Importance of Minerals and Their Bioavailability in Boosting Aquaculture: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Fish like other terrestrial animals, have specific requirements for individual minerals that support the growth and maintenance of normal fish health and other biological functions among different cultured fish species. These minerals can be either macro or micro minerals that are supplied to the fish body through diets or absorbed from their surrounding environment via skins, gills or alimentary tract. However, the bioavailability of these minerals to the fish body is influenced by several factors, including the intake level of the nutrient, interactions with other minerals or nutrients and cultured fish species. To enhance effective bioavailability to the farmed fish, sustainable, healthy and well-mineral-balanced diets must be adopted to achieve better fish growth performance, and a high survival rate for high production and productivity while ensuring the resilience of the cultured environment. In this review, the quantitative mineral composition of different mineral sources was reviewed and reported. In addition, mineral requirements in several cultured fish both freshwater and marine water fish species for five macro minerals (calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and magnesium) and seven micro minerals (zinc, iron, copper, manganese, iodine, chromium and selenium) were compiled and reported. Nile tilapia is dominating freshwater cultured species in Tanzania, followed by catfish and rainbow trout, while milkfish is dominating cultured marine species practiced along the coastline from the Northern Tanga region to the Southern Mtwara region. Moreover, this review also covers information on the relationship between minerals and farmed fish, the mechanism of mineral absorption in fish and implications associated with bioavailability of minerals in both aquatic animal body and their surrounding environment, as well as mineral research in future perspectives in the aquaculture industry development. Therefore, the review comprises all this information on the importance of minerals and their bioavailability in farmed fish for sustainable aquaculture production and productivity.