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Pivotal Roles of Feed Additives for Fish
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Pivotal Roles of Feed Additives for Fish

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 February 2026) | Viewed by 17657

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Marco Shizuo Owatari

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Aquaculture, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, Brazil
Interests: aquaculture; farming systems; fish farming; feed additives; fish nutrition; multi-trophic aquaculture systems (IMTAs); recirculating aquaculture systems (RASs); seaweed cultivation; sustainability in aquaculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Feed additives play a crucial role in the nutrition and health of fish in aquaculture. This Topic will overview recent advances in feed additives for fish. This Topic welcomes all articles related to improvements in zootechnical performance, immunity, body composition, intestinal morphology, enzymatic responses, and feed efficiency.

Over the years, feed additives can promote growth health and improve feed efficiency in fish. Some additives have positive effects on the blood and biochemical parameters of fish. This includes adequate hemoglobin levels, plasma proteins, and other indicators of strengthening the fish's immune system, making them more resistant to diseases and infections. Furthermore, food additives, in adequate amounts, can influence the body composition of fish, favoring muscle development and reducing fat deposition. In summary, feed additives play a multifaceted role in aquaculture, contributing to fish's healthy growth and resilience.

We invite you to contribute to this Special Issue of the MDPI Fishes Journal.

This Special Issue aims to:

Submissions may include original research articles or comprehensive reviews of fish feed additives' pivotal roles. Research articles, reviews, communications, short notes, book reviews, comments, opinion papers, communications, and case reports are all welcome in our journal.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) aquaculture, fisheries, and biology.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Marco Shizuo Owatari
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-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

  • aquaculture
  • fish farming
  • feed additives
  • nutrition
  • functional feed
  • essential oils
  • probiotics
  • postbiotics
  • organic salts

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 162 KB  
Editorial
Editorial for the Special Issue on the Pivotal Roles of Feed Additives for Fish
by Marco Shizuo Owatari
Fishes 2026, 11(4), 201; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11040201 - 27 Mar 2026
Viewed by 304
Abstract
Nutrition plays a vital role in the aquaculture industry, particularly in fish farming, as it significantly influences operational costs, zootechnical performance, animal health, product quality, and the sustainability of production systems [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pivotal Roles of Feed Additives for Fish)

Research

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19 pages, 907 KB  
Article
Comparative Effects of Untreated and High-Solid Loading Pre-Treated Codium tomentosum on Oxidative and Immune Responses in European Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)
by Catarina Ramos-Oliveira, Rui Magalhães, Cláudia Serra, Isabel Belo, Aires Oliva-Teles and Helena Peres
Fishes 2026, 11(3), 151; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11030151 - 6 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 595
Abstract
The effects of dietary inclusion of the macroalgae Codium tomentosum, either untreated or pre-treated with high-solid-loading alkaline hydrolysis, on the oxidative status, intestinal immune responses, and gut microbiota was evaluated in European seabass juveniles. Four diets, a control diet (CTR) and three [...] Read more.
The effects of dietary inclusion of the macroalgae Codium tomentosum, either untreated or pre-treated with high-solid-loading alkaline hydrolysis, on the oxidative status, intestinal immune responses, and gut microbiota was evaluated in European seabass juveniles. Four diets, a control diet (CTR) and three diets containing 7.5% C. tomentosum, either untreated (COD) or pre-treated for 30 min (COD30) or 60 min (COD60), were formulated and fed for 11 weeks. Fish fed the COD30 diet showed increased intestinal lipid peroxidation, higher plasma lysozyme activity, and reduced total glutathione, compared with CTR and COD. In parallel, distal intestine inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-10, IL-1β) and apoptotic (CASP3, CASP9) gene expression was downregulated relative to COD diet, suggesting a dissociation between oxidative damage and inflammatory activation. In fish fed COD60, intestinal lipid peroxidation plasma lysozyme activity were reduced and distal intestine inflammatory and apoptotic gene expression was lower than in COD diet. Hepatic oxidative stress markers were not affected by dietary treatment. DGGE analysis revealed no significant changes in microbial richness or diversity, although COD30 increased digesta community similarity. Overall, high-solid-loading alkaline pre-treatment of C. tomentosum for 60 min mitigated the oxidative and inflammatory/apoptotic impacts associated with dietary inclusion of the untreated macroalga, supporting ingredient processing as a strategy to improve the functional value of macroalgal aquafeeds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pivotal Roles of Feed Additives for Fish)
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20 pages, 2956 KB  
Article
Effects of Dietary Strontium Supplementation on Growth Performance, Strontium Enrichment, Muscle Nutrition, and Hepatic Lipid Metabolism in Juvenile Hybrid Sturgeon (Acipenser baerii ♀ × Acipenser schrenckii ♂)
by Shilin Li, Qiang Zhao, Hang Chen, Yanhan Yang, Zhe Zhao, Jianxi Mei, Yuexin Sun, Li Peng, Hailong Ge, Fang Li and Zhijian Wang
Fishes 2026, 11(2), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11020071 - 23 Jan 2026
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 809
Abstract
To explore a safe and effective approach for producing strontium-enriched fish, in this study, we modified the feed for juvenile hybrid sturgeon (Acipenser baerii ♀ × Acipenser schrenckii ♂) and set three different levels of strontium chloride content in their diet (0 [...] Read more.
To explore a safe and effective approach for producing strontium-enriched fish, in this study, we modified the feed for juvenile hybrid sturgeon (Acipenser baerii ♀ × Acipenser schrenckii ♂) and set three different levels of strontium chloride content in their diet (0 mg/kg (Sr0, control), 80 mg/kg (Sr80), and 160 mg/kg (Sr160)) for a period of 8 weeks, analyzing their growth performance, strontium enrichment, muscle nutrition, and hepatic physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic characteristics. The results show that dietary strontium had no significant impact on sturgeon growth or survival rate (p > 0.05). The strontium content in tissues increased with dietary strontium levels, with the highest enrichment in bone plates (p < 0.05). However, muscle crude fat in the strontium-supplemented groups decreased significantly; the Sr160 group had higher glutamic acid, valine, docosahexaenoic acid methyl ester, lower myristic acid, palmitic acid, etc. (p < 0.05). In addition, strontium treatment alleviated hepatic lipid accumulation and mitochondrial swelling. Biochemical analyses revealed reduced plasma levels of Triglyceride (TG), Total Cholesterol (TC), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), as well as decreased hepatic Malondialdehyde (MDA) content, while hepatic Glutathione (GSH) levels increased (p < 0.05). Transcriptomic data further showed that strontium downregulated the expression of fasn and tfrc and upregulated the expression of cpt1a, apoa1, cyp7a1, and slc3a2 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 80–160 mg/kg strontium enables safe strontium enrichment in hybrid sturgeon, improves muscle nutritional quality, and protects liver function by regulating the genes related to lipid metabolism and antioxidant defense, providing a scientific basis for the development of strontium-enriched fish products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pivotal Roles of Feed Additives for Fish)
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17 pages, 2037 KB  
Article
Effects of Fermented Soybean Meal Replacing Fishmeal and Adding Lentinus edodes Fermentation Supplementation on Japanese Eel (Anguilla japonica) Cultivated in Pond Cage
by Jie Yu, Fei Xiao, Qian Xiao, Dongming Chen, Guoyong Zhou, Huanbin Jiang, Xiaoya Fan, Herong Shi and Huihong Zhao
Fishes 2025, 10(4), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10040180 - 16 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2574
Abstract
Replacing fishmeal (FM) with plant-based protein sources remains a significant challenge, particularly for carnivorous fish. This study investigates the effect of dietary Lentinus edodes fermentation (LEF) supplementation on Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) fed with fermented soybean meal (FSM) as a partial [...] Read more.
Replacing fishmeal (FM) with plant-based protein sources remains a significant challenge, particularly for carnivorous fish. This study investigates the effect of dietary Lentinus edodes fermentation (LEF) supplementation on Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) fed with fermented soybean meal (FSM) as a partial FM replacement. The positive control consisted of 64% FM (Con), and the negative control (FSM group) included 52% FM plus 12% FSM. Two experimental diets were formulated by adding 2% LEF (LEF2 group) and 3% LEF (LEF3 group) to the negative control diet. The experimental diet was administered to Japanese eels weighing 62.50 ± 2.14 g for 12 weeks. The experimental fish were randomly assigned to four groups, with three replicates of 100 fish per group. The results indicated that growth performance and feed efficiency were significantly reduced in the FSM group, but were significantly improved by LEF supplementation (p < 0.05). LEF supplementation did not significantly affect muscle crude fat and protein content compared to the FSM group (p > 0.05), but significantly increased muscle amino acid content and levels of certain fatty acids (linoleic acid, γ-linolenic acid, eicosatrienoic acid, DHA) (p < 0.05). LEF supplementation reduced serum TC and LDL-C levels, increased HDL-C levels, significantly increased CAT and T-SOD activities, and reduced MDA levels in both serum and liver (p < 0.05). ALT and AST activities were significantly elevated in the FSM group, accompanied by liver histological abnormalities, which were improved by LEF supplementation. LEF supplementation increased the thickness of the muscularis, villus height, and goblet cell count in the intestine (p < 0.05). Compared to the control, the FSM group significantly upregulated spleen tnf-α gene expression and downregulated the expression of anti-inflammatory factors (ifn-α, ifn-γ, socs1, mavs). LEF supplementation ameliorated the reduced immunocompetence induced by FM replacement with FSM by enhancing the expression of immune-related genes (irak4, ifn-α, ifn-γ, irf3, irf11, socs1, mavs, traf3) in the spleen. These results suggest that the beneficial effects of LEF supplementation on growth performance and feed efficiency may be attributed to its improvement of liver damage and intestinal histology, as well as its enhancement of antioxidant capacity and immunity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pivotal Roles of Feed Additives for Fish)
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Review

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22 pages, 1114 KB  
Review
Prospects for the Application of Probiotics to Increase the Efficiency of Integrated Cultivation of Aquatic Animals and Plants in Aquaponic Systems
by Dmitry Rudoy, Anastasiya Olshevskaya, Victoria Shevchenko, Evgeniya Prazdnova, Mary Odabashyan and Svetlana Teplyakova
Fishes 2025, 10(6), 251; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10060251 - 26 May 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2975
Abstract
Aquaponics is an integrated method of aquatic animal and plant cultivation in a closed recycling system where the wastewater from aquatic animals is purified by microbes, which transform pollutants into nutrients for plants at the end of the chain. This technology allows to [...] Read more.
Aquaponics is an integrated method of aquatic animal and plant cultivation in a closed recycling system where the wastewater from aquatic animals is purified by microbes, which transform pollutants into nutrients for plants at the end of the chain. This technology allows to the efficiency of the area to be increased by a combination of cultivated plants and aquatic animals. Aquaponics produces environmentally friendly products by reducing fertilizer use and wastewater volume, increasing the extent of reuse by up to >90%. A promising way to increase efficiency in aquaponics is to use bacterial preparations (probiotics). This will allow control of the development of pathogens in the growing system, improving water quality and the growth rate of aquatic organisms. This paper overviews the experience of using probiotic preparations in aquaponic systems. It is shown that probiotics are able to increase the survival rate of aquatic organisms, improve the hydrochemical regime in recirculating aquaculture systems, and mitigate the risk of pathogenic contamination. There are a number of problems in aquaponics that prevent it from becoming more widespread and achieving maximum productivity, including problems with optimal pH and temperature, problems with nutrient and oxygen depletion, as well as diseases caused by phytopathogens and fish pathogens. The probiotics used do not take into account the biological needs of all components of the aquaponic system. The development of probiotic preparations from soil bacteria of the genus Bacillus will allow us to create a new class of probiotics specifically for aquaponics. Such preparations will work in a wide pH range, which will allow us to achieve maximum productivity for all components of aquaponics: animals, plants and bacteria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pivotal Roles of Feed Additives for Fish)
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21 pages, 789 KB  
Review
Pivotal Roles of Fish Nutrition and Feeding: Recent Advances and Future Outlook for Brazilian Fish Farming
by Aline Brum, Caio Magnotti, Mônica Yumi Tsuzuki, Elen Monique de Oliveira Sousa, José Luiz Pedreira Mouriño, Maurício Laterça Martins, Rafael Garcia Lopes, Roberto Bianchini Derner and Marco Shizuo Owatari
Fishes 2025, 10(2), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10020047 - 27 Jan 2025
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 8632
Abstract
The aquafeed industry evolved alongside fish farming, utilizing scientific and technological advancements to incorporate a variety of feed additives, supplements, and alternative ingredients in the nutrition and feeding of fish in aquaculture. These advances played a significant role in improving the production, health, [...] Read more.
The aquafeed industry evolved alongside fish farming, utilizing scientific and technological advancements to incorporate a variety of feed additives, supplements, and alternative ingredients in the nutrition and feeding of fish in aquaculture. These advances played a significant role in improving the production, health, and welfare of farmed fish. Recent research in Brazil highlighted the importance of using fish feed additives, such as vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, to ensure that farmed fish receive all the necessary nutrients for growth and health. Functional additives can enhance the immune system, boosting disease resistance and promoting the overall health of fish. Antimicrobial and antiparasitic additives help prevent and treat infections and infestations, reducing the occurrence of disease outbreaks. Additionally, some additives improve feed digestibility, leading to better nutrient absorption and reduced feed requirements. Overall, nutritional strategies are essential for optimizing fish farming practices in Brazil and globally, promoting fish health and sustainability in the industry. This review emphasizes the significance of certain additives, supplements, and ingredients strategically incorporated into experimental feeds for research in Brazilian fish farming. It also underscores the necessity for ongoing research. There is a noticeable trend towards developing more sustainable and efficient feeds, which is essential for the future of sustainable aquaculture. The goal is to minimize environmental impacts while maintaining economic viability in aquaculture operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pivotal Roles of Feed Additives for Fish)
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