Aquaculture International最新文献

{"title":"Identification of male-specific molecular markers under the low-quality and non-chromosome-level genome revalidated the male heterogamety in bullfrog Aquarara catesbeiana","authors":"Yanzhe Wang,&nbsp;Guodong Wang,&nbsp;Lili Zhang,&nbsp;Jingyan Tang,&nbsp;Ling Wang,&nbsp;Chunxiao Zhang,&nbsp;Guiling Zhang,&nbsp;Hui Ge","doi":"10.1007/s10499-025-01918-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10499-025-01918-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Sex-specific molecular markers are effective tools for genetic sex identification and sex control breeding in aquaculture. Bullfrog (<i>Aquarara catesbeiana</i>) is a kind of aquatic animal that possesses sexual dimorphism in the prospects of growth traits like body size and age of sexual maturity. However, it is difficult to perform the process of sex identification because of the undeveloped secondary sexual characteristics at the juvenile stage of <i>A. catesbeiana</i>. Here, we constructed two different strategies for the detection of sex-specific markers from four mixed-pool samples using whole genome sequencing technology (WGS). Subsequently, four male-specific markers were identified and validated in another eight male frogs and eight female frogs. Moreover, the results revalidated the male heterogametic system in <i>A. catesbeiana</i>. These may be the first four rapid, accurate, and effective male-specific molecular markers used for genetic sex identification in bullfrogs. The results could fill the gap in research on sex-specific markers of bullfrogs and provide convenience for further research on amphibian sex determination and mono-sex breeding work. Furthermore, two detection strategies could possess the applied value in the identification of sex-specific markers in production.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8122,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture International","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143632527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chronic ammonia exposure impairs the growth and intestinal function in juvenile Megalobrama amblycephala","authors":"Xiangyang Yuan,&nbsp;Han Zhang,&nbsp;Qian Wang,&nbsp;Xinyu Xiong,&nbsp;Mengyang Dai,&nbsp;Wenhui Ye,&nbsp;Yifan Wang,&nbsp;Canli Wang","doi":"10.1007/s10499-025-01896-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10499-025-01896-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigated the effects of chronic ammonia exposure on the growth parameters, intestinal histology, and digestive enzyme activity of aquatic fish. Blunt snout bream, <i>Megalobrama amblycephala</i> juveniles, with 6.55 ± 0.24 g were exposed to 0 (G1), 6.82 (G2), and 13.64 mg/L (G3) NH₄Cl (ammonium chloride) for 56 days. Then, the intestinal enzyme activity and histological characteristics of blunt snout bream were analyzed using modern biological techniques. The results showed that chronic ammonia exposure significantly decreased the final body weight and specific growth rate of blunt snout bream (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). The intestinal protease, lipase, amylase, CK, AKP, and γ-GT activities of blunt snout bream after chronic ammonia exposure significantly decreased (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Meanwhile, the intestinal muscularis thickness and microvillus density of fish decreased as the increased ammonia concentration. The intestinal microvillus length of blunt snout bream after chronic ammonia exposure significantly reduced compared to the control group (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, chronic ammonia exposure caused a significant down-regulated expression of <i>Occludin</i>, <i>ZO-1</i>, <i>Claudin-3c</i>, and <i>Claudin-7</i> mRNA in the intestine (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) but up-regulated the levels of <i>NF-κB</i>, <i>TNF-α</i>, <i>IL-1β</i>, and <i>IL-6</i> mRNA (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Overall, chronic ammonia exposure inhibited the growth and compromised the intestinal structure of fish.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8122,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture International","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143632531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improvement of brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus) culture parameters through dietary enriched synbiotic in a biofloc system","authors":"Dogukan Kaya","doi":"10.1007/s10499-025-01909-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10499-025-01909-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study aimed to determine the potential efficacy of dietary prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotic on growth performance, total hemocyte count (THC), hepatopancreas histology, and gut microbiota composition of brown shrimp (<i>Penaeus aztecus</i>) under biofloc technology (BFT) conditions for 84 days. Seven feed additive groups were formed as C: control group with no feed additive, P: probiotic mixture (1 mL, 1 × 10⁹ CFU/100 g feed, <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i>, <i>L. acidophilus</i>, <i>L. salivarius</i>, and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>), A: 0.2 g <i>Arthrospira</i>/100 g feed, S: P + A, ES1: P + A + 0.1 g MOS/100 g feed, ES2: P + A + 0.2 g MOS/100 g feed, ES3: P + A + 0.3 g MOS/100 g feed. At the end of the trial, P, A, and S showed an intermediate effect on final body weight (FBW) compared to the control group, while FBW significantly increased in the ES1, ES2, and ES3 groups (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). Gut microbiota diversity revealed a predominance of Proteobacteria phylum and a decrease in Bacillota phylum in dietary prebiotic, probiotic, and synbiotic treatments. The number of B cells increased in the hepatopancreas of brown shrimp fed diets containing feed additives, indicating a significant effect on hepatopancreatic tubules. THC levels of the shrimps in the experimental groups increased, and the highest values were reached in shrimps fed with synbiotic diets (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, it can be concluded that enriched synbiotic diets supplemented with probiotic mixture, <i>Arthrospira</i>, and mannan oligosaccharide can promote healthy growth for brown shrimp under BFT conditions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8122,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture International","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10499-025-01909-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143622236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the influence of fish waste hydrolysate, a byproduct of fish post-harvest, processing and fish markets, on the production performance of Penaeus monodon across diverse culture systems","authors":"K. P. Sandeep,&nbsp;Debasis De,&nbsp;R. Ananda Raja,&nbsp;T. Sivaramakrishnan,&nbsp;Sujeet Kumar,&nbsp;J. Raymond Jani Angel,&nbsp;S. Suvana,&nbsp;P. Mahalakshmi,&nbsp;K. Ambasankar,&nbsp;K. K. Vijayan","doi":"10.1007/s10499-025-01906-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10499-025-01906-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The present study evaluated the ability of fish waste hydrolysate (FWH) to improve the growth and health of <i>Penaeus monodon</i> in outdoor tank systems and earthen ponds. The FWH is a value-added product prepared from marine fish trimmings/wastes from fish markets and processing units. A 60-day trial was conducted in an outdoor tank system with 7 doses of FWH (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 ppm). The results indicated that <i>P. monodon</i> grown in treatments supplemented with FWH at 20 ppm and above had significantly improved specific growth rate (SGR), weight gain (WG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) than control and lower doses of FWH (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Survival, average daily gain (ADG), and % weight gain followed similar trends. All FWH-treated groups exhibited significantly higher floc densities (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), with enhanced phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance compared to the control. Haematological analysis indicated improved health status in FWH-treated shrimp. Subsequently, a field trial of <i>P. monodon</i> was conducted in farmer’s ponds in Kannur district, Kerala, India. The treatment pond was supplemented with 40 ppm FWH and the control pond was without FWH supplementation. A significant difference (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) was observed in the growth (16% higher growth) of the animals in the FWH-supplemented pond compared to that in the control. The improved growth might be due to the enhanced natural food abundance of phytoplankton and zooplankton in the pond supplemented with FWH. This study highlights FWH as a sustainable approach to enhance <i>P. monodon</i> growth while converting fish waste into valuable protein.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":8122,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture International","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143622238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dietary ınnovation in blue crab aquaculture: effects on performance and product quality","authors":"Övgü Gencer","doi":"10.1007/s10499-025-01899-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10499-025-01899-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Blue crab aquaculture faces challenges in optimizing feed formulations that balance nutritional requirements with sustainability. This study evaluated three innovative feed formulations incorporating unique ingredient combinations: a specialized high-protein formulation using novel protein hydrolysates (D1), a marine-based diet enriched with bioactive compounds from sustainable sources (D2), and an advanced plant-based formulation with enhanced digestibility through fermentation (D3). Growth performance, survival, energy conversion efficiency, molting frequency, and meat quality were assessed over 16 weeks. The marine-based diet (D2) achieved superior results with 92% weight gain and 95% survival rate, significantly outperforming the commercial control. This research demonstrates the potential of novel ingredient combinations and processing techniques in enhancing blue crab aquaculture productivity while addressing sustainability concerns.\u0000</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8122,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture International","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10499-025-01899-9.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143612202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Value chain analysis of Penaeus vannamei in Tamil Nadu, India","authors":"T. Umamaheswari,&nbsp;G. Sugumar,&nbsp;M. Rajakumar,&nbsp;N. Felix,&nbsp;S. Athithan,&nbsp;K. Veerabhadran","doi":"10.1007/s10499-025-01910-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10499-025-01910-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The global shrimp market was valued at approximately $ 68.40 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5% from 2023 to 2030. Increased production of farmed shrimp particularly <i>P. vannamei</i> in Asia catered to the rising global demand for shrimp. India is one of the leading players in the global shrimp market recognized for its competitive pricing, quality, and compliance with international standards, making it a preferred choice among global consumers. Shrimp, the most important commodity in the seafood export basket, contributes 40.19% in quantity and 66.11% in value to total seafood exports from India. Against this background, this study evaluated the value chain for processed <i>vannamei</i> shrimp in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, where over 90% of farmed <i>vannamei</i> shrimp are being processed. An examination of the profile of seafood processors indicated that they were well educated, experienced, trained, and were in the active group. Four different shrimp products viz., Block Frozen—Untreated (BF-UT), Block Frozen—Treated (BF-T), Individually Quick Frozen—Untreated (IQF-UT), and Individually Quick Frozen—Treated (IQF-T) with an annual production of 5850 tonnes, on an average was the output from the study area. Inputs were sourced need based, with essential and perishable raw materials acquired on a daily basis and other supplies procured monthly or weekly basis. While insulated vehicles transported farmed shrimp to processing plants, heavy-duty vehicles handled the transport of equipment and machinery. The average plant gate price of BF-UT shrimp rose from ₹ 562.72 ($ 6.75) to ₹ 881.32 ($ 10.58)/kg, representing a 56.62% increase in value. The main factors that determined the price were raw materials (49.04%) and the processors’ profit margin (29.24%). It was found that raw material cost significantly influenced the prices of BF-UT, IQF-UT, and IQF-T shrimp, while the processors’ margin influenced the plant gate values of BF-UT and BF-T shrimps. The study indicated that seafood processors can reduce cost by implementing scientifically managed inventory systems, utilizing AI and ML for input monitoring, automating product handling, and establishing local infrastructure like ice plants. Treated IQF shrimp yielded higher profit margins due to strong market demand and superior quality. Processors generated significant profits by value addition. However, despite these profits, they faced challenges in enhancing the value and quality at different levels. Addressing the constraints will improve the efficiency of the shrimp value chain in the processing sector, ultimately boosting value addition and competitiveness in the international market.</p>","PeriodicalId":8122,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture International","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143602377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exogenous protease promotes growth of large yellow croaker (Larmichthys crocea) fed diets with fishmeal substituted by compound plant-ingredients","authors":"Jieliang Fan,&nbsp;Anlan Yu,&nbsp;Zimo Chen,&nbsp;Li Wang,&nbsp;Mingtao Lei,&nbsp;Umar Bashir Ibrahim,&nbsp;Yan Wang","doi":"10.1007/s10499-025-01892-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10499-025-01892-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A net-pen experiment was conducted to assess influences of exogenous protease (EP) and dried porcine soluble (DPS) on dietary fishmeal substitution by a compound consisting of cottonseed meal (CM) and soy protein concentrate (SPC) for large yellow croaker (<i>Larimichthys crocea</i>). A basal diet (BD) was formulated to contain 350 g/kg fishmeal, and a low-fishmeal diet (P0D0) was formulated by substituting 50% of the fishmeal in BD with the compound of SPC and CM. The other three low-fishmeal diets were formulated by adding EP (0.175 g/kg) and DPS (5 g/kg) in diet P0D0 either alone (P1D0 and P0D1) or in combination (P1D1). Fish weighing 19.7 g were given the test diets for 10 weeks. The EP addition significantly influenced final body weight (FBW), weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), retention efficiencies of nitrogen (NRE) and energy (ERE), and ratio of fish-in to fish-out (FIFO), while nitrogen waste was significantly influenced by the DPS addition. The weight gain, FBW, NRE, and ERE were higher, while the FCR, FIFO, nitrogen waste, and phosphorus waste were lower, in fish fed the low-fishmeal diets with EP addition than in fish fed the low-fishmeal diets without EP addition. Fish fed the low-fishmeal diets with DPS addition had lower nitrogen waste compared to fish fed the low-fishmeal diets without DPS addition. The weight gain of fish fed BD did not significantly differ from that of fish fed P1D0, P0D1, and P1D1, but was higher than that of fish fed P0D0. The production performance of fish fed BD was similar to that of fish fed P1D0, but was separated from that of fish fed P0D0. The villus height of intestine was lower in fish fed P0D0 than in fish fed BD, P1D0, P0D1, and P1D1. The intestinal trypsin activity was higher, while the nitrogen waste was lower, in fish fed BD than in fish fed P1D0, P0D1, and P1D1. This study indicates, for the first time, that the EP addition at 0.175 g/kg can promote growth of large yellow croaker fed the diets with fishmeal substituted by the compound of CM and SPC.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8122,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture International","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143594818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Skin mucus DNA with MIG-seq: a valuable combination for genome-wide SNP typing in aquaculture fish","authors":"Tatsuki Onogi,&nbsp;Eitaro Sawayama","doi":"10.1007/s10499-025-01903-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10499-025-01903-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Genome-wide SNP typing has garnered significant interest related to the growing demands for genetic research in farmed fish species. This study validated skin mucus-derived DNA from red sea bream <i>Pagrus major</i>, a major aquaculture species in Japan as a viable source for the genotyping-by-sequencing technique MIG-seq. Skin mucus samples were collected by swab from juvenile red sea bream, and DNA was subsequently extracted using Serapure magnet beads. The DNA sourced from mucus was more degraded than that obtained from fin samples. MIG-seq amplification of mucus-derived DNA was successful, albeit resulting in shorter amplicons relative to those derived from fin samples. Approximately 14,000 SNPs were identified from both DNA sources, with ~ 50% of the SNPs in common. Phylogenetic analysis using UPGMA clustering indicated that mucus- and fin-derived samples from the same individual were closely grouped. Furthermore, a Mantel test comparing genetic relationship matrices (GRM) of fin- and mucus-derived samples showed a significant correlation (<i>r</i> = 0.684, <i>P</i> &lt; 0.001) suggesting strong but imperfect genetic similarity. The observed heterozygosity of the mucus samples was significantly greater than that of the fin, suggesting potential contamination. The applicability and effectiveness of this methodology were further corroborated through a field trial using adult farmed red sea bream. Although less DNA was extracted in the field trial, MIG-seq library construction was successful, yielding 17,474 high-quality SNPs. These results indicate that mucus-derived DNA, when combined with MIG-seq, is a promising non-invasive alternative for genome-wide SNP typing in fish. However, further optimization is required to minimize contamination risks and standardize protocols before its application in genome-wide SNP typing in fish.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8122,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture International","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143594819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Protective efficacy of quercetin against mercury-mediated toxic impact on the hepatic-renal system of economically important food fish rohu (Labeo rohita)","authors":"Sheetal Sharma,&nbsp;Smriti Batoye,&nbsp;Nidhi Srivastava","doi":"10.1007/s10499-025-01904-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10499-025-01904-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Mercury, a bioaccumulative pollutant, contaminates the food chain and impacts not only aquatic life but also the human health. The present study, therefore, investigates the protective efficacy of quercetin, a plant-derived flavonoid with strong antioxidant properties, on the mercury-induced toxicity in <i>Labeo rohita</i>. The median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) of mercuric chloride (HgCl₂) was determined to be 0.85 mg/L, and a sub-lethal dose (0.17 mg/L; 1/5th of LC₅₀) was used for exposure. Fish were simultaneously administered quercetin-supplemented diets (400 mg/kg) for 45 days. The dosage was selected based on prior research demonstrating its biological effectiveness in fish. The subsequent impact on growth parameters and the histological integrity of hepatic and renal tissues in <i>Labeo rohita</i> was evaluated at 15 and 45 days of the experiment. Mercury exposure significantly impaired growth and caused severe tissue damage, while quercetin supplementation led to a notable improvement in weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and specific growth rate (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). Histological analysis revealed reduced hepatic and renal damage in quercetin-treated fish, highlighting its protective role. These findings suggest that dietary quercetin can alleviate mercury-induced toxicity, enhance fish health, and support sustainable aquaculture practices in contaminated environments.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8122,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture International","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143594814","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of ingested microplastics on phenotypic traits and biochemical parameters in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) juvenile","authors":"Sheikh Mustafizur Rahman,&nbsp;Fatima Tuz Zohora,&nbsp;Tania Sultana Mohona,&nbsp;Momotaz Khanom,&nbsp;Md. Moshiur Rahman,&nbsp;Md. Golam Sarower,&nbsp;Muhammad Abdur Rouf,&nbsp;Md. Nazrul Islam,&nbsp;Roshmon Thomas Mathew,&nbsp;Yousef Ahmed Alkhamis,&nbsp;Yousof Naser Alrashada,&nbsp;Lamya Ahmed Alkeridis,&nbsp;El-Sayed Hemdan Eissa,&nbsp;Sameh A. Abdelnour","doi":"10.1007/s10499-025-01891-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10499-025-01891-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The widespread contamination of aquatic environments by microplastics (MPs), alongside other pollutants, has emerged as a critical global concern, posing significant risks to fish populations. This study investigated the impacts of microplastic ingestion on the phenotypic traits, survival rates, and antioxidant activities of juvenile Nile tilapia (<i>Oreochromis niloticus</i>). Three experimental groups were established: (T1) a control group fed a standard commercial diet (4% of body weight) twice daily, (T2) a group fed a mixed diet of 2% commercial pellets and 2% MPs twice daily, and (T3) a group fed 4% commercial pellets on the first day, no feed on the second day, and 4% MPs added directly to the water on the third day. Results demonstrated that tilapia exposed to MPs exhibited significantly lower survival rates, decreased body weight, reduced standard length, smaller eye diameters, and diminished body areas compared to the control group (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, MP-exposed fish displayed elevated superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reduced catalase activity, indicating altered antioxidant defense mechanisms. Proximate analysis revealed no significant differences in crude protein, moisture, and lipid content among the groups (<i>P</i> &gt; 0.05), except for ash content, which was significantly higher in MP-exposed fish (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.01). Geometric morphometric analysis did not reveal significant shape variations among the groups (<i>P</i> &gt; 0.05), although the control group exhibited a significantly larger centroid size (an indicator of overall body size) than the MP-exposed groups (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). These findings suggest that microplastic ingestion can have detrimental effects on the survival, growth, antioxidant status, and body composition of juvenile tilapia. This study underscores the critical need to consider the potential impacts of microplastic pollution on tilapia farming practices in the open water system.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8122,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture International","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143583475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}