article · Aquaculture International
Incorporating selenium nanoparticles into the diet of Nile tilapia fingerlings significantly enhances their growth, digestive health, and resistance to fungal infection. Tilapia were fed diets supplemented with varying levels of selenium nanoparticles, from 0.0 to 1.5 milligrams per kilogram of feed, over a 60-day trial before being exposed to Aspergillus flavus. Fish receiving 1.0 milligram of selenium nanoparticles per kilogram demonstrated substantial improvements in growth rates, feed efficiency, and overall survival. This concentration also strengthened digestive enzyme activity, antioxidant capacity, and key blood biochemical indicators. When challenged with the fungal pathogen, fish fed this optimal level experienced lower mortality, indicating an enhanced immune response. In addition, dietary supplementation improved intestinal structure and tissue health across the gills, hepatopancreas, intestines, and muscles, highlighting the potential of selenium nanoparticles as a functional feed additive.
Fungal infections such as Aspergillus flavus present serious risks to aquaculture productivity and fish welfare. Demonstrating that dietary selenium nanoparticles can improve growth efficiency while fortifying the immune system of Nile tilapia offers an effective approach to disease management. This dietary intervention supports healthier fish stocks, reduces mortality, and could contribute to more sustainable and resilient fish farming operations.
This research demonstrates an applied nutritional intervention for commercial aquafeed manufacturers and fish farmers seeking to boost Nile tilapia health and yield. The findings indicate an optimal inclusion rate of 1.0 milligram of selenium nanoparticles per kilogram of feed to reduce losses from Aspergillus flavus. As a controlled tank trial on fingerlings, the technology represents early-stage to applied experimental research that requires scaling to commercial pond conditions and regulatory safety validation before market adoption.
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Abstract The present study examined the impacts of varying amounts of selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) as a natural antioxidant and metabolic regulator on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, digestive enzymes and immune resistance of Oreochromis niloticus challenged to Aspergillus flavus infection. For 60 days, fish were fed the experimental diet of 30% crude protein up to apparent satiation three times a day. Se-NPs were added to the control diet at different levels of 0.0 (control), 0.5 (T1), 1.0 (T2) and 1.5 (T3) mg/kg diet to fed monosex Nile tilapia fingerlings with average initial weight (4.5 ± 0.5 g). Fish were randomly distributed in 12 tanks 100 L at a density of 20 fish per tank after 2-week acclimation to represent four treatments in triplicates. The results indicated that the growth indices, feed efficiency and survival rate were significantly enhanced ( P < 0.05) by incorporating Se-NPs up to 1 mg/kg diet. Furthermore, the haemato-biochemical parameters, digestive enzymes activity and antioxidant capacity of the fish were significantly improved ( P < 0.05) at T2. When the fish were challenged with Aspergillus flavus , a decreasing mortality rate was observed, which clearly shows that selenium nanoparticles boosted the fish’s immune response at T2. The intestinal morphology as villus length, villus width, muscular fibres layer thickness and absorption intestinal zone after challenged with A. flavus infection were considerably enhanced ( P < 0.05) by incorporating all Se-NP levels. Histopathological score significantly improved ( P < 0.05) for the hepatopancreatic, intestinal, gills and muscle tissues at T2. The present study concludes that selenium nanoparticles up to 1.0 mg/kg diet can be efficiently used in tilapia feed to help boost fish production, immune system response and histopathological parameters.
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DOI: 10.1007/s10499-023-01230-4
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