Influence of Hermetia illucens Larvae Meal Dietary Inclusion on Growth Performance, Gut Histological Traits and Stress Parameters in Sparus aurata

Abstract

This study provided new data and knowledge on the potential use of Hermetia illucens meal (HIM) as a new sustainable ingredient for Sparus aurata diet. The effect of HIM dietary inclusion on fish growth performance, stress indicators and gut histology was studied. For 131 days, 312 fish were fed a basal diet containing fishmeal as animal protein source, and three diets containing 25%, 35% and 50% HIM as a partial replacement for fishmeal. The main findings indicated that fishmeal can be replaced by HIM up to 110 g/kg of substitution (35% of inclusion in diet) without negative effects on growth performance, stress parameters or histological traits of the posterior gut tract, and with positive effects (p < 0.05) on the histological and morphometric characteristics of the anterior gut tract. At the same time, the results showed that the effect of Hermetia illucens meal at 50% inclusion level caused morphometric and histopathological alterations in the anterior gut tract of seabream. In conclusion, this preliminary study suggested that the dietary inclusion level of HIM35 was the most tolerated by fish showing the best gut morphometric parameters and histological conditions, with fewer signs of inflammation, as well as good nutritional and health status.

The impact of diets containing Hermetia illucens meal on the growth, intestinal health, and microbiota of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)

“…Currently, the potential of HI meal (HIM) as a valuable feed ingredient has been determined for several commercially important farmed fish species, including Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ), rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), gilthead seabream ( Sparus aurata ), and European seabass ( Dicentrarchus labrax ) (Rimoldi et al 2019 , 2021 ; Terova et al 2019 ; Bruni et al 2020 ; Li et al 2020 ; Biasato et al 2022 ; Oteri et al 2022 ; Anedda et al 2023 ; Di Rosa et al 2023 ; Zarantoniello et al 2023 ). The overall results showed that the health status and production performance of the fish, as well as the quality of the products obtained from them, were satisfactory (Alfiko et al 2022 ).…”

Physiological Response of European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Juveniles to an Acute Stress Challenge: The Impact of Partial and Total Dietary Fishmeal Replacement by an Insect Meal

“…In gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), the inclusion of 27.6% of defatted HI to replace 75% of FM did not alter the gill cortisol levels after 17 weeks of a feeding trial [29]. Similarly, in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), 50% FM replacement by defatted HI (i.e., 15.7% dietary inclusion) also did not affect the primary stress response parameters, namely, ACTH and cortisol levels, after 18 weeks of feeding with the experimental diets [30].…”

Effect of Fish Meal Substitution with Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) on Growth Performance, Feed Stability, Blood Biochemistry, and Liver and Gut Morphology of Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta splendens)

“…Several studies mentioned mixed responses. Most of the studies reported that the inclusion of BSFL meal altered neither the physical size of the villi nor the growth performance of the species studied, such as clown fish [90], gilt-head sea bream [91], rainbow trout [80], barramundi [92], Siberian sturgeon [93], and olive flounder [94]. In a different study, 19% of BSFL meal inclusion did not alter the length of the villi in barramundi, but the presence of lupin kernel meal did [68].…”