Replacing Fish Meal with Plant Proteins and Amino Acids: Effects on Growth and Physiology

The objective of this work is to compare the capacity of fish meal to be replaced by plant protein sources; soy protein concentrate (SPC) and wheat gluten meal (WGM) with essential amino acids (EAAs). The first objective was to assess the effects of this replacement on growth rate, feed conversion, metabolic shift, and sustainability of the aquaculture industry. The results indicated that EAAs supplemented plant diets resulted in comparable gain in body weight, SGR and FCR as those obtained with fish meal. The supplementation with EAAs enhanced protein utilization hence supplementing amino acid deficiencies in the plant products used in the formulation improving feed conversion rate. Biochemical and hematological analysis of the fish showed that the fish was normal in its biochemical parameter, immunity and stress, which implies that feed formulated from plant source did not in any way threaten the health status of the fish. On the whole, the outcomes clearly indicate the notion that the utilization of the plant-originated protein through the utilization of the required amino acids will be beneficial for elevating high level reactions in the immune systems as well as improving the overall physiology of the aquaculture species. In addition, the research emphasizes the ecological and economic impact of fish meal with substitute plant proteins since it minimizes the dependency on marine stocks, and reduces feed costs, as a result it enhances the efficiency of the aquaculture systems. Therefore, this study concludes that for SPC and WGM when supplemented with essential AA are possible replacers of fish meal and the technique seems to hold bright future in sustainable fish production. This means that; the future studies require the accumulation of more detailed data on protein formulations in the plant that improves feed quality besides considering the endogenous impacts on health, fertility, growth, and resistance to diseases in fish. Consequently, it is possible to state that the outcomes derived belong to the degree determining the readiness to use plant-based diets within the framework of increasing consumers’ selfish consumption and developing the practice of ecoal friendly aquaculture methods.