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Effect of Dietary Supplementation on the Growth and Immunity of Fish and Shellfish—3rd Edition

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A special issue of Fishes (ISSN 2410-3888). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Feeding".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2026 | Viewed by 5931

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Prof. Dr. Qiyou Xu

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Life Science Department, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
Interests: immunity; antioxidation; intestinal health; gut microbiota; reproductive nutrition
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Prof. Dr. Jianhua Ming

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Life Science Department, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
Interests: aquatic animal nutrition and feed science; aquatic animal physiology and molecular immunology; animal nutrition; immunity; anti-stress and metabolic regulation
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Dr. Fei Song

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Department of Biology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
Interests: aquaculture nutrition and feeds
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Dr. Changle Qi

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School of Life Sciences, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
Interests: invertebrate nutrition; reproductive nutrition; nutrition metabolism
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Dr. Chuanpeng Zhou

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South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China
Interests: fish nutrition & feed technology; carbohydrate metabolism and utilization in fish; nutrition and immunology in fish
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the development of the aquatic feed industry, new feedstuff and feed additives have been developed, but their roles on the growth and immunity of different aquaculture animals remain to be examined. In addition to essential nutrients, feedstuffs and feed additives must contain some biologically active constituents to support fish growth and wellness. However, some also have adverse effects on growth performance due to the introduction of undesirable materials. This Special Issue focuses on the impacts of applying feedstuffs and additives to the growth and immunity of aquaculture animals, especially recently developed feedstuff and additives.

Prof. Dr. Qiyou Xu
Prof. Dr. Jianhua Ming
Dr. Fei Song
Dr. Changle Qi
Dr. Chuanpeng Zhou
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 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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fishes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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

immunity
antioxidation
intestinal health
gut microbiota
anti-stress
growth
feed additive
feedstuff

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Related Special Issues

Effect of Dietary Supplementation on the Growth and Immunity of Fish and Shellfish in Fishes (13 articles)
Effect of Dietary Supplementation on the Growth and Immunity of Fish and Shellfish—2nd Edition in Fishes (12 articles)

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Research

34 pages, 1608 KB

Open AccessArticle

Complementary and Synergistic Effects of Dietary Bacillus subtilis natto and Lactobacillus plantarum on Growth, Immunity and Intestinal Microflora Restructuring in Juvenile Japanese Flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)

by Yukun Zhang, Manabu Ishikawa, Shunsuke Koshio, Saichiro Yokoyama, Na Jiang, Weilong Wang, Jiayi Chen, Noman Waheed and Xiaoxiao Zhang

Fishes 2026, 11(5), 259; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11050259 - 24 Apr 2026

Viewed by 175

Abstract

Prophylactic antibiotic use in intensive aquaculture promotes antimicrobial resistance, necessitating the development of microbial-based interventions. This study evaluated the individual, complementary, and synergistic effects of Bacillus subtilis natto (BSN) and Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) on the physiological performance and intestinal microecology of juvenile Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). Over a 60-day trial, juveniles (initial weight: 5.81 ± 0.03 g) received a basal diet (CON) or a diet supplemented with 10⁷ CFU/g of BSN, LP, or both (BSN+LP). The BSN+LP consortium elicited complementary improvements in final body weight (21.39 ± 0.75 g vs. 18.66 ± 0.44 g in CON) and feed conversion efficiency (p < 0.05). Transcriptomic analysis revealed synergistic upregulation of digestive proteases (trypsin, chymotrypsin). Notably, an in pro-inflammatory markers (IL-1β, TNF-α) was counterbalanced by substantial upregulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, 5.65-fold; TGF-β1, 4.48-fold), suggesting the induction of mucosal tolerance rather than pathological enteritis. High-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing showed that the control cohort had a potential baseline microbial, characterized by a high relative abundance of Proteobacteria. BSN+LP administration significantly altered this microbial community into a fermentative eubiosis enriched in Firmicutes and Bacteroidota. Correlation network analyses confirmed negative interaction dynamics: increased abundance of Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, and Muribaculaceae was negatively correlated with baseline pathobiont abundance. These findings indicate that co-administration of BSN and LP hypothetically enhances metabolic energy harvest via short-chain fatty acid-producing taxa, strengthens the gut–immune axis, and competitively mitigates opportunistic pathogens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Supplementation on the Growth and Immunity of Fish and Shellfish—3rd Edition)

15 pages, 2831 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Dietary Protein Sources on Vitellogenin of Female Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

by Yue Tan, Yang Xu, Li Jia, Youqin Kong, Zhili Ding, Changle Qi and Qiyou Xu

Fishes 2026, 11(4), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11040242 - 17 Apr 2026

Viewed by 272

Abstract

To investigate the effects of three alternative protein sources—Hermetia illucens larvae meal (HIM), Chlorella meal (CM) and stickwater meal (SWM)—on the vitellogenin in female largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), these protein sources were used to replace 0% (control group, FM; containing 40% fishmeal), 25% and 50% of the fishmeal in the diet. A total of seven isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated (FM, 25% HIM, 50% HIM, 25% CM, 50% CM, 25% SWM and 50% SWM). The healthy female fish with an initial body weight of 353.57 ± 28.12 g were fed the experimental diets for eight weeks. The results showed that the viscerosomatic index, gonadosomatic index and oocyte diameter of broodstock in the 50% HIM group were significantly higher than those in the FM group. The 50% HIM group showed the highest rate of stage IV oocytes and the lowest share of stage II oocytes. Hepatic vitellogenin (Vg) mRNA expression was significantly upregulated in the 50% HIM group, whereas ovarian mRNA expression of Vg and vitellogenin receptor (VgR) was significantly upregulated in the 25% SWM and 50% SWM groups. In conclusion, replacing 50% of dietary fishmeal with Hermetia illucens larvae meal can promote ovarian development in largemouth bass broodstock by increasing the gonadosomatic index and the expression of genes involved in vitellogenin synthesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Supplementation on the Growth and Immunity of Fish and Shellfish—3rd Edition)

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27 pages, 3359 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Dietary Lysophospholipids on Growth Performance, Hepatic Lipid Metabolism, Intestinal Health and Dietary Lipid Levels of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

by Xiaorui Fan, Yuqiang Wei, Jianguo Zhao, Yajun Wang, Jianhua Zhao and Qiyou Xu

Fishes 2026, 11(4), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11040204 - 27 Mar 2026

Viewed by 558

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of dietary lysophospholipids on growth performance, hepatic lipid metabolism, intestinal health, and dietary lipid levels of largemouth bass. The 56-day experiment included five groups: CON (0% lysophospholipids), LL50 (0.05% lysophospholipids), LP50 (0.05% lysophospholipids—0.5% oil), LP100 (0.1% lysophospholipids—1.0% oil), and LP200 (0.1% lysophospholipids—2.0% oil), with 3 replicates (30 fish/replicate) per group. The results showed that compared with the CON group, dietary supplementation of 0.05% lysophospholipid had no significant effect on the growth performance of largemouth bass, but increased the crude protein content and decreased the crude lipid content in the whole body. An amount of 0.05% lysophospholipid improved hepatic lipid utilization efficiency. Specifically, this supplementation level promoted serum lipid transport (increased serum HDL-C content and decreased triglyceride and LDL-C contents), and enhanced hepatic lipid metabolism by regulating the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes (fas, hsl, and acc) and the levels of lipid metabolites (phosphatidylcholine and fatty acids), thereby reducing hepatic triglyceride content. In addition, 0.05% lysophospholipid improved intestinal health by increasing lipase activity and intestinal villus height, up-regulating the expression of the anti-inflammatory gene (tgf-β1) and tight junction protein genes (claudin-1, claudin-4, and zo-1), and down-regulating the expression of the pro-inflammatory gene (tnf-α). In terms of dietary lipid reduction, supplementation with 0.1% lysophospholipid allowed a 1% reduction in dietary lipid level without affecting the growth performance of largemouth bass, whereas at the same level of lysophospholipid supplementation, a 2% reduction in dietary lipid level resulted in decreased growth performance of largemouth bass. These findings provide theoretical support for the practical application of lysophospholipids, and demonstrate that reducing dietary lipid inclusion by adding lysophospholipids helps to reduce feed costs and improve aquaculture economic benefits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Supplementation on the Growth and Immunity of Fish and Shellfish—3rd Edition)

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18 pages, 996 KB

Open AccessArticle

Corn Peptide: From By-Product to Functional Feed Ingredient—Application Evaluation in the Diets of Juvenile Tiger Puffer (Takifugu rubripes)

by Haoxuan Li, Lu Zhang, Liping Zhu, Zhengwei Ye, Weidong Li, Jiahao Liu, Qiang Ma, Yuliang Wei, Mengqing Liang, Kecai Chen, Yanjiao Zhang and Houguo Xu

Fishes 2026, 11(2), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11020116 - 12 Feb 2026

Viewed by 536

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of replacing fish meal (FM) with corn peptide (CP) in juvenile tiger puffer in indoor tanks. Four diets were formulated for a 53-day feeding trial: a control group (CP0), and diets with 5% (CP5), 10% (CP10), and 15% (CP15) CP replacing FM. Each diet was fed to triplicate tanks. No significant difference in weight gain was observed between CP5 and control (p > 0.05). However, when the CP inclusion level exceeded 10%, growth performance began to decline, with the CP15 group being significantly lower than the control. The feed intake was linearly increased by CP. The proximate body composition revealed no significant difference among treatments. The CP10 group showed significantly higher serum malondialdehyde content than the control. Significantly lower muscle fiber density was observed in CP10 and CP15 compared to the control. The taurine content was significantly reduced in CP10, while no significant differences were found for other amino acids. Compared with the control group, the CP5 group showed significantly elevated levels of free proline and glutamic acid. The intestinal expression of the peptide transporter gene pept1 was significantly up-regulated by CP. In conclusion, the appropriate inclusion level of corn peptide was 5% for juvenile tiger puffer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Supplementation on the Growth and Immunity of Fish and Shellfish—3rd Edition)

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19 pages, 3213 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Compound Attractants on Intestinal Transcriptome, and Microbiota of Mandarin Fish (Siniperca chuatsi)

by Yefeng Lv, Qiong Zhou, Jiezhou Zhu, Chunqi Wu, Weiguo Xu, Jianhu Jiang, Xiao Liang and Fuyong Huang

Fishes 2026, 11(2), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11020100 - 7 Feb 2026

Viewed by 566

Abstract

To evaluate the potential of compound attractants in ameliorating diet-induced intestinal dysfunction in Siniperca chuatsi fed commercial compound feed, this study investigated their effects on intestinal metabolism and microbiota composition. In this study, four distinct diets are formulated: a control diet without attractants and three experimental diets supplemented with compound attractants A (nucleotides and L-glutamic acid), B (nucleotides, L-glutamic acid, and allicin), and C (nucleotides, L-glutamic acid, and betaine). Over a period of 8 weeks, groups of S. chuatsi were fed these diets, after which we assessed the intestinal microbiota and transcriptomic responses. KEGG pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) indicated that the A group exhibited significant changes predominantly in intestinal cholesterol homeostasis and inflammatory responses. The B group showed DEGs primarily associated with mucosal immune functions and pro-inflammatory cytokine signaling. Diversely, the C group revealed DEGs chiefly tied to immune and inflammatory response pathways. Furthermore, the intestinal microbiota exhibited beneficial modifications at both the phylum and genus levels in the A and B groups, while such beneficial shifts were not observed in the C group. These findings indicated that dietary supplementation with compound attractants A and B could positively influence both the intestinal transcriptomic landscape and microbiota composition in S. chuatsi, highlighting their potential as effective additives in compound feeds for aquaculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Supplementation on the Growth and Immunity of Fish and Shellfish—3rd Edition)

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19 pages, 9519 KB

Open AccessArticle

Immunomodulatory Effects of Angelica Sinensis Polysaccharides on Juvenile Chinese Sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis): Physiological and Molecular Insights

by Jianming Zhang, Tian Tian, Dezhi Zhang, Rui He, Debin Shu, Wei Jiang and Yacheng Hu

Fishes 2025, 10(12), 651; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10120651 - 16 Dec 2025

Viewed by 591

Abstract

The Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) is a critically endangered species with significant ecological and economic value. This study investigates the effects of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides (ASPs) on the antioxidant and immune responses of juvenile Chinese sturgeon through physiological and molecular approaches. Healthy juvenile Chinese sturgeon (n = 120, mean body weight 356.50 ± 92.87 g) were fed diets supplemented with 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% ASP for 36 days. Results showed that ASP, particularly at 2.0%, significantly enhanced serum antioxidant capacity by increasing activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Immune indices, including immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM), complement components (C3 and C4), lysozyme (LSZ) activity, and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), were also significantly elevated in the 1.0% and 2.0% ASP groups. Transcriptome sequencing of spleen and kidney tissues from the control and 2.0% ASP groups identified 151 and 467 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), respectively, with significant enrichment in immune-related pathways such as phagocytosis and the MAPK signaling pathway. Ten candidate immune-related genes (e.g., PDIA4, H-2Q9α, TTC39B) were validated by qRT-PCR, confirming the reliability of the RNA-seq data. This study demonstrates that ASP can enhance the antioxidant and immune responses of juvenile Chinese sturgeon, providing a potential natural immunostimulant for aquaculture. These findings offer a scientific basis for the conservation and sustainable production of this endangered species and highlight the need for further research on the application of ASP in sturgeon aquaculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Supplementation on the Growth and Immunity of Fish and Shellfish—3rd Edition)

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12 pages, 1473 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Dietary Fermented Chinese Herbal Waste Compound on the Growth, Digestive Function, Antioxidative Capacity and Non-Specific Immunity of Juvenile Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

by Xiaolei Zhang, Xinye Zhao, Zecheng Shi, Xiangdong Bi and Wei Dai

Fishes 2025, 10(12), 629; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10120629 - 9 Dec 2025

Viewed by 717

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of dietary fermented Chinese herbal waste compound (FCHW, comprising fermented stems and leaves of Astragalus membranaceus, Rheum tanguticum, and Bupleurum chinense) on the growth, digestive function, antioxidative capacity, and non-specific immunity in juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Fish were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments for 45 days: a basal diet (control), a basal diet supplemented with 1% Chinese herbal waste (CHW), and a basal diet supplemented with 1% FCHW. The results showed that, compared to the control group, dietary FCHW significantly enhanced weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px), and hepatic non-specific immune parameters (ACP and AKP activities) of M. salmoides on both day 30 and day 45 (p < 0.05) except CAT activity on day 30. FCHW supplementation also significantly increased intestinal villus height, width, and muscularis thickness at both time points (p < 0.05). However, intestinal digestive enzyme activities (trypsin, lipase, and amylase) were elevated significantly only on day 30 relative to the control (p < 0.05). Dietary CHW showed limited efficacy. Compared to the control group, dietary CHW supplementation significantly improved intestinal lipase activity and hepatic SOD activity on day 30 (p < 0.05). By day 45, dietary CHW supplementation significantly increased intestinal morphology (villus height, width, and muscularis thickness) (p < 0.05). These results indicate that fermentation enhances the bioactivity of CHW, thereby supporting the potential of FCHW as a functional feed additive in aquaculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Supplementation on the Growth and Immunity of Fish and Shellfish—3rd Edition)

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33 pages, 5100 KB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Effective Probiotic Microorganisms (EPMs) on Growth Performance, Hematobiochemical Panel, Immuno-Antioxidant Status, and Gut Cultivable Microbiota in Striped Catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)

by Mahmoud Abdullah Elnakeeb, Ahmed Mohamed Ashry, Ahmed Mohamed El-Zayat, Abdel Wahab Abdel-Moez Abdel-Warith, Mahmoud Mohamed Habiba, Elsayed Mohamed Ibrahim Younis, Simon John Davies, Ibrahim Mohamed Ibrahim, Fatma Elzhraa and Ahmed Mohammed El-Sebaey

Fishes 2025, 10(11), 573; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10110573 - 7 Nov 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1761

Abstract

Striped catfish, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, has recently emerged as a promising candidate for Egyptian aquaculture owing to its rapid growth; however, under intensive culture, it is vulnerable to Aeromonas hydrophila. The efficacy of dietary supplementation with effective probiotic microorganisms (EPMs) in enhancing growth performance, feed utilization, physiological health, and disease resistance of P. hypophthalmus against A. hydrophila challenge was evaluated. A 90-day feeding trial was conducted with 300 fish randomly distributed into four triplicate groups (25 fish per replicate) reared in 12 indoor fiberglass tanks: a control and three groups receiving EPMs at inclusion levels of 1.5%, 3%, and 4.5%. The results showed significant, dose-dependent improvements across all EPMs-supplemented groups in survival, growth rates, feed utilization, and hematological parameters (RBC, Hb, PCV, WBC, and lymphocytes). Dietary EPMs led to significant improvements (p ≤ 0.001) in digestive efficiency, protein and lipid metabolism, antioxidant enzyme activity, immune performance, and the ability of striped catfish to withstand A. hydrophila infection. Hepatobiliary enzyme activities (ALT, AST, and ALKP), glucose levels, lipid profile markers, and hepatic MDA exhibited a significant linear decrease (p ≤ 0.0001) with increasing EPMs levels. The gut microbial composition showed a dose-dependent increase in beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and a reduction in TAPC, pathogenic coliforms (TFCC), and Vibrio spp. (TVC). These results demonstrate the dose-dependent effects of EPMs on enhancing aquafeed efficiency, overall health, and innate immunity in striped catfish. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Supplementation on the Growth and Immunity of Fish and Shellfish—3rd Edition)

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