This study investigated the effects of replacement of fishmeal (FM) with poultry by-product (PBM) protein, supplemented with black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (HI) larvae on growth, histomormhology, immunity and resistance to Vibrio harveyi in juvenile barramundi. Two hundred and twenty five barramundi averaging 3.51 ± 0.03 g were randomly allocated into three groups and fed isonitrogenous and isocalorific diets containing different levels of PBM supplemented with HI as follows: Control (FM based diet), 45PBM + HI (45% PBM supplemented with 10% HI), and 90PBM + HI (90% PBM supplemented with 10% HI) for 6 weeks. Results showed that dietary inclusion of 45PBM + HI significantly improved the growth performance than control whereas growth inhibition occurred in the 90PBM + HI. The 45PBM + HI groups demonstrated significant increases in histometric measurements (villus and enterocyte width, and microvilli height) and acidic mucins. The impaired growth in 90PBM + HI groups was further associated with multifocal necrosis in the liver, an upregulation of the stress related genes (HSP70 and HSP90) and increase in the levels of liver enzymes. When 45PBM + HI was fed, survival against V. harveyi increased significantly and also an increase in serum immunity and immune-related genes in the head kidney was observed after infection.

The present study investigates if the total replacement of dietary fishmeal (FM) with poultry by-product meal (PBM), supplemented with methionine influences the muscle fatty acids composition, normal gut morphology, histological traits of the liver, muscle, and gill, liver enzymes, immune and antioxidant response, and stress-related gene in juvenile barramundi, Lates calcarifer in relation to growth and feed utilization. Barramundi (3.58±0.01g) were randomly distributed into six 300 L seawater recirculating tanks (25 fish/tank) and fed two formulated isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets for 6 weeks. The control diet had FM as the sole animal protein source, whereas other test diet had only PBM as an animal protein source. Dietary PBM affected the fish performance and feed utilization. Regarding muscle fatty acid profile, total saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids elevated while total PUFA particularly n-3 LC-PUFA and EPA decreased in PBM fed fish than control diet fed fish. Liver, muscle, gill, and intestinal histology showed no obvious alteration in control diet fed fish, however, more lipid droplets and hepatic vacuolization in the liver, necrotic myotome in muscle, hyperplasia in secondary lamellae in gill and short and broken folds in the intestine were observed in PBM fed fish. Similar to light microscopy observation of intestinal morphology, the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed shorter and smaller microvilli in fish fed PBM. Histopathological alterations in the liver of PBM fed fish were further associated with the elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) and the significant upregulation of stress-related genes, HSP70 and HSP90. Also, a negative influence on lysozyme activity, and antioxidant enzymatic activities were recorded in fish fed PBM. Overall, it can be concluded that a total substitution of FM protein by methionine supplemented PBM negatively influenced the growth performance, liver health, histological traits of different organs, immune and antioxidant response, and expression of stress-related genes in juvenile barramundi.

This study was conducted to characterize the causative agent of streptococcosis in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and control of Streptococcus infection by means of garlic (Allium sativum) supplementation. The morphological, biochemical and polymerase chain reaction amplification confirmed 11 isolates belong to Streptococcus iniae from the infected fish eyes and tissue samples. Random screening of 12 well‐known medicinal plant parts against S. iniae revealed the garlic extract as the most effective herbal recovery against Streptococcus infection. In vivo challenge test with dietary supplementation of garlic powder significantly improved survival rates of fish against S. iniae infections, and modulate the microbial community and cytokine gene expression profiling in the intestine of the experimental tilapia. Among the two garlic supplemented treatments, 1.0 g garlic supplemented diet significantly increased (p < 0.05) the survival rates of tilapia and the gut bacterial operational transitional units abundance for Proteobacteria and Tenericutes, the phyla associated with healthy intestinal flora. The bacterial diversity index also found high with garlic supplemented diets. Significant upregulations of IL‐10 and IL‐17F gene expression in the intestinal tissue were observed with 1.0 g garlic supplemented diet where IL‐8 and IL‐1β expression levels were relatively static. The dietary supplementation of garlic, therefore, could be effective in the prevention of S. iniae infection in fish.

The effects of feeding different levels of poultry by-product meal (PBM) replacing fishmeal (FM) protein, supplemented with tuna hydrolysate (TH) and Hermetia illucens (HI) larvae, on the growth, fillet quality, histological traits, immune status, oxidative biomarker levels and gut microbiota of juvenile barramundi, Lates calcarifer were investigated for six weeks. Barramundi were fed four isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets in which a FM based diet was used as the Control diet (Diet1) and compared with other non-FM diets containing 80%, 85% and 90% PBM along with the concurrent supplementation of 5% and/or 10% TH and HI larvae meal. These treatment diets were designated as 80PBM_10TH+10HI (Diet2), 85PBM_5TH+10HI (Diet3) and 90PBM_5TH+5HI (Diet4). The growth and condition factor of fish fed 80PBM_10TH+10HI and 85PBM_5TH+10HI were significantly higher than the Control. Total saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid retention in the fish muscle increased in fish fed PBM-based diets, supplemented with TH and HI larvae meal, with no adverse effect on post-harvest characteristics such as texture and colour of fish fillets. Improvement in serum total bilirubin and total protein content was found in all fish fed TH and HI larvae supplemented PBM. Similarly, immune response showed a significant increase in fish fed non-FM test diets than the Control. In the distal intestine, supplementation of any quantities of TH and HI larvae to PBM led to an increase in the microvilli density and neutral mucins while the number of goblet cells in the skin were unchanged. Liver, kidney, and spleen histology demonstrated a normal structure with no obvious changes in response to all test diets. Bacterial diversity increased in fish fed Diets 2 and 3 with a high abundance of Proteobacteria in Diets 1 and 4 and Firmicutes in Diets 2 and 3. The fish on test diets showed a lower abundance of genus Vibrio. Fish fed TH and HI larvae supplemented PBM diets showed lower infection rate to V. harveyi than the Control. Collectively, concurrent supplementation of TH and HI larvae could improve the quality of PBM diets with positive effects on growth, fillet quality, intestinal health, immunity, and disease resistance.

Despite the enormous anthropogenic and environmental hazards affecting wild fisheries resources, southern coastal waters are still considered one of the aquatic...