19 Use of Microalgae Pigments in Aquaculture
489
(TBHQ) and ethoxyquin have been used to retard oxidation and peroxidation.
However, these synthetic compounds have shown potential health hazard and efforts
are ongoing to find natural alternatives (Aklakur 2018). Barbosa et al. (1999) reported
that there was higher blood astaxanthin concentration in fish fed with supplements
microalgal biomass (containing astaxanthin) compared to synthetic astaxanthin.
19.7.2 Phycobilliproteins in Aquaculture
The bright colour phycobiliproteins are non-toxic in nature and have antiinflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective and nephroprotective effects after being purified (Pandey et al. 2013;
Sonani et al. 2016). Hence, phycobiliproteins have the potential to be commercialized
and be applied in various industries such as biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, food products and colourants. Also, phycoerythrin has important fluorescent
properties and it is widely used as a fluorescent probe.
Fatty acids and pigments including phycobiliproteins from microalgae have the
highest demand in the market (Minhas et al. 2016). In the 1980s, Haematococcus
sp. and Dunaliella sp. were cultivated for its pigments particularly astaxanthin and
carotene for use as additives in food and feed. In the 1990s, microalgae were cultivated
for the production of PUFAs such as eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic
acid for use in aquaculture feed and enrichment of nutritional products. The top two
commercially produced phycobiliproteins are phycoerythrin from Porphyridium spp.
and phycocyanin from Spirulina spp. (Plaza et al. 2009; Rodriguez-Sanchez et al.
2012; Borowitzka 2013).
There are very limited studies on the effects of phycobiliproteins in aquaculture.
According to Prasanna et al. (2007), Abd El Baky et al. (2015) and Liu et al. (2016),
phycocyanin from blue-green algae can be used as a practical food. For instance,
Spirulina platensis was often used as a dietary supplement in animals (Vonshak and
Tomaselli 2002) as it contained high amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidant
activity and phycocyanin (Estrada et al. 2001). Of late, there is an increasing study
using Spirulina as a feed supplement in the farming of fish, shrimp and ornamental
fish. Biabani Asrami et al. (2019) reported a significant increase in the final weight,
final length, specific growth rate, weight growth rate, length growth rate, average
daily growth rate and protein efficiency ratio in guppy fish (Poecilia reticulata) fed
with 0.15% phycocyanin extracted from Spirulina platensis. Phycocyanin added
diet also significantly increased the total pigments in guppy tissue and enhanced the
skin colour. Also, protease activity and digestive enzymes in the treatment fish were
significantly higher (p < 0.05).
Gora et al. (2019) in their studies on Asian seabass Lates calcarifer larvae fed
dietary supplementation showed that cannibalism (%) was significantly reduced in
the treatments fed phycocyanin (8.57 ± 0.3) pigmented diets compared to the control
group. Bacterial challenge with pathogenic Vibrio alginolyticus revealed the highest
489
(TBHQ) and ethoxyquin have been used to retard oxidation and peroxidation.
However, these synthetic compounds have shown potential health hazard and efforts
are ongoing to find natural alternatives (Aklakur 2018). Barbosa et al. (1999) reported
that there was higher blood astaxanthin concentration in fish fed with supplements
microalgal biomass (containing astaxanthin) compared to synthetic astaxanthin.
19.7.2 Phycobilliproteins in Aquaculture
The bright colour phycobiliproteins are non-toxic in nature and have antiinflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective and nephroprotective effects after being purified (Pandey et al. 2013;
Sonani et al. 2016). Hence, phycobiliproteins have the potential to be commercialized
and be applied in various industries such as biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, food products and colourants. Also, phycoerythrin has important fluorescent
properties and it is widely used as a fluorescent probe.
Fatty acids and pigments including phycobiliproteins from microalgae have the
highest demand in the market (Minhas et al. 2016). In the 1980s, Haematococcus
sp. and Dunaliella sp. were cultivated for its pigments particularly astaxanthin and
carotene for use as additives in food and feed. In the 1990s, microalgae were cultivated
for the production of PUFAs such as eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic
acid for use in aquaculture feed and enrichment of nutritional products. The top two
commercially produced phycobiliproteins are phycoerythrin from Porphyridium spp.
and phycocyanin from Spirulina spp. (Plaza et al. 2009; Rodriguez-Sanchez et al.
2012; Borowitzka 2013).
There are very limited studies on the effects of phycobiliproteins in aquaculture.
According to Prasanna et al. (2007), Abd El Baky et al. (2015) and Liu et al. (2016),
phycocyanin from blue-green algae can be used as a practical food. For instance,
Spirulina platensis was often used as a dietary supplement in animals (Vonshak and
Tomaselli 2002) as it contained high amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidant
activity and phycocyanin (Estrada et al. 2001). Of late, there is an increasing study
using Spirulina as a feed supplement in the farming of fish, shrimp and ornamental
fish. Biabani Asrami et al. (2019) reported a significant increase in the final weight,
final length, specific growth rate, weight growth rate, length growth rate, average
daily growth rate and protein efficiency ratio in guppy fish (Poecilia reticulata) fed
with 0.15% phycocyanin extracted from Spirulina platensis. Phycocyanin added
diet also significantly increased the total pigments in guppy tissue and enhanced the
skin colour. Also, protease activity and digestive enzymes in the treatment fish were
significantly higher (p < 0.05).
Gora et al. (2019) in their studies on Asian seabass Lates calcarifer larvae fed
dietary supplementation showed that cannibalism (%) was significantly reduced in
the treatments fed phycocyanin (8.57 ± 0.3) pigmented diets compared to the control
group. Bacterial challenge with pathogenic Vibrio alginolyticus revealed the highest