Dietary Supplements for Aquatic Animal Health

Dietary supplements have emerged as pivotal tools in modern aquaculture, addressing both productivity and environmental challenges. As intensive farming systems expand, maintaining fish and shellfish health requires more than optimised protein and energy levels: functional additives such as probiotics, phytogenics, fatty acids and mineral adsorbents now play central roles. These supplements can modulate gut microbiota, enhance digestive enzyme activity, improve feed conversion and strengthen innate immune defences. Certain compounds also adsorb or neutralise toxic metabolites like ammonia, thereby improving water quality and reducing stress. Global research spans a wide taxonomic range—from tilapia and seabass to shrimp and groupers—and encompasses both novel nano-formulations and traditional plant extracts. By reducing reliance on antibiotics and mitigating metabolic disorders, dietary supplements contribute to sustainable intensification, lower environmental footprints and resilient aquaculture systems worldwide.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have evaluated the combined use of probiotics, nano-zeolite and medium-chain fatty acids in Nile tilapia diets. Experimental groups received single or paired additives under controlled conditions, with comparisons made against untreated controls. Results indicated that while growth performance and whole-body composition remained largely unaffected, key health indicators such as liver and kidney function markers stayed within normal ranges. These findings demonstrate the safety of such additive combinations and highlight the need for further trials to refine inclusion rates and explore synergistic effects on immune modulation and nutrient utilisation.

Dietary Supplements for Aquatic Animal Health publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in dietary supplements for aquatic animal health across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Probiotics: Live beneficial microorganisms included in feed to balance gut flora, improve digestion and boost immune responses.

Nano-zeolite: Zeolite particles engineered at the nanometre scale to enhance adsorption of ammonia and other nitrogenous wastes in water or feed matrices.

Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA): Saturated fatty acids of 6–12 carbon atoms used as energy sources and modulators of gut microbiota.

Steroidal saponins: Plant-derived glycosides that influence lipid metabolism, promote antioxidant enzyme activity and exhibit anti-inflammatory effects.

Nano-emulsion: A stable dispersion of oil droplets in water at the nanometre scale, used to improve bioavailability and efficacy of lipophilic compounds.

Feed conversion ratio (FCR): The mass of feed required to produce a unit mass of animal biomass, a key indicator of feed efficiency.

References

1. Nutritional impact of nano zeolite, probiotic, and fatty acids as feed additives on health status of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Scientific Reports (2023).
2. Synergistic interactions of zeolite, stocking density, and water exchange: A holistic approach to optimizing aquaculture performance of juvenile European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Scientific African (2024).
3. Effects of Dietary Steroid Saponins on Growth Performance, Serum and Liver Glucose, Lipid Metabolism and Immune Molecules of Hybrid Groupers (♀Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × ♂Epinephelus lanceolatu) Fed High-Lipid Diets. Metabolites (2023).
4. Using some natural essential oils and their nano-emulsions for ammonia management, anti-stress and prevention of streptococcosis in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Aquaculture International (2023).