Fishmeal replacement diets are currently being developed and tested around the world. In some cases, plant-based proteins are already replacing substantial amounts of fishmeal (e.g. salmon diets). However, marine finfish diets are still, almost solely based on fishmeal as a protein source. One of the impediments for the use of plant-based proteins is their low attractability, resulting in low ingestion.

Larvae weaning microdiets

Larvae weaning diets are still far from being optimised. Early weaning of marine fish larvae is impeded by the low acceptance of formulated diets. Although, in the past decade, the use of live food and specifically Artemia reduced significantly, it is still in most cases, hard to match performances of formulated weaning diets with live food. Acceptance and ingestion of the diets are usually one of the problems.

THE SOLUTION – better attractability

A new solution is now available to improve the attractability and acceptability of any finfish diets (as well as other marine organisms), whether it is weaning or growout diets. Nutrattract® is a new, innovative (patent pending) attractant, 100% natural and based on Artemia (cultured under unique conditions). It is manufactured using a proprietary and unique process, enabling the preservation of all the natural nutrients that make Artemia such an attractive feed for marine organisms.

Nutrattract® can be coated, vacuum-infused or incorporated into any food particle, pelleted or extruded (usually at 1-3% inclusion). It will not change the diet shelf life. It is available in liquid or powder forms.

Weaning diets with different attractants Yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) larvae were reared from 14 days post hatch (dph) to 29 dph using one of six experimental microdiets with 4 replicates (3,000 larvae in each tank). A single protocol that progressively excluded live feeds (rotifers and Artemia) was used to wean the larvae onto microdiets. Two attractants were compared in two incorporation methods; krill hydrolysate and Nutrattract® incorporated into the diet or coated over the diet particles. Larvae received Nutrattract® coated microdiet demonstrated signifi cantly higher biomass due to higher survival rates (Kolkovski et al., 2009).

More information

• Nutrattract Brochure

Stress caused by sub-optimal nutrition, bacteria, environmental conditions and other factors is believed to be an important factor affecting larvae survival. It can lower immunity, which leads to increases in susceptibility of fish, prawn and shrimp to various specific and non specific infections.

Nutra-MetaEnhance, a unique combination of natural herbal extracts, reduces stress, improves immune response (immunomodulator) and helps in adapting to adverse environmental conditions.

Benefits:

• Higher larval survival rate by hepato-pancreas protection
• Effective feed utilisation through improved conversion rates
• Prevents stress-induced viral and bacterial infections
• Promotes growth for higher body weight gain
• Natural and safe with no side effects for shrimp and fish
• No risk of emergent antibiotic resistance
• Free from toxic chemical residue
• Works in fresh and salt water
• Environmentally friendly for broader spectrum use

Use to:

Reduce stress and increase survival and growth during metamorphosis stages, grading and weaning.

Poor immune response reduces the ability of fish to fight pathogens and parasites. It gives parasites the opportunity to proliferate causing serious health issues and ultimately can prove fatal to the host fish if left untreated.

Chemicals such as hydrogen peroxides, formalin, malachite green and others may offer a short term solution against parasitic problems. In sea cages, bathing fish is a labour intensive and costly operation. Furthermore, although it usually brings temporary relief from parasites, the treatment also causes stress to the fish and increases the chances of future infections.

Many of these chemicals are not environmentally sustainable and most of them are prohibited for use in aquaculture systems and banned in many countries.

NutraParagone contains powerful natural compounds with antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal and anthelminthic herbs. These may improve poor digestive function, alleviate worm and Candida infections and internal and external parasites (flukes).

Benefits:

• Chemical free, environmentally friendly, non-invasive and rapidly biodegradable
• Controls itch and other external protozoan, dinoflagellate, flukes and fungal diseases
• Controls the proliferation of pathogenic vibrio bacteria
• Works in fresh and salt water
• Safe and beneficial for shrimp and fish
• No residue and environmentally friendly

Use to:

Eliminate or reduce external and internal parasites.

NutraPlus Complete provides all the necessary and essential proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins and carotenoids for most marine organisms.

NutraPlus Complete content and use

NutraPlus Complete is ready to use food mixture for marine organisms in marine aquariums and reef systems.

NutraPlus Complete Application

Shake before use. Add 5 ml per 100 litre near the water inlet or high circulation area for better distribution. Feed daily or several times weekly, depending on the animal load. Adjust according to the volume and density. Always monitor water quality and do not overfeed.

For optimal growth of filter feeders such as soft and hard corals use in conjunction with NutraPlus Boost. Always monitor water quality and do not overfeed.

NutraPlus Complete Storage

NutraPlus Complete can be store at room temperature for short periods. For longer shelf life, it is recommended to store in fridge or freezer (up to 18 months).

NutraPlus Boost content and use

NutraPlus Boost is formulated to boost all the essential vitamins and carotenoids to maintain marine reef fish and invertebrates in optimal health and natural colour.

NutraPlus Boost Application

Shake before use. Spray 5-10 shots on frozen (defrost before mixing), fresh food or dry crumbles or pellets. Mix and serve to the fish in normal feeding regime. For optimal results, use twice a week. For stressed fish (after treatment, transfer etc.) use in every feeding for 2 weeks or until improvement shown (brighten colours, healthy behaviour) and then reduce to normal application.

NutraPlus Boost Storage

NutraPlus Boost can be store at room temperature. For longer shelf life, it is recommended to store in fridge or freezer (up to 24 months).

NutraPlus Reef content and use

NutraPlus Reef contains a combination of algae and rotifers with high levels of carotenes, minerals, vitamins and essential fatty acids.

NutraPlus Reef Application

Shake before use. Add 5 ml per 100 litre near the water inlet or high circulation area for better distribution. Feed daily or several times weekly, depending on the animal load. Adjust according to the volume and density. Always monitor water quality and do not overfeed.

NutraPlus Reef Storage

NutraPlus Reef can be stored at room temperature. For longer shelf life, it is recommended to store in fridge or freezer (up to 18 months).

NutraPlus Micro is formulated specifically for culturing livefoods and feeding herbivorous filter feeders in reef and other marine systems. It enhances and brightens the natural colors of any organism kept under artificial conditions.

NutraPlus Micro content and use

NutraPlus Micro contains high natural levels of carotenes, minerals, vitamins and fatty acids.

NutraPlus Micro Application

Shake before use. Add 5 ml per 100 litre near the water inlet or high circulation area for better distribution. Feed daily or several times weekly, depending on the animal load. Adjust according to the volume and density. Always monitor water quality and do not overfeed.

NutraPlus Micro Storage

NutraPlus Micro can be store at room temperature. For longer shelf life, it is recommended to store in fridge or freezer (up to 24 months).

NutraFeed® diets were tested with several crustaceans including; white shrimp L. vannamei, tiger prawn P. monodon (wild and domesticated), bugs (T. orientalis) and tropical lobster (Panulirus ornatus). The diet can be designed and manufactured to any crustaceans.

NutraFeed® diets are based solely on dry meals without any fresh or frozen products. They are pathogen free (all ingredients pass Gamma radiation) with a shelf life of six months (refrigerated) or
12 months (frozen).

Hormone induced spawning is used in hatcheries where an environment significantly differs to a natural state, such as when inducing spawning out-of-season. Non-acute stress of hatchery environments may result in lower fecundity and larvae quality, higher deformities and lower stress tolerance.

NutraBrood Enhance is a natural combination of herbal extracts that are specifically designed to reduce stress and regulate the hormonal cycle. NutraBrood Enhance formulation includes adaptogenic, hepatoprotective, antioxidant and immunomodulator herbal extracts.

Benefits

• Stimulates spermatogenesis in male fish and aid gonadal maturation and high egg viability in female fish
• Helps achieve natural viable spawns, especially out-of-season
• Improves egg quality and fecundity
• Aids better hormonal and cellular immune response
• Increases resistance to specific and non specific infections
• Enhances hepato-pancreas activity and thereby efficient digestion and assimilation of feed nutrients
• Maintains feed intake during inclement weather
• Natural and safe with no side effects for shrimp and fish
• No risk of emergent antibiotic resistance
• No residue and environmentally friendly.

Use to:

Support broodstock health and enhance gonadal development.

May assist with:

• Environmental and physical stress during and after spawning season
• Non-natural spawning or low egg producing broodstock
• Optimal broodstock maintenance
• Low sperm quality, sperm volume, cell concentration, sperm production and mortality.

More information

• NutraGreen Brochure

Nutrakol nutritional products include NutraBrood broodstock feed additives and Arti-Kol live feed enrichments. Unlike any other off-the-shelf commercial products, Nutrakol products are ‘tailor-made’ to fish species and can include any specific nutrients.

The Nutritional additives may include natural ingredients (such as herbal extracts) to support immune system, gonadal development, digestive system etc.

Perfect for commercial hatcheries working with new species and/or R&D institutes looking at effects of specific nutrient or different levels of nutrients.

NutraBrood and Arti-Kol can be supplied at any quantity and to any formulation requirement.

More information

• Tailor-made brochure

Nutra-Brood

Nutra-Brood is a tailor-made feed additive designed to enhance the nutrition of marine fish (as well as other marine organisms such as crayfish and others) broodstock. Nutra-Brood supplied as an oil emulsion that can be injected into the broodstock’s fresh food using a syringe.

The basic feed additive contains essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and other essential nutrients.

More information

• NutraBrood Information Sheet

Arti-Kol

Arti-Kol is a ‘tailor–made’ Artemia enrichment that can be designed to suit any nutritional and/or experimental requirements. Today, there is large variety of commercially available enrichments with different levels and ratios of essentail fatty acids, anti-bacterial agents, vitamins etc. However, in some cases, especially with new species or susceptible larvae, different levels and/or other ingredients are needed in the enrichments. For example, immune-stimulants and ‘mega’ doses of vitamins E and C are used to increase stress resistance and reduce deformities. In public aquaria and ornamental fish hatcheries, stress resistance and coloration enhancement is needed. These can be achieved with high levels of carotenoids.

Today, there is large variety of commercially available enrichments with different levels and ratios of essentail fatty acids, anti-bacterial agents, vitamins etc. However, with new species or susceptible larvae and other cases, different levels of ingredients are needed in these enrichments. For example, immune-stimulants and “mega” doses of vitamins E and C are used to increase stress resistance and reduce deformities. When in public aquaria and ornamental fish hatcheries, stress resistance and colouration enhancement is needed. These can be achieved with high levels of carotenoids such as in Arti-Kol.

Currently, there are no commercially – available ‘tailor-made’ enrichments aimed at research institutes as well as commercial hatcheries and public aquaria. Arti-Kol is the answer to this problem and it aimed at optimising live food enrichments to meet the nutritional requirements of marine fish species. The ‘tailor – made’ enrichment can be designed to suit any nutritional and/or experimental requirements. For example, different levels and ratios of essential fatty acids, vitamins, therapeutics immune-stimulants, carotenoids and pro-biotics can be incorporated. Specific nutrients and/or ingredients are incorporated into the oil/water matrix of the globules (liposome), so they are available to the live food and not dissolve in the water.

More information

• Artikol Information Sheet

Nutra-Brood and Arti-Kol already have been developed for variety of marine finfish including; groupers Epinephalus sp., mahi-mahi (dolphin fish), yellowtail kingfish Seriola sp., trumpeter Latrididae sp., Asian sea bass Lates calcarifer; Crustaceans including; rock lobsters Panulirus ornatus, P. Cygnus and P. edwardsii, morton bay bugs Thenus sp. and Ibacus sp. as well as several marine reef fish such as clown fish and others.