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Animals
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Advances in Aquaculture Nutrition for Sustainable Health Management
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Advances in Aquaculture Nutrition for Sustainable Health Management

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 3805

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Cunxin Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China
Interests: aquaculture nutrition; fish and shellfish; molecular mechanism; antioxidants; stress factor; antioxidant approach
Dr. Xiaochuan Zheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China
Interests: aquatic nutrition; antioxidants; immunity; intestinal microorganisms

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Aquaculture plays an important role in providing high-quality food protein to humans. With the intensive development of the industry, declining aquatic product quality, frequent diseases and deterioration of the breeding environment have become prominent challenges hindering the sustainable development of aquaculture. Hence, ensuring the sustainable health management of aquaculture animals has emerged as a crucial prerequisite for the sound growth of the present aquaculture sector. Nutrition and feed play a crucial role in maintaining animal health by influencing several factors such as growth promotion, immune enhancement, disease resistance, stress resistance, improved reproduction and enhanced product quality. These features are vital for the sustainable management of farmed animals. Advancements in interconnected disciplines have the potential to enhance our comprehension of the management of aquatic animal health and the development of quality, enabling us to identify more areas for sustainable health management in aquaculture.

Original manuscripts that address any aspects of nutrient and feeding effects on health, product quality, reproduction, anti-stress, disease resistance, etc., are invited for publication in this Special Issue.

The topics of special interest are the effects and mechanisms of functional additives, novel feed sources (insects, single-cell proteins, etc.) and biologically fermented feed on the health regulation of aquatic animals; nutritional strategies for improving flesh quality; the effects of feed types and feeding modes on the feeding behavior of aquatic animals, among others.

Dr. Cunxin Sun
Dr. Xiaochuan Zheng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • functional additives
  • protein sources
  • immunoregulation
  • anti-stress
  • flesh quality
  • intestinal health

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2100 KiB  
Article
Effects of Different Levels of Antarctic Krill Oil on the Ovarian Development of Macrobrachium rosenbergii
by Xiaochuan Zheng, Jie Yang, Xin Liu, Cunxin Sun, Qunlan Zhou, Aimin Wang, Jianming Chen and Bo Liu
Animals 2024, 14(22), 3313; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14223313 - 18 Nov 2024
Viewed by 387
Abstract
Antarctic krill oil has been proven to be able to promote the ovarian development of crustaceans, but its optimal application dose and potential regulatory mechanism in Macrobrachium rosenbergii are still unclear. In this study, five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets with gradient additions of [...] Read more.
Antarctic krill oil has been proven to be able to promote the ovarian development of crustaceans, but its optimal application dose and potential regulatory mechanism in Macrobrachium rosenbergii are still unclear. In this study, five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets with gradient additions of Antarctic krill oil (0%, 1.5%, 3%, 4.5%, and 6%) were served exposed to 8 weeks of feeding. The results show that 3–4.5% Antarctic krill oil supplementation significantly increases the weight gain rate and specific growth rate of M. rosenbergii (p < 0.05). In addition, 3–4.5% Antarctic krill oil supplementation significantly increased the content of hemolymph vitellogenin (VTG) and the levels of reproductive hormones, including methyl farnesoate (MF), estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P4) (p < 0.05). The differences in ovarian index, oocyte volume, yolk granule deposition in oocytes, and the transcription levels of VTG genes in hepatopancreas and ovarian tissues demonstrated that the addition of Antarctic krill oil significantly promoted ovarian development and vitellogenesis, especially at the 4.5% addition level. In terms of molecular signaling, this study confirms that the retinol metabolic signaling pathway, MF signaling pathway, steroid hormone signaling pathway, and ecdysone signaling pathway, along with their specific molecules, such as Farnesoic acid-O-methyltransferase (FAMeT), retinoid x receptor (RXR), ecdysone receptor (EcR), and estrogen-related receptor (ERR), are involved in the regulation of the ovarian development of M. rosenbergii by adding Antarctic krill oil at appropriate doses. The findings indicate that the supplementation of 4.5% Antarctic krill oil in the diet is optimal for stimulating the secretion of reproductive hormones in female M. rosenbergii, thereby promoting vitellogenesis and ovarian development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Aquaculture Nutrition for Sustainable Health Management)
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16 pages, 1927 KiB  
Article
Dietary Malondialdehyde Impair Intestinal Health and Fillet Quality of Hybrid Grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × E. lanceolatus♂)
by Xuehan Wang, Jiongting Fan, Xiaohui Dong, Shuang Zhang, Qihui Yang, Shuyan Chi, Haitao Zhang, Junming Deng and Beiping Tan
Animals 2024, 14(22), 3208; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14223208 - 8 Nov 2024
Viewed by 619
Abstract
Aquafeed kept at elevated temperatures and humidity can result in malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, adversely affecting aquafeed quality and triggering negative reactions in fish. To investigate the detrimental effects of dietary MDA on fish, six experimental diets with varying MDA levels (ranging from 0.03 [...] Read more.
Aquafeed kept at elevated temperatures and humidity can result in malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, adversely affecting aquafeed quality and triggering negative reactions in fish. To investigate the detrimental effects of dietary MDA on fish, six experimental diets with varying MDA levels (ranging from 0.03 to 17.72 mg/kg, on dietary crude lipid basis) were administered to three replicates of hybrid grouper for 8 weeks. Dietary inclusion of 4.43 mg/kg MDA significantly decreased serum complement 4 content and lysozyme activity, along with intestinal complement 3, complement 4, and immunoglobulin M contents. Furthermore, dietary inclusion of 8.86 mg/kg MDA significantly increased the activities of interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase, ubiquitin-protein ligase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and tumor necrosis factor-α, downregulated the relative expression of Occludin but upregulated the relative expression of HSP70 in the hindgut. Additionally, the highest inclusion of MDA (17.72 mg/kg) significantly upregulated the relative levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α), caused intestinal inflammation, and damaged the intestinal microbial structure and fish fillet texture. This study demonstrated a dose-dependent response of MDA on hybrid grouper. A low dietary dose of MDA (<2.21 mg/kg) exhibited minimal impact on immune response and fillet quality. However, higher inclusion levels (≥4.43 mg/kg) impaired the intestinal health and fillet quality. Consequently, the safety limit for MDA content in the diet for hybrid grouper has been established at 4.43 mg/kg based on dietary crude lipid basis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Aquaculture Nutrition for Sustainable Health Management)
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14 pages, 426 KiB  
Article
Effects of Replacing Fish Meal with Rubber Seed Cake on Growth, Digestive, Antioxidant and Protein Metabolism of Juvenile Asian Red-Tailed Catfish (Hemibagrus wyckioides)
by Tao Cheng, Han Huang, Haifeng Mi, Lu Zhang, Junming Deng, Shuang Zhang, Xiaohui Dong, Shuyan Chi, Qihui Yang, Hongyu Liu, Shiwei Xie, Wei Zhang and Beiping Tan
Animals 2024, 14(21), 3149; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14213149 - 2 Nov 2024
Viewed by 721
Abstract
An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to assess the impact of replacing fish meal (FM) with rubber seed cake (RSC) on growth performance, digestive enzyme activity of the gut, antioxidant capacity and protein metabolism-related parameters of plasma and liver in juvenile Asian red-tailed [...] Read more.
An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to assess the impact of replacing fish meal (FM) with rubber seed cake (RSC) on growth performance, digestive enzyme activity of the gut, antioxidant capacity and protein metabolism-related parameters of plasma and liver in juvenile Asian red-tailed catfish (Hemibagrus wyckioides) with an average body weight of 3.21 g. Four isonitrogenous (41.08 ± 0.17) and isolipidic (10.07 ± 0.11) diets were formulated, incorporating RSC at a level of 0%, 15%, 30%, and 45% (w/w) to progressively replace FM. Dietary inclusion of 15–30% RSC did not significantly affect growth performance (p > 0.05). However, the replacement of FM with RSC resulted in linear reductions in intestinal trypsin and amylase activities, with a significant reduction in intestinal amylase activity observed at the 45% RSC inclusion level. Dietary inclusion of 30–45% RSC decreased plasma glutamate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, but increased plasma adenosine monophosphate deaminase and hepatic γ-glutamyltransferase activities. This may indicate that the high substitution of FM by RSC may affect the homeostasis of amino acid metabolism. Dietary inclusion of 15% RSC did not affect serum and hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities; however, dietary inclusion of 45% RSC significantly increased plasma malondialdehyde level, but decreased catalase activity. Furthermore, dietary inclusion of 30–45% RSC significantly increased hepatic lactate dehydrogenase activity. These results demonstrated that replacing a portion of FM with RSC is feasible, and dietary inclusion of 15% RSC did not have significant adverse effects on growth performance, digestive function and antioxidant capacity of H. wyckioides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Aquaculture Nutrition for Sustainable Health Management)
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12 pages, 2701 KiB  
Article
Intestinal Tissue, Digestive Enzyme, and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities in the Early Development Stage of Endangered Brachymystax tsinlingensis
by Rongqun Song, Zhenlu Wang, Shaoqing Lin, Xingchen Guo, Yizhou Wang, Lin Zhang, Huan Ye and Jian Shao
Animals 2024, 14(20), 3042; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14203042 - 21 Oct 2024
Viewed by 611
Abstract
This work explores the digestive system characteristics of Brachymystax tsinlingensis during early developmental stages and aims to solve the problem of high lethality of fry during the transgression period, which is crucial for the artificial propagation and population conservation of endangered fishes. This [...] Read more.
This work explores the digestive system characteristics of Brachymystax tsinlingensis during early developmental stages and aims to solve the problem of high lethality of fry during the transgression period, which is crucial for the artificial propagation and population conservation of endangered fishes. This study was carried out on intestinal tissue, digestive enzymes, and antioxidant enzyme activities in the early development stage of Brachymystax tsinlingensis. Ten random samples during endogenous nutrition (7, 10, and 11 days after hatching), mixed nutrition (13 and 19 DAH), and exogenous nutrition (31, 33, 39, 45, and 73 DAH) were collected by histological and biochemical analysis methods. The results showed that the intestine of Brachymystax tsinlingensis already has four layers initially at 7 DAH, and the intestinal gland tissue is evident at 73 DAH. The contents of total protein (TP) and the activities of lipase (LPS) and trypsin (TPS) were maximal at 39 DAH, and the activities were 3.20 ± 0.26 mg/mL, 2.52 ± 0.69 U/g, and 2717.45 ± 295.26 U/mg, respectively. Catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activities both showed the lowest values at 39 DAH, which were 0.57 ± 0.11 U/mg and 3.35 ± 0.94 U/mg, respectively. The activity of amylase (AMS) and the content of malonaldehyde (MDA) increased, and the highest values were reached at 45 DAH (1.32 ± 0.41 U/mg) and 73 DAH (1.29 ± 0.43 nmoL/mg), respectively. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and GSH-PX activities both showed a peak value at 7 DAH (126.58 ± 20.13 U/mg and 6.47 ± 1.86 U/mg). Overall, the changes in intestinal tissue, digestive enzymes, and antioxidant enzyme activities at 39 DAH of Brachymystax tsinlingensis are inseparable from different vegetative stages during the developmental period, and these results can provide a reference for the proliferation and cultivation of Brachymystax tsinlingensis resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Aquaculture Nutrition for Sustainable Health Management)
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13 pages, 1674 KiB  
Article
Chicken Meal as a Fishmeal Substitute: Effects on Growth, Antioxidants, and Digestive Enzymes in Lithobates catesbeianus
by Bo Zhu, Wenjie Xu, Zhenyan Dai, Chuang Shao, Yi Hu and Kaijian Chen
Animals 2024, 14(15), 2200; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14152200 - 29 Jul 2024
Viewed by 896
Abstract
In pursuit of sustainable aquaculture, this study was performed to evaluate chicken meal as a substitute for fishmeal in bullfrog diets. Three experimental groups were established: a control group (FM) with 20% fishmeal, a CM50 group with 50% replacement (10% fishmeal), and a [...] Read more.
In pursuit of sustainable aquaculture, this study was performed to evaluate chicken meal as a substitute for fishmeal in bullfrog diets. Three experimental groups were established: a control group (FM) with 20% fishmeal, a CM50 group with 50% replacement (10% fishmeal), and a CM100 group with 100% replacement (0 fishmeal). Bullfrogs were fed for 56 days. The CM50 group exhibited significant increases in total weight gain and survival rate and a notable decrease in feed coefficient (p < 0.05). However, the CM100 group showed contrary effects. Increasing chicken meal substitution correlated with decreased amino acid content in muscle. Notably, the CM50 group demonstrated enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, T-AOC) and elevated gene expression levels (cat, sod, gst, etc.) in muscle and the intestine (p < 0.05), improved intestinal morphology, enhanced digestive enzyme activities (amylase, lipase), and reduced expression of inflammatory factors (il-1β, il-8, il-17, etc.). Conversely, the CM100 group’s indicators regressed to levels similar to or worse than those of the FM group. Therefore, a 50% substitution of fishmeal with chicken meal effectively promoted bullfrog survival, protected the intestines, and enhanced antioxidant capacity, supporting its potential as a fishmeal alternative. However, the adverse outcomes of the CM100 strategy, including growth retardation and reduced amino acid content in muscle, indicate that complete replacement is unsuitable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Aquaculture Nutrition for Sustainable Health Management)
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