Preliminary studies regarding the influence of certain ingredients on the growth and welfare of Acipenser stellatus, Pallas 1771, in a recirculating aquaculture system

Including natural ingredients in aquaculture feeds has increased interest due to their potential benefits on fish health and growth performance. The potential advantages of adding powdered young barley and wheat sprouts to fish feed include: improved health status and immunity, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, enhanced digestion and nutrient absorption, detoxification, and liver protection. The experiment was conducted over 45 days in the recirculating aquaculture system at the Research and Development Institute for Aquatic Ecology, Fisheries and Aquaculture in Galati. A total of 81 specimens of stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus, Pallas 1771), aged six months and with an average initial body mass of 58.5±5.9 g/fish, were distributed in nine rearing units (effective volume 100 L), with 9 fish per tank. Three experimental variants were established.The purpose of this experiment was to explore the potential influence of barley and wheat sprout powder, by its inclusion in the feed administered to Acipenser stellatus (stellate sturgeon). In the preliminary phase, it was found that the behavioral responses to the feeding variants enriched with barley and wheat powder significantly improved growth performance, demonstrating their potential as symbiotic products in sustainable aquaculture feeds.