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New Nutritional Strategies for Inducing Growth and Controlling Diseases in...
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New Nutritional Strategies for Inducing Growth and Controlling Diseases in Aquaculture

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 2962

Editor

Dr. Jorge Olmos-Soto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Marine Biotechnology, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Interests: functional feeds with high levels of plant ingredients and probiotic bacteria for improving fish and shrimp digestion, pathogen control, and water bioremediation; microalgae molecular characterization; microalgae growth conditions; microalgae pigment production; marine natural products; shrimp microbial pathogens; marine biotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The aquaculture industry faces unprecedented challenges that require innovative nutritional strategies transcending traditional growth promotion paradigms. This Special Issue introduces a comprehensive framework of bioactive compounds (probiotics, prebiotics, and phytobiotics) as tools for multidimensional host modulation in aquatic systems. Its contemporary application extends far beyond conventional growth enhancement, encompassing complex molecular mechanisms including microbiome engineering, quorum-sensing modulation, and epigenetic programming. This Special Issue integrates cutting-edge nutrigenomic concepts, where bioactive compound intervention orchestrates precise gene expression profiles leading to optimized host physiological responses. Through functional nutrition approaches, bioactive compounds serve as transcriptional modulators, influencing metabolic pathways that enhance disease resistance while simultaneously promoting sustainable growth patterns. The proposed model highlights microbiome–host interactions as dynamic ecosystems where bioactive compound-mediated quorum-sensing disruption provides novel disease control mechanisms independent of traditional antimicrobial approaches. Emerging evidence demonstrates that strategic compound supplementation can induce epigenetic modifications, thereby creating heritable changes in host phenotype without altering genetic sequences. This epigenetic dimension opens unprecedented opportunities for metabolic modulation, enabling aquaculture practitioners to program desired traits through targeted nutritional interventions. We invite researchers to contribute original investigations, including microbiome modulation, nutrigenomics and epigenetic gene regulation, and metabolic pathway alteration, in order to establish bioactive compounds as precision tools for sustainable aquaculture optimization.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Jorge Olmos-Soto
Guest Editor

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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 nutrition
  • bioactive compounds
  • probiotics
  • prebiotics and phytobiotics
  • nutrigenomics
  • epigenetic
  • antimicrobial compounds

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 8527 KB  
Article
Supplementation with Bacillus velezensis GY1 Improves Growth Performance, Intestine Morphology, and Intestine Microbial Diversity in Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
by Shilin Zhang, Huaping Zhu, Wenqing Zuo, Beibei Zhang, Tingting Lu, Junjin Deng, Jiazhou Li and Huanhuan Su
Animals 2026, 16(15), 2423; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16152423 - 5 Aug 2026
Viewed by 138
Abstract
Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is a major freshwater farmed species in China, making substantial economic contributions owing to its desirable flesh quality, rapid growth, and strong acceptance of formulated feeds. This study assessed the effects of dietary supplementation (intermittent and continuous [...] Read more.
Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is a major freshwater farmed species in China, making substantial economic contributions owing to its desirable flesh quality, rapid growth, and strong acceptance of formulated feeds. This study assessed the effects of dietary supplementation (intermittent and continuous feeding group, n = 3) with the probiotic Bacillus velezensis (1.0 × 109 CFU/g) on growth performance, intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activities, and gut microbial diversity in this fish. The results indicated that continuous B. velezensis administration significantly increased percentage weight gain, specific growth rate, and survival, while concurrently reducing feed conversion ratio relative to the basal diet (p < 0.05). Intermittent feeding also resulted in a markedly higher survival rate and a lower FCR. Histological examination of intestinal sections revealed elevated villus height, villus width, and muscularis thickness in the B. velezensis supplemented groups, with the intermittent regimen producing more pronounced effects. Compared with the control, the intermittent group exhibited substantially decreased the pepsin and lipase activities of the serum. In the continuous group, serum globulin levels rose noticeably, accompanied by significant declines in total complement and superoxide dismutase. Moreover, continuous B. velezensis supplementation markedly upregulated the expression levels of TGFβ, myd88, IL34, IL8, and TNFα in the head-kidney of the largemouth bass, whereas intermittent supplementation significantly increased TGFβ, Gpx, Nrf2, and Acp transcript levels. Dietary inclusion of B. velezensis was also found to enhance intestinal microbial richness and greatly increase the abundance of potentially beneficial bacteria. Collectively, these results indicate that B. velezensis supplementation exerts beneficial effects on intestinal digestive capacity, growth, and innate immunity, thereby lowering disease susceptibility in largemouth bass. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Nutritional Strategies for Inducing Growth and Controlling Diseases in Aquaculture)
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16 pages, 887 KB  
Article
Short-Term Impacts of Diets Containing an Aloe vera Peel Water Extract on Hypoxia Tolerance and Biochemical Markers in Cyprinus carpio var. Jian
by Jia Yuan, Dan Gou, Qiqi Li, Jianglong Liao, Jing Xu, Qihui Yang, Gangfu Chen and Huatao Li
Animals 2026, 16(15), 2421; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16152421 - 5 Aug 2026
Viewed by 136
Abstract
This study aimed to assess how dietary water extract of Aloe vera peel (WEA) affected biochemical markers and hypoxia tolerance in Jian carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Jian). 630 Jian carp (11.77 ± 0.10 g) were fed diets with increasing WEA concentrations (0.0–1.8%) [...] Read more.
This study aimed to assess how dietary water extract of Aloe vera peel (WEA) affected biochemical markers and hypoxia tolerance in Jian carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Jian). 630 Jian carp (11.77 ± 0.10 g) were fed diets with increasing WEA concentrations (0.0–1.8%) for 15 days. The results showed that short-term feeding of WEA enhanced carp growth performance (p < 0.05). When WEA was added to diets in hypoxic conditions, carp’s duration time (DT) increased and their oxygen consumption rate (OCR) decreased (p < 0.05). In carp blood, feeding WEA improved hematological parameters, such as hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin content, (p < 0.05) and decreased plasma ammonia levels. Lactic dehydrogenase levels in muscles and gills and transaminases (GOT and GPT) in red blood cells, gills, and hepatopancreas were significantly higher in carp fed diets containing WEA (p < 0.05). Additionally, dietary WEA decreased ROS generation and lipid oxidation in carp respiratory-related tissues and cells by raising both enzymatic antioxidant activities and non-enzymatic antioxidant levels (p < 0.05). Finally, dietary WEA increases hypoxia tolerance in carp by modifying protein and carbohydrate metabolism and boosting the antioxidant capacity of respiratory-related tissues and cells, suggesting that WEA may be a natural method of lowering hypoxic stress in fish. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Nutritional Strategies for Inducing Growth and Controlling Diseases in Aquaculture)
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Review

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31 pages, 1823 KB  
Review
Sea Urchin Gonad Enhancement and Coloration: Nutritional Strategies and Ecological Considerations
by Jeremie Bauer and Jorge Olmos
Animals 2025, 15(24), 3583; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15243583 - 12 Dec 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2248
Abstract
This review analyzes current research on short-term culture of sea urchin from barrens through formulated feed, addressing the need for sustainable aquaculture practices and ecological restoration of kelp forests. We compare the results of multiple studies to identify the optimal feed composition to [...] Read more.
This review analyzes current research on short-term culture of sea urchin from barrens through formulated feed, addressing the need for sustainable aquaculture practices and ecological restoration of kelp forests. We compare the results of multiple studies to identify the optimal feed composition to induce gonad growth and coloration. Our analysis suggests that macroalgae are the best feed ingredients to improve gonad growth and coloration; however, environmental and economic challenges persist in expanding sea urchin production with these types of ingredients. Plant-based protein sources like soy have emerged as a potential cost-effective alternative to fish products; nevertheless, the presence of antinutritional factors in soy products limits their inclusion in formulated feed. Regarding the composition and amount of lipids, we found that they are critical macronutrients in gonad development. The review also explores the potential of sea urchin aquaculture in mitigating urchin barrens and restoring kelp forests, highlighting the interplay between ecological and economic factors. We identify key knowledge gaps and propose future research directions, including large-scale economic viability assessments, novel feed additives, and integrated multitrophic aquaculture systems. These findings have significant implications for developing sustainable and economically viable sea urchin aquaculture, potentially transforming urchin barrens into productive ecosystems while meeting market demand for roe. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Nutritional Strategies for Inducing Growth and Controlling Diseases in Aquaculture)
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