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Feeding Strategies and Reproductive Technologies in Aquaculture and Fisheries

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 September 2022) | Viewed by 11437

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Prof. Dr. Tien-Chieh Hung

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Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
Interests: conservation hatchery operation; spawning behavior; fish marking; aquacultural engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Key features of many aquaculture and conservation programs across the globe involve the culture of captive species and includes the rearing and breeding of wild broodstock and their offspring. However, rearing wild animals in captivity is sometimes challenging due to maintaining complex suitable environments, understanding peculiar behavioral patterns and sensitive physiological responses, providing specialized diets and meeting specific feeding requirements, and a variety of other unpredictable factors. Identifying the feeding conditions and nutrient needs of the animals is critical to the development of a proper feeding strategy to achieve significant growth and gonadal maturation in captivity. The purpose of this Special Issue is to collect high-quality, original research papers that addresses the current practices and to look at new advances of aquatic animal feeding strategies and reproductive technologies. Areas of interest may include, but are not limited to, feeding strategies at different life stages, inducing first feeding in captivity, weaning, breeding strategies, and assisted reproductive technologies for all aquatic non mammalian animals.

Prof. Dr. Tien-Chieh Hung
Guest Editor

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Keywords

feeding strategies
reproductive technologies
weaning
captive culture
conservation
aquaculture

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1621 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feeding Strategies for Adapting Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) Larvae to Formulated Diets at Early Life Stages

by Seunghyung Lee, Shaowei Zhai, Dong-Fang Deng, Yuquan Li, Patrick Christopher Blaufuss, Bradley T. Eggold and Fred Binkowski

Animals 2022, 12(22), 3128; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223128 - 13 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1624

Abstract

Cost-effective feeding management is required to support conservation hatcheries for lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), an ecologically important species in the Great Lakes region. This study investigated an approach to transition lake sturgeon larvae from live feed (Artemia) to formulated feed and its effect on growth performance, survival, and response to acute hypoxia stress. The first experiment showed that sturgeon had similar (p > 0.05) growth and survival when fed Artemia or the combined feeding of Artemia with the commercial diet (crude protein, 551 g/kg diet). Feeding solely on the commercial or lab-made (crude protein, 491 g/kg diet) diet significantly reduced growth and survival (p < 0.05). In the second experiment, the growth performance of sturgeon (14 days post-hatch, DPH) fed with either Artemia only or combined feeding different feeding durations of two, three, and four weeks followed by a complete transition to the commercial diet. At the end of six weeks, the 3- and 4-week combined feeding periods resulted in significantly higher body weight and survival compared to the 2-week combined and the Artemia only feeding treatments. In the last experiment, sturgeons (27 DPH) were fed only with Artemia or combined feeding of Artemia with the commercial diet for four weeks followed by the complete transition to the commercial diet for two weeks. Eighteen fish from each treatment were investigated the response to acute hypoxic conditions (gradual decrease in dissolved oxygen level from 8 to 2.3 mg/L at the rate of 1 mg/L per hour). When the dissolved oxygen was between 3 and 4 mg/L, the mortality rate of the combination-fed sturgeon (11.7%) was significantly lower than those fed only Artemia (83.3%). These results clearly demonstrate that a commercial diet can partially replace Artemia at early life stages to improve growth, survival, and hypoxia tolerance and thus its co-feeding with Artemia is recommended. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feeding Strategies and Reproductive Technologies in Aquaculture and Fisheries)

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16 pages, 2578 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Feed Frequency on Growth, Survival and Behaviour of Juvenile Spiny Lobster (Panulirus ornatus)

by Katarzyna Kropielnicka-Kruk, Quinn P. Fitzgibbon, Basseer M. Codabaccus, Andrew J. Trotter, Dean R. Giosio, Chris G. Carter and Gregory G. Smith

Animals 2022, 12(17), 2241; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12172241 - 30 Aug 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1983

Abstract

Spiny lobsters have a range of complex chemical communication pathways that contribute to feeding behaviour. Feed intake is modulated by feed availability and feed characteristics, such as attractiveness and palatability, with behavioural factors, such as social competition and circadian rhythm, providing an extra layer of complexity. In this study, we investigated the effect of feed frequency on survival and growth of early-stage (instar 2–6) juvenile Palunirus ornatus. In addition, we investigated the interactive effect of feed frequency and circadian rhythm on lobster feed response. Lobsters were fed a set ration at a frequency of either one, two, four, eight, sixteen or thirty-two times per day over 49 days. The effect of feed frequency on growth and survival was determined. Circadian feeding activity under these feeding treatments was assessed by time-lapse photography. Increased feed frequency from one to sixteen feeds daily improved growth by increasing apparent feed intake (AFI) and feed attraction, as confirmed by the increased presence of lobsters in the feeding area. The rapid leaching of feed attractant, particularly free amino acid, suggests a beneficial effect of multiple feeding frequencies on feed intake and growth. However, more than sixteen feeds per day resulted in decreased feed intake and a subsequent reduction in growth. The decrease in feed intake is thought to be associated with saturation of the culture environment with attractants, resulting in a reduced behavioural response to feed supplies. This may indicate the need for depletion of attractants to retrigger a feeding response. As lobsters were grown communally, faster growth at sixteen rations per day was also coupled with increased cannibalism, likely driven by increased vulnerability with the occurrence of more frequent ecdysis events. Whereas circadian rhythm indicated more activity at night, an interaction between daytime activity and feed frequency was not observed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feeding Strategies and Reproductive Technologies in Aquaculture and Fisheries)

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6 pages, 1322 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Captive Rearing of Longfin Smelt Spirinchus thaleichthys: First Attempt of Weaning Cultured Juveniles to Dry Feed

by William Mulvaney, Md Moshiur Rahman, Levi S. Lewis, Jiayi Cheng and Tien-Chieh Hung

Animals 2022, 12(12), 1478; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12121478 - 7 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1434

Abstract

The rapid decline of longfin smelt Spirinchus thaleichthys, a threatened euryhaline forage fish in California, is a serious concern for scientists and resource managers. To recover and conserve this species, a captive culture program was initiated, focusing on the collection, captive rearing and breeding of wild broodstock, and the rearing of their offspring. Although progress has been made in the collection of broodstock and the production and culturing of larvae, no studies have evaluated the rearing of juvenile life stages in captivity. The present study examines methodological considerations for culturing F1 juvenile longfin smelt, specifically, the first efforts toward weaning juveniles to a dry commercial pellet feed. Cultured juvenile longfin smelt were fed live Artemia only or co-fed Artemia and dry feed for 62 days, and the effects of feed type on juvenile survival, growth, body condition, and fatty acid profiles were examined. No significant differences were observed between feeding treatments, despite an 80% reduction in Artemia in the co-feeding treatment. Furthermore, examination of fish stomach contents at the end of the trial confirmed the transition to dry feed. This is the first study to indicate successful feeding by longfin smelt on dry commercial pellets, and suggests that juvenile longfin smelt can be fully weaned onto dry feeds. Results of this study are critical for closing the lifecycle of longfin smelt in captivity and developing a successful conservation culture program for this imperiled species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feeding Strategies and Reproductive Technologies in Aquaculture and Fisheries)

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11 pages, 283 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Wheat and Barley Grass Juice Addition to a Plant-Based Feed Improved Growth and Flesh Quality of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

by Marian Burducea, Ivayla Dincheva, Lenuta Dirvariu, Eugen Oprea, Valtcho D. Zheljazkov and Cristian-Alin Barbacariu

Animals 2022, 12(8), 1046; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12081046 - 17 Apr 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3249

Abstract

Phytogenics are plant extract additives used for their bioactive properties. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of plant extracts, wheat grass juice (WGJ) and barley grass juices (BGJ) addition to fish diet on growth and meat quality of common carp. Fish (51 ± 33 g initial weight) were fed for four weeks with three plant-based diets: (1) control feed (Con), (2) control feed supplemented with 2% WGJ (Con+WGJ), and (3) control feed supplemented with 2% BGJ (Con+BGJ). The results showed that the inclusion of the two juices in the plant-based feed stimulated the growth and improved meat quality by lowering the fat and ash content. Feed conversion ratio and condition factor were not affected. There were no significant differences in Fe and Zn contents of meat; however, Cu decreased, while Mn was lower in the Con+WGJ group and higher in the Con+BGJ group compared to Con. A high content of unsaturated fatty acids (FA, oleic acid and linoleic acid) and desirable ratios of saturated/unsaturated FA (0.27–0.29) and Ω6/Ω3 (2.5–2.78) were found in all groups. The juices were characterized in terms of lipid profile and polar compounds by GC-MS technique. The observed positive effects can be attributed to the rich composition of juices that included unsaturated FA, amino acids, sugars and organic compounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feeding Strategies and Reproductive Technologies in Aquaculture and Fisheries)

11 pages, 1251 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spawning Performance and Sex Steroid Levels in Female Pikeperch Sander lucioperca Treated with Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Microparticles

by Jindřiška Knowles, Jakub Vysloužil, Tomáš Policar, Sylvain Milla, Martina Holická and Peter Podhorec

Animals 2022, 12(2), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12020208 - 16 Jan 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1989

Abstract

Pikeperch Sander lucioperca is a piscivorous species considered a promising candidate for the diversification of intensive aquaculture. This study aimed to determine the effect of a sustained-release delivery system incorporating mammalian gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (mGnRHa) into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles on the sex steroid levels and aspects of artificial reproduction of pikeperch. Fish were divided into four groups and injected with 20 µg mGnRHa/kg, 5-day release microparticles encapsulated with 5 µg GnRHa/kg BW (PLGA 5), 20 µg GnRHa/kg (PLGA 20), or 1 mL/kg 0.9% NaCl (control). Cumulative percentage ovulation was 100% in the PLGA 5 group, significantly higher than in other tested groups. No differences among groups were observed in latency or fecundity. The level of 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) peaked at 40 h post-injection, and was sustained during ovulation, in all treated groups. The 17β-estradiol (E2) concentration increased in the mGnRHa-only group immediately after hormone injection, while both PLGA groups showed a reduction in E2 after injection, continuing to decrease until ovulation. A low dose of mGnRHa in PLGA microparticles significantly improves induction of ovulation and results in acceptable reproductive performance, which may positively affect pikeperch production under controlled conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feeding Strategies and Reproductive Technologies in Aquaculture and Fisheries)

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