)
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17 pages, 3261 KiB  
Article
Effects of Photoperiod on Survival, Growth, Physiological, and Biochemical Indices of Redclaw Crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) Juveniles
by Xiangxing Nie, Cuixue Huang, Jie Wei, Yakun Wang, Kunhao Hong, Xidong Mu, Chao Liu, Zhangjie Chu, Xinping Zhu and Lingyun Yu
Animals 2024, 14(3), 411; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14030411 - 26 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1444
Abstract
Through a 30-day experiment, this study investigated the effects of five photoperiods (0L:24D, 6L:18D, 12L:12D, 18L:6D, and 24L:0D) on the survival, enzyme activity, body color, and growth-related gene expression of redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) juveniles. The results showed that C. quadricarinatus [...] Read more.
Through a 30-day experiment, this study investigated the effects of five photoperiods (0L:24D, 6L:18D, 12L:12D, 18L:6D, and 24L:0D) on the survival, enzyme activity, body color, and growth-related gene expression of redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) juveniles. The results showed that C. quadricarinatus juveniles under 18L:6D and 24L:0D photoperiods exhibited the highest survival rate, which was significantly higher than the survival rates of juveniles under the other three photoperiods (p < 0.05). However, the 0L:24D group had the highest final body weight and weight gain rate, significantly surpassing those of the 12L:12D, 18L:6D, and 24L:0D groups (p < 0.05). Regarding enzyme activity and hormone levels, juveniles under the 18L:6D photoperiod exhibited relatively higher activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), acid phosphatase (ACP), and lysozyme (LZM) enzymes than those under other photoperiods, but their levels of melatonin and cortisol were relatively low. In addition, the 24L:0D group showed the highest malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Analysis of gene expression levels revealed that retinoid X receptor (RXR) and α-amylase (α-AMY) genes in C. quadricarinatus juveniles exhibited significantly higher expression levels under the 18L:6D photoperiod than those under the other four photoperiods (p < 0.05). With increasing daylight exposure, the body color of C. quadricarinatus changed from pale blue to yellow–brown. In summary, C. quadricarinatus juveniles achieved high survival rates, good growth performance, strong antioxidant stress response, and immune defense capabilities under an 18 h photoperiod. Therefore, in the industrial seedling cultivation of redclaw crayfish, it is recommended to provide 18 h of daily light. Further, the study demonstrated the ability to manipulate the body color of C. quadricarinatus through controlled artificial photoperiods. These findings provide essential technical parameters needed for the industrial cultivation of C. quadricarinatus juveniles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture: Enhancing Production Methods, Innovating Feeds, Promoting Animal Welfare and Minimizing Environmental Impact)
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14 pages, 1946 KiB  
Article
Influence of Pediveliger Larvae Stocking Density on Settlement Efficiency and Seed Production in Captivity of Mytilus galloprovincialis in Amsa Bay, Tetouan
by Hafsa Janah, Adil Aghzar, Pablo Presa and Yassine Ouagajjou
Animals 2024, 14(2), 239; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14020239 - 12 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1018
Abstract
In mussel hatchery systems, the settlement process is a crucial element influencing seed yield. The current study assayed the influence of five densities of competent pediveliger larvae on settlement success and post-larvae production. We showed an inverse relationship between density and settlement efficiency, [...] Read more.
In mussel hatchery systems, the settlement process is a crucial element influencing seed yield. The current study assayed the influence of five densities of competent pediveliger larvae on settlement success and post-larvae production. We showed an inverse relationship between density and settlement efficiency, e.g., an attachment success of 99.4% at the lowest density (35 larvae/cm2) but only 9% at the highest density (210 larvae/cm2). However, post-larvae production was higher at intermediate larvae densities (70 larvae/cm2). The reimplementation of treatments upon post-larvae density after 6 weeks post settlement showed that the lowest-density groups bore both the highest post-larvae growth rate (22.24 ± 4.60 µm/day) and the largest head batch (48% of the size distribution), as compared to the higher-post-larvae-density groups. These results highlight the importance of optimizing both pediveliger larvae density and post-larvae density, to maximize high-quality seed yield in local hatcheries. Current rearing technologies would assure a timely commercial seed production to protect natural sea rocky beds in Alboran Sea coasts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture: Enhancing Production Methods, Innovating Feeds, Promoting Animal Welfare and Minimizing Environmental Impact)
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