Aquaculture is a rapidly growing industry, but one of the biggest challenges faced by fish farmers is stress in fish. Stress can negatively affect growth, immunity, reproduction, and overall health, which leads to economic losses. Various environmental, physiological, and management factors contribute to stress in fish, including poor water quality due to low oxygen levels, ammonia, and nitrate accumulation, handling and transportation, high stocking density, temperature fluctuations, and disease outbreaks. Stress in fish has significant economic consequences in aquaculture, affecting production efficiency, profitability, and sustainability. The shrimp industry has experienced cumulative losses of around $10 billion since 1990 due to diseases, with stress factors playing a significant role.
Impact of Stress on Fish
The stress response in fish is primarily regulated by the production of two major hormones: corticosteroids (mainly cortisol) and catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine). Primary responses contribute to the secondary stress response, affecting various physiological functions related to fish adaptation. Long-term stress results in a tertiary response that adversely affects the fish’s growth, behavior, swimming ability, feeding, and immunity.
Signs of Stress Observed in Fish
- Sluggishness
- Lack of feeding activity
- Slow growth
- Molting difficulties
- Hyperactivity
- Death
Stress Management
If the stressor is chronic, the immune response shows suppressive effects, and hence the chances of an infection may be enhanced in fish. Therefore, immune stimulants, along with feed nutrients and additives that reduce stress, are common commercial fish health management solutions to address disease concerns. Antibiotics, chemotherapeutics, and disinfectants are all commonly used for managing fish infections. However, adverse consequences include the rise of microorganisms resistant to antibiotics, antibiotic residues in fish products, chemical genotoxicity and cytotoxicity, and overall environmental contamination. Thus, there is a need for alternatives for adopting sustainable aquaculture farming.
Functional Feed: Natural Way to Manage Stress
Specialized plant-derived nutrition serves as an alternative strategy designed to limit or reduce the adverse effects of a disease without requiring therapeutic intervention. Many bioactive compounds identified in herbal feed additives, such as terpenoids, polyphenols, isothiocyanates, tannins, saponins, and alkaloids, can all stimulate the immune system. These strategies are known as functional feeds.
Functional feeds primarily focus on enhancing and supporting the natural immunological defenses of the animal. This approach boosts the animal’s capacity to manage biological and physiological responses to stressors while strengthening physical barriers between the animal and its environment.
Herbo C AQUA
Vitamin C is an essential component of fish feed, as most fish are not able to synthesize vitamin C due to a lack of enzyme L-gulonolactone oxidase. Still, they can achieve it from external sources. Herbo C AQUA is a plant-derived natural and highly bioavailable form of vitamin C coupled with herbal bioactive compounds with anti-stress, adaptogenic, and immunomodulatory activity. It helps to regulate and alleviate stress, facilitates wound healing, and supports tissue regeneration. Additionally, Herbo C Aqua increases survivability and boosts farm profitability.
How Does It Work?
It works by…
- Providing natural antioxidant (Vitamin C)
- Promoting nutrient utilization
- Maintaining osmoregulation
- Supporting collagen synthesis and metabolism
“Sustainable Stress Management in Aquaculture”