Super Food Spirulina and its Growing Potential in Aquaculture

Abstract

The sustainability of aquaculture depends on the continuous and improved nutrients of feed. The rising prices and lack of effectiveness of fish meal and fish oil are pushing feed manufacturing industries to find out alternative diet supplements which are not only more nutritious for fish but also of plant origin with a cost-effective range. So, blue-green filamentous microalgae Spirulina is one of the most promising sources of protein and the best alternative to expensive animal proteins in fish feed. Spirulina possesses excellent nutritional supplements for almost all kinds of fish species. As its nutritional component improve growth, carcass composition, immunological responses, disease resistance, reproductive function, and pigmentation. Spirulina can also utilize nutrients efficiently and eliminate heavy metals from aquaculture discharge. This water purification procedure not only lowers the cost of raw materials for growing Spirulina, which can be utilized as a dietary supplement in the aquaculture, but it also improves water quality and reduces water usage in high-density fish farms with restricted water exchange. Integrating Spirulina into traditional Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) appears to be a great fish farming integrated technique.