The appetizing effect of TMAO(Trimethylamine N-oxide dihydrate） on fish

Trimethylamine N-oxide Dihydrate (TMAO) has significant appetitive effects on fish, primarily manifested in the following aspects:

1. Attract the bait

Experiments have shown that adding TMAO to bait significantly increases fish biting frequency. For instance, in a carp feeding experiment, bait containing TMAO resulted in a 86% higher biting frequency compared to the control group and a 57% increase over glutamine-containing bait. This indicates that TMAO strongly stimulates fish olfaction and taste, rapidly attracting them to approach and bite.

2. Reduce feeding time

In feed supplemented with TMAO, the satiation time of aquatic animals such as shrimp and Macrobrachium rosenbergii was significantly shortened (e.g., from over 60 minutes to 20-30 minutes in shrimp), indicating that fish can more quickly recognize and ingest TMAO-containing feed, thereby improving feeding efficiency.

3. Enhance the attraction effect of amino acids to food

TMAO can enhance the taste perception of other amino acids in fish. When combined with amino acids, it can further improve the feeding effect, improve the palatability of the bait, and make fish more willing to feed.

4. Wide range of applications

Whether it is marine fish (such as yellow croaker, red snapper, turbot) or freshwater fish (such as carp, crucian carp, grass carp, etc.), TMAO can play a feeding role and has a certain attraction to fish with different diets.
In summary, TMAO, through its unique umami taste and stimulation of fish’s sense of smell and taste, effectively improves fish’s acceptance and feeding enthusiasm for bait, making it a commonly used food attractant in aquaculture and fishing.