The use of the Eisenia fetida worm as a feed additive for the Russian and Lena sturgeon hybrid

The feasibility of using a protein feed supplement derived from the biomass of the worm Eisenia fetida was evaluated by partially replacing fishmeal in compound feed at levels of 5 and 7% for feeding a hybrid of Russian and Lena sturgeon. The study was conducted in the research laboratory “Progressive Biotechnologies in Aquaculture” at Vavilov University in 2023. The research analyzed the chemical and amino acid composition of vermimeal and assessed its impact on the growth and development of the fish. The results showed that compound feed containing 7% vermimeal had significantly higher levels of methionine (34.1%), threonine (47.9%), and lysine (2-fold) compared to the control group. A similar trend was observed for all other amino acids in the feed. By the end of the experiment, the highest average body weight was observed in individuals of the second experimental group. This group also demonstrated advantages in absolute, relative, and average daily weight gain – 55 g, 18.09%, and 0.61 g, respectively – compared to the control group.