The Promising Role of Synthetic Flavors in Advancing Fish Feeding Strategies: A Focus on Adult Female Zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) Growth, Welfare, Appetite, and Reproductive Performances

The present study aimed to test over a six-month period different synthetic flavors in zebrafish ( ) as an experimental model. Specifically, two attractive and one repulsive synthetic flavors were added (1% / ) to a specific zebrafish diet, which was administered to the fish during the whole life cy...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAnimals (Basel) Vol. 14; no. 17; p. 2588
Main Authors Conti, Federico, Olivotto, Ike, Cattaneo, Nico, Pavanello, Massimiliano, Şener, İdris, Antonucci, Matteo, Chemello, Giulia, Gioacchini, Giorgia, Zarantoniello, Matteo
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland MDPI AG 05.09.2024
Subjects
Animals
Appetite
Aquaculture
Diet
Embryos
feed attractant
feed intake
Feeds
Fish production
histology
Nutrition research
Raw materials
sustainable aquafeeds
Zebrafish
Italy
feed intake
aquaculture
sustainable aquafeeds
histology
feed attractant
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Summary:The present study aimed to test over a six-month period different synthetic flavors in zebrafish ( ) as an experimental model. Specifically, two attractive and one repulsive synthetic flavors were added (1% / ) to a specific zebrafish diet, which was administered to the fish during the whole life cycle (from larvae to adults), to evaluate their physiological responses, emphasizing fish welfare, feed intake, growth, reward mechanisms, and reproductive performances. Fish welfare was not affected by all tested flavors, while both attractive flavors promoted fish feed ingestion and growth. The results were supported by both molecular and immunohistochemical analyses on appetite-regulating neurohormonal signals, along with the influence of the feed hedonic properties induced by the brain reward sensation, as demonstrated by the dopamine receptor gene expression. Finally, the present study demonstrated that a higher feed intake also had positive implications on fish reproductive performances, suggesting a promising role of synthetic flavors for the aquaculture industry. In conclusion, the results highlighted the potential of synthetic flavors to improve fish feeding strategies by providing a consistent and effective alternative to traditional stimulants, thereby reducing dependence on natural sources.
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ISSN:2076-2615
2076-2615
DOI:10.3390/ani14172588