Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) pre-pupae meal as a fish meal replacement in diets for European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

• Published in: Aquaculture Vol. 476; pp. 79 - 85
• Main Authors: Magalhães, Rui, Sánchez-López, Antonio, Leal, Renato Silva, Martínez-Llorens, Silvia, Oliva-Teles, Aires, Peres, Helena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-07-2017
• Subjects: Alternative protein sources; Amino acids; Animal feedstuffs; Hermetia illucens; Insect meal; Insect meal; Alternative protein sources; Animal feedstuffs; Amino acids; Hermetia illucens
• ISSN: 0044-8486; 1873-5622
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2017.04.021

A feeding trial was carried out to assess the effect of partially replacing fish meal (FM) by Black soldier fly pre-pupae meal (HM) in diets for European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax juveniles. A FM-based diet was used as a control and three other diets were formulated to include 6.5%, 13%, and 19.5% of HM, replacing 15%, 30% and 45% of FM respectively. Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of fish (initial weight: 50g) for 62days.
At the end of the trial, there were no differences among groups in growth performance or feed utilization. Plasma metabolic profiles also remained unaffected, except that plasma cholesterol was reduced with dietary HM inclusion. The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of protein, lipids, dry matter, organic matter, and energy were generally high, and not affected by the dietary treatment. The ADC of arginine, histidine, and valine were higher in HM diets when compared to the control. Amylase and protease activities were not affected by dietary HM, while lipase activity was lower in HM 6.5 diets than in the control and HM 19.5 diets.
In conclusion, up to 19.5% of HM, corresponding to 22.5% of total dietary protein, may successfully replace FM in diets for juvenile European seabass, without adverse effects on growth performance, feed utilization or digestibility.
•Black soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) pre-pupae meal (HM) can replace up to 19.5% of fish meal (FM) in diets for European seabass.•Growth performance and feed utilization were not affect by the dietary inclusion of 19.5% of HM.•Apparent digestibility coefficients and digestive enzymes activities were not affect by the dietary inclusion of 19.5% of HM.