Emerging insect-based aquafeed for sustainable African catfish production

The current study assessed the implications of substituting fish meal (FM) with black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) on sustainable African catfish (Clarius gariepinus) production. Five isocaloric experimental diets were formulated and 168-days feeding trials were performed with 1400 improved strains of African catfish. Fish fed with 50% BSFLM expressed the lowest and highest feed conversion ratio, and daily weight gain and specific growth rate. Fillets from fish fed diet with 50 and 75% BSFLM inclusion expressed higher lauric (11.4-16.7%) and linoleic acids. Omega-6 fatty acid was 19-fold higher in fillets from fish fed diet with 75%BSFLM. There was 5-8% and 9-11% higher crude protein in fillet from fish fed diet with 50 and 75% BSFLM, respectively. Essential amino acids in the fillets, particularly lysine [11 - 18g/kg] and methionine [11 - 27g/kg] values were significantly higher in catfish fed diet with BSFLM diets than with FM. Diet integrated with 50% BSFLM showed the best return on investment (105.2%) and cost-benefit ratio (1.05). Integration of 50-75% BSFLM into African catfish diet offers a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional fish feed, with promising long-term nutritional and health benefits for the aquaculture industry.

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Publication Details

Journal
PLoS ONE
Published
2025-11-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0335422
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Insect Utilization and Effects
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.67
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Emerging insect-based aquafeed for sustainable African catfish production

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PLoS ONE
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article

Emerging insect-based aquafeed for sustainable African catfish production

Jimmy Brian Mboya, Menaga Meenakshisundaram, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Rodrigue Yossa, Anderson N Maina, Sevgan Subramanian, Shaphan Y. Chia, Stavroula Bourou, Dennis Beesigamukama, Brian O. Ochieng, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Didier Kichochi Barwani, Jonathan Munguti, Isaac M. Osuga, David Liti, Leonard Munga, Aikaterini Zachariadi, Vassilios Zachariadis
article en
1 citations

Abstract

The current study assessed the implications of substituting fish meal (FM) with black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) on sustainable African catfish (Clarius gariepinus) production. Five isocaloric experimental diets were formulated and 168-days feeding trials were performed with 1400 improved strains of African catfish. Fish fed with 50% BSFLM expressed the lowest and highest feed conversion ratio, and daily weight gain and specific growth rate. Fillets from fish fed diet with 50 and 75% BSFLM inclusion expressed higher lauric (11.4-16.7%) and linoleic acids. Omega-6 fatty acid was 19-fold higher in fillets from fish fed diet with 75%BSFLM. There was 5-8% and 9-11% higher crude protein in fillet from fish fed diet with 50 and 75% BSFLM, respectively. Essential amino acids in the fillets, particularly lysine [11 - 18g/kg] and methionine [11 - 27g/kg] values were significantly higher in catfish fed diet with BSFLM diets than with FM. Diet integrated with 50% BSFLM showed the best return on investment (105.2%) and cost-benefit ratio (1.05). Integration of 50-75% BSFLM into African catfish diet offers a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional fish feed, with promising long-term nutritional and health benefits for the aquaculture industry.

PLoS ONEVol. 20(11)
Kenyatta University (KE), International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (KE), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR), University of Eldoret (KE), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (KE), Frontier Science Foundation-Hellas (GR), Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KE), University of Kalemie (CD), University of Pretoria (ZA), WorldFish (MY)
Openalex Percentile: Top 13%
Insect Utilization and Effects
1.67
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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