Impact of Replacing Fish Meal With Black Soldier Fly ( Hermetia illucens ) Meal on Diet Acceptability in Juvenile Nile Tilapia: Palatability and Nutritional and Health Considerations for Dietary Preference

• Published in: Aquaculture research Vol. 2024; no. 1
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Camila Gomes de, Freitas, Débora de Almeida, Ribeiro, Paula Adriane Perez, Teixeira, Rafael Rusth Costa, Silva, Rodrigo Fortes da, Gamarano, Pedro Gomes, Araújo, Renato Duarte de
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford John Wiley & Sons, Inc 18-10-2024; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Alanine; Alanine transaminase; Albumin; Albumins; Amino acids; Analysis; Animal behavior; Animals; Aquaria; Aquarium fishes; Aquariums; Aspartate; Aspartate transaminase; Body composition; Body weight; Body weight gain; Catfish; Cholesterol; Creatinine; Density; Design of experiments; Diet; Experimental design; Fatty acids; Feeding preferences; Feeds; Fish; Fish meal; Fishmeal; Freshwater fishes; Gene expression; Hermetia illucens; High density lipoprotein; High protein diet; Hypotheses; Ingredients; Interleukins; Juveniles; Lipoproteins; Low density lipoprotein; Low density lipoproteins; Marine fishes; NF-κB protein; Nutrient deficiency; Oreochromis niloticus; Palatability; Preferences; Protein sources; Proteins; Soldiers; Standard error; Tanks; Tilapia; Triglycerides; Trout; Whitefish
• ISSN: 1355-557X; 1365-2109
• DOI: 10.1155/2024/3409955

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of two protein sources (black soldier fly [ Hermetia illucens ] meal [BSFM] vs. fish meal [FM]) on intake target “diet preference” in juvenile Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) by a self‐feeding method (trial 1). Growth, body composition, blood parameters, and immunity genes expression were also evaluated to be correlated with behavioral data (trial 2). Four experimental diets were prepared containing 0%, 33%, 66%, and 100% BSFM as a substitute for FM protein, which were considered treatments T0 (control), T33, T66, and T100, respectively. In trial 1 (32 days), 60 juveniles (77.97 ± 8.5 g, standard error of the mean [SEM]) were randomly distributed in 60 aquariums (40 L). Fish were challenged to select among A, T0 vs. T33; B, T0 vs. T66; C, T0 vs. T100; D, T33 vs. T66; E, T33 vs. T100; and F, T66 vs. T100 using two floating food halls per aquarium to provide different diets. In trial 2, 240 juveniles (2.80 ± 0.25 g) were distributed in 16 tanks (40 L). The experimental design was completely randomized with four treatments (T0, T33, T66, and T100) and four replies. Fish were fed (5% body weight [BW]) experimental diets for 2 months. For the trial 1 results, no difference was observed in A, T0 vs. T33 ( p > 0.05). Fish were allowed to select conditions B, C, D, E, and F and preferred the diets containing no or low BSFM content: B = T0, C = T0, D = T33, E = T33, and F = T66 ( p < 0.05). In trial 2, final weight and daily weight gain had lower values when animals were fed 100% FM replacement with BSFM ( p < 0.05). The fish fed T0 showed lower viscerosomatic indices ( p < 0.05). Moisture and total protein were higher in the fish fed T0, but protein content did not differ from T33 ( p > 0.05). Ethereal extract increased with rising BSFM ( p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in glucose, creatinine, total protein, high‐density lipoprotein (HDL), low‐density lipoprotein (LDL), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT) ( p > 0.05). Total cholesterol, triglycerides, and albumin lowered in fish when increase dietary BSFM ( p < 0.05). gpx , il-8 , il-10 , tnf-α , sod , cat , tlr-1 , myd , and nf-κb did not differ among treatments ( p > 0.05). However, il‐1 β expression increased in T0 and T100 ( p < 0.05). Diets with up to 66% BSFM did not affect performance of juvenile tilapia. However, fish showed a preference for diet containing 33% BSFM.