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BSF larvae in fish feed: Benefits for aquaculture
Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae are increasingly used as a sustainable protein source in fish feed at fish farms, offering a viable alternative to traditional fishmeal. Several fish species have shown positive responses to BSF-based diets, supported by scientific studies.
01 · Fish species
Fish species benefiting from BSF-based fish feed:
Tilapia: Studies have demonstrated that tilapia fed with BSF larvae fish feed exhibit improved growth rates, feed efficiency, and protein utilization compared to traditional feeds.
Rainbow Trout: Research indicates that BSF larvae can partially or fully replace fishmeal in rainbow trout diets without compromising growth or nutritional quality.
Salmon: BSF larvae have been successfully incorporated into salmon feed, showing potential for sustainable aquaculture practices.
Catfish: Both African and channel catfish have shown positive growth responses and enhanced immunity when fed BSF-based diets.
Carp: Common carp and other carp species have benefited from BSF larvae fish feed, with studies reporting improved growth and feed conversion ratios.
02 · Studies
Relevant studies:
Tilapia: A study from 2022 by Arshad et al. in Veterinary World found that incorporating BSFL into commercial diets for red hybrid tilapia fingerlings increased crude protein and fat content.
Rainbow Trout: A 2021 study by Ozturk et al. in Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences investigated the effects of BSF larvae on rainbow trout growth, health and fillet quality.
Salmon: A 2023 study by Biancarosa et al. in Frontiers in Aquaculture found that including up to 10% BSFL meal in Atlantic salmon diets did not significantly affect growth, welfare, or survival, but showed positive effects on skin mucosal, hematological and gene expression profiles.
Catfish: A 2024 study by Yildirim-Aksoy et al. in Frontiers in Physiology found that including BSF larvae frass in channel catfish diets altered global gene expression and activated innate and adaptive immunity.
Carp: A study by Ozturk et al. (2022) showed that replacing up to 65% of fishmeal with BSFL meal in common carp diets improved growth performance and feed utilization.
03 · Insect Farm Hub
Learn more about BSF farming in the Insect Farm Hub!
Manna Insect has launched a comprehensive insect farming platform designed for learning, managing, monitoring and networking. There are tons of free content about insect farming, as well as a lot of paid premium content, that dives even deeper in black soldier fly business.
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Cover image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay.
Keep exploring
Related topics and pages
- BSF in aquaculture: A sustainable protein source — five factors that advocate BSF larvae as an aquafeed protein source
- Interested in using insects for aquafeed? — published research on insects, especially BSF, in fish and shrimp feed
- Typical nutritional values of black soldier fly larvae — the protein, fat and mineral profile of BSFL as a feed ingredient
Read next
- BSF in aquaculture: A sustainable protein source — the broader aquaculture case for BSF larvae as a feed protein source
- Interested in using insects for aquafeed? — the research link package on insects in fish and shrimp feed
- Black soldier fly larvae as feed for various species — how BSFL fits the diets of various species, live or dried
- Efficient drying of black soldier fly larvae for post-processing — how the larvae are dried before they reach feed applications
Next step
Ask us about BSF in your feed
Questions on BSF-based diets, substrate or production set-up are the fastest way for Manna to help you plan an aquaculture or animal feed route.