Abstract
ABSTRACT The total substitution of fishmeal (FM) and fish oil (FO) with sustainable feed ingredients, while maintaining acceptable growth performances and fish composition, is a challenge. Mussels have a high protein content, with essential amino acid and fatty acid (FA) profiles similar to those of FM. This study aimed to assess the potential to rear gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) on a plant-based feed (without FM and FO) to which mussels were added. Subsequent effects on growth performance, protein content, and FA concentrations were studied. Juvenile gilthead seabream were reared for 46 days in water temperature of 21°C, in a recirculated aquaculture system composed of three fish tanks, each corresponding to one treatment: in the FMFO treatment, 342 fish were fed a commercial feed that contained FM and FO; in the plant-based feed (PBF) treatment, 345 fish were fed an experimental feed that contained only plant-based ingredients; in the mussel feed (MF) treatment, 342 fish were fed the feed from PBF supplemented with fresh mussel flesh from which the shells had been removed. Fish weighed a mean of 6.7 ± 1.3 g at stocking in each treatment. At harvest, the mean weight of fish from FMFO and MF were significantly different (23.1 ± 4.3 and 23.1 ± 5.2 g, respectively) than that from PBF (15.5 ± 3.6 g) (p < .05). Compared to the feed from FMFO, the feed from PBF decreased the percentages of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and saturated FA (14:0, 16:0) in fish, but increased those of 18:1, 18:2 n-6 and 18:3 n-3 FA. Compared to the feed from PBF, the feed from MF increased the EPA+DHA concentration in fish by 21%. Thus, adding fresh mussels to a plant-based feed yielded similar growth performances and survival rate as a commercial feed. It also improved the FA composition of fish compared to that of fish fed a plant-based feed.
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