There is an urgent need to find alternatives to fish meal and fish oil in compound feeds due to their rapidly rising prices and the demand for sustainable fisheries. Spirulina, a filamentous blue‐green microalga, is an excellent source of plant protein and could replace expensive animal‐derived proteins in fish feed. Studies have evaluated the use of spirulina as a fish meal for different fish species. This paper reviews research on the effects of spirulina on the growth performance of various fish species. It is apparent that spirulina can be a highly important component of the diet of fish; it has a number of benefits, such as promoting the growth of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and carp (Labeo rohita), improving the reproductive performance of yellow tail cichlid (Pseudotropheus acei) and enhancing the immune response of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Recent studies have shown that spirulina can be used for treating wastewater, including effluent from fish culture activities, as it can efficiently metabolize the nutrients and remove the heavy metals contained in aquaculture effluent. Fish aquaculture could apply an integrated strategy of simultaneously treating aquaculture effluent while producing spirulina biomass to supplement fish diets.
Gambierdiscus spp. are the major culprit responsible for global ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP). At present, the effects of microbiological factors on algal proliferation and toxin production are poorly understood. To evaluate the regulatory roles of quorum-sensing (QS) bacteria in the physiology of Gambierdiscus, co-culture experiments with screened QS strains were conducted in this study. Except for the growth-inhibiting effect from the strain Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus, the algal host generally displayed much higher growth potential and toxin production ability with the existence of QS strains. In addition, Bacillus anthracis particularly exhibited a broad-spectrum growth enhancement effect on various Gambierdiscus types, as well as a remarkable influence on algal toxicity. The variations of algal physiological status, including growth rate, chlorophyll content, and responsive behaviors, are potential reasons for the observed positive or negative affection. This study suggests that QS bacteria regulate the algal growth and toxin production. Based on the evidence, we further speculate that QS bacteria may contribute to the site-specific distribution of CFP risk through regulating the algal host biomass and toxicity.
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