What are the feed enhancers for aquaculture？
01. Betaine
Betaine is a crystalline quaternary ammonium alkaloid extracted from the by-product of sugar beet processing, glycine trimethylamine internal lipid.
It not only has a sweet and savory taste that makes fish sensitive, making it an ideal attractant, but also has a synergistic effect with some amino acids. The experiment conducted by the Finnish sugar company showed that betaine can increase the weight and feed conversion rate of rainbow trout by nearly 20%
In addition, betaine can promote fat metabolism, inhibit liver fat deposition, alleviate stress, regulate osmotic pressure, increase digestive enzyme activity, and promote metabolism.
02. DMPT
Dimethyl – β – propionic acid thiazole is a white crystalline powder that is easily soluble in water and has the characteristics of easy deliquescence and clumping. Initially, this compound was a pure natural component extracted from seaweed. Scientists have discovered that the reason why fish prefer seaweed is because seaweed contains DMPT.
DMPT mainly stimulates fish’s sense of smell and taste to increase their appetite. Although DMPT has a better feeding effect than amino acid based food promoters such as methionine and arginine.
03. Dopamine salt
Dopa salt is a hunger hormone in fish that has a significant feeding promoting effect. It is actually an organic solution, not an inorganic salt, that can stimulate the taste buds of fish and transmit the stimulation to the central nervous system through afferent nerves, causing the fish to experience a strong sense of hunger. This hormone is produced by the Fuyuxiang manufacturer and is pink in color. It comes in two sizes of 30ml and 60ml and is labeled with the Fuyuxiang logo. Its odor is light and slightly hormonal. Adding dopamine salt to the bait during fishing activities can significantly increase the feeding rate of fish, especially when there are fish in the nest but they do not like to open their mouths.
04. Amino acid based food attractants
Amino acids are a significant attractant in aquaculture, with different feeding effects on different fish species.
Carnivorous fish are usually sensitive to alkaline and neutral amino acids, while herbivorous fish are sensitive to acidic amino acids. L-type amino acids, especially glycine, alanine, and proline, have significant attractant activity towards fish.
For example, alanine has a feeding effect on eels but not on sturgeons. Mixing multiple amino acids is usually more effective in attracting food than using a single amino acid. However, certain amino acids may have inhibitory feeding effects on certain fish when present alone, but when mixed with other amino acids, they exhibit feeding activity.
05. cyclophosphamide
Cyclophosphamide is a feed enhancer used in aquaculture.
It is mainly used to stimulate the appetite of aquatic animals, increase their food intake, and thus promote growth. The mechanism of action of cyclophosphamide is achieved by affecting the endocrine system of aquatic animals. When aquatic animals consume feed containing cyclophosphamide, the substance can quickly act on their bodies, adjust related hormone levels, and thereby increase appetite.
In addition, cyclophosphamide also has a certain anti stress effect, which helps aquatic animals maintain normal growth and development under adverse environmental conditions.
06. Marine organisms and fish feed enhancers
Marine fish feed enhancers are additives used to increase the appetite and digestive ability of fish. These types of food promoters typically contain a variety of nutrients and bioactive substances, aimed at improving the growth performance and health status of fish.
Common marine food promoters for fish include:
1. Protein supplements: provide essential amino acids to promote muscle and tissue growth.
2. Fat supplements: provide energy while also aiding in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins.
3. Vitamins and minerals: Ensure that fish obtain essential nutrients and maintain a healthy state.
4. Enzyme supplements: help fish digest food better and improve nutrient absorption efficiency.
5. Probiotics and prebiotics: maintain intestinal health and reduce the occurrence of diseases.
07. Chinese herbal food attractant
Chinese herbal attractants are additives used in aquaculture to increase the appetite and digestive absorption capacity of fish.
Compared with chemically synthesized attractants, Chinese herbal attractants have the characteristics of natural, non-toxic, and residue free, and have therefore received widespread attention in aquaculture.
Common Chinese herbal attractants include hawthorn, tangerine peel, poria cocos, astragalus, etc. These herbs usually contain various bioactive ingredients such as polyphenols, flavonoids, saponins, etc. These ingredients can stimulate the appetite of fish and improve the digestion and absorption rate of feed. In addition, Chinese herbal attractants can enhance the immune system of fish and reduce the occurrence of diseases.
08. Sulfur containing compound attractants
Sulfur containing attractants are commonly used as food promoters in aquaculture.This type of food attractant mainly utilizes the stimulating effect of sulfur on the sense of smell and taste of aquatic organisms, thereby increasing their appetite.
Sulfur containing attractants usually include hydrogen sulfide, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, etc. These compounds can quickly decompose in water, producing hydrogen sulfide gas with a strong odor, which attracts fish and other aquatic organisms.
In addition, sulfur-containing food attractants also have the effect of improving feed utilization and promoting growth.
09. Allicin
Allicin is a commonly used food promoter in aquaculture.
It originates from garlic and has a unique strong odor and various biological activities, which can stimulate the appetite of aquatic animals and increase their food intake.
In addition, allicin also has antibacterial and antiviral effects, which help maintain the health of aquaculture water bodies.
Therefore, allicin not only promotes the growth of aquatic animals, but also reduces the occurrence of diseases, making it a multifunctional food promoter.