Physiological responses of Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) juveniles fed on full-fat insect-based diet in an aquaponic system

• Published in: Scientific Reports
• Main Authors: Matteo Zarantoniello, Basilio Randazzo, Valentina Nozzi, Cristina Truzzi, Elisabetta Giorgini, Gloriana Cardinaletti, Lorenzo Freddi, Stefano Ratti, Federico Girolametti, Andrea Osimani, Valentina Notarstefano, Vesna Milanović, Paola Riolo, Nunzio Isidoro, Francesca Tulli, Giorgia Gioacchini, Ike Olivotto
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Portfolio 2021
• Subjects: Medicine; R; Science; Q; Acipenser baerii; Siberian sturgeon
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-80379-x; https://doaj.org/article/ffb846a915c24513af901e9e0c055c2e

Abstract Over the last years, the potential use of Black Soldier Fly meal (BSF) as a new and sustainable aquafeed ingredient has been largely explored in several fish species. However, only fragmentary information is available about the use of BSF meal-based diets in sturgeon nutrition. In consideration of a circular economy concept and a more sustainable aquaculture development, the present research represents the first comprehensive multidisciplinary study on the physiological effects of a BSF diet during sturgeon culture in an aquaponic system. Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) juveniles were fed over a 60-days feeding trial on a control diet (Hi0) and a diet containing 50% of full-fat BSF meal respect to fish meal (Hi50). Physiological responses of fish were investigated using several analytical approaches, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, histology, Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), microbiome sequencing and Real-time PCR. While aquaponic systems performed optimally during the trial, Hi50 group fish showed lower diet acceptance that resulted in growth and survival reduction, a decrease in hepatic lipids and glycogen content (FTIR), a higher hepatic hsp70.1 gene expression and a worsening in gut histological morphometric parameters. The low feed acceptance showed by Hi50 group sturgeon highlighted the necessity to improve the palatability of BSF-based diet designed for sturgeon culture.