Fish welfare, fast muscle cellularity, fatty acid and body-composition of juvenile spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor) fed a combination of plant proteins and microalgae (Nannochloropsis oceanica)

Influence of Low Dietary Inclusion of the Microalga Nannochloropsis gaditana (Lubián 1982) on Performance, Fish Morphology, and Muscle Growth in Juvenile Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata)

“…On the other hand, H5 and R5 groups had the highest proportion of small-middle size fibers, that could indicate a greater potential for muscle fiber formation in later stages of growth. Similarly, recent studies on microalgae replacement in fish diets [1,58] did not find significant changes on fibers size distribution but observed a trend to have smaller middle-size fibers on those fish fed with microalgae, suggesting that the potential for the formation of new fibers might be increased. While it is not clear how the inclusion of microalgae on the diets might increase the formation of new fibers, studies in humans have suggested that DHA and EPA can promote skeletal muscle growth by regulating the activation of the mTOR (mammalian Target of Rapamycin) pathway [59].…”

“…The studies of the effect of the microalgae-supplemented diet on fish muscle growth are still very scarce. Recently, some authors studied the influence of N. oceanica on the muscle cellularity of spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor) for 12 weeks, and they found no significant differences in growth of the white muscle or fast muscle cellularity among the feeding groups [1].…”

“…The use of plant proteins has allowed the aquaculture industry to grow without increasing the pressure on wild fisheries. However, the sustainability of land-based protein sources is debatable as these compete with land area for human food production and depend on the use of fresh water [1]. In addition, complete replacement of fishmeal with plant proteins has proven difficult for many species, particularly for marine fish [2,3].…”

“…One of the most important external factors is the diet [23,24]. One recent study [1] reported that N. oceanicasupplemented diets did not influence the fast muscle cellularity of spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor). In the present work, we also studied the influence of N. gaditana either raw or hydrolyzed on the muscle cellularity of gilthead seabream, in order to determine its possible influence on this specific aspect, even at low inclusion levels.…”

Microalgae for nutrient recycling from food waste to aquaculture as feed substitute: a promising pathway to eco‐friendly development

“…Algal biomass is regarded as an affordable and high‐value feedstock that can be widely used to produce fish diet 42 . For example, Knutsen et al 43 . found that spotted wolfish ( Anarhichas minor ) has potential to utilize inclusions of up to 15% of the microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica .…”