EFFECTS OF MODIFIED ZEOLITE (CLINOPTILOLITE) USED AS FEED ADDITIVE ON PRODUCTION PARAMETERS IN SHRIMP AND FISH AQUACULTURE  

Dušan Palić*, Phichanont Chiyansuvata, Nantarika Chansue, Nitiwadee Keschumras, Ahmed El Sebaey, Eman Zahran El Naggar, Marko Vasiljević
 
Chair for Fish Diseases and Fisheries Biology
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich
80539 Munich, Germany
d.palic@lmu.de

Zeolites have been used as animal feed additive to prevent mycotoxin effects in different species, including aquatic animals, as mycotoxin contamination of feed and feed ingredients used in aquaculture is an ongoing global problem. Recently, a novel process of chemical modification of zeolite (clinoptilolite E567/568; Minazel+®) surface with addition of organic cations has been shown to increase selective adsorption of both polar and non-polar mycotoxins in contaminated feed. However, the safety and effects of this new additive on fish and shrimp health and production parameters have not yet been studied. We report the effects of Minazel+ used as feed additive (2 g Kg-1) in commercial diets fed to healthy freshwater fish fingerlings (Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus; and Common carp, Cyprinus carpio), and to healthy pacific white legged shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) for 50-90 days.

The fish were reared in recirculation systems with automated 30% water exchange per day. Two hundred fish of each species were randomly assigned to treatment (with Minazel+®) and experimental (no additive) group. Shrimp (200/group) were housed in two 1,000 liter tanks connected to a large commercial shrimp production recirculation system (Crustanova®). The fish and shrimp were sampled on regular basis to collect biometric parameters (Fig. 1.), perform clinical health and histopathological exam, and total and differential leukocyte counts.

All experimental groups showed significant increase in body weight and decrease in food conversion ratio. Clinical and pathological findings were not significantly different among treatment and control groups. We conclude that addition of 2 g Kg-1 of Minazel+® to commercial fish and shrimp diets increased production parameters in three major aquaculture species without observable side effects.

Figure 1.Effects of Minazel+® additive (2g Kg-1) on body weight on A) Pacific white legged shrimp; and B) Nile tilapia; *denotes significant differences at p<0.05.