Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42289477›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2026

Replacing fish oil with Tetraselmis chui microalgae biomass does not compromise rainbow trout health: Biochemical, histologic, antioxidant and immune gene expression.

Stanley Iheanacho, Anna Simon, Jonas Mueller, Sebastian Lippemer, Alexander Rebl, Mario Hasler, Carsten Schulz

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Stanley IheanachoDept. Marine Aquaculture, Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Olshausenstraße 40, 24098, Kiel, Germany. iheanacho.stanley@yahoo.com.
Anna SimonDept. Marine Aquaculture, Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Olshausenstraße 40, 24098, Kiel, Germany.
Jonas MuellerDept. Marine Aquaculture, Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Olshausenstraße 40, 24098, Kiel, Germany.
Sebastian LippemerBlue BioTech GmbH, Hafentörn 3, 25761, Büsum, Germany.
Alexander ReblResearch Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany.
Mario HaslerLehrfach Variationsstatistik, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Olshausenstraße 40, 24098, Kiel, Germany.
Carsten SchulzDept. Marine Aquaculture, Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Olshausenstraße 40, 24098, Kiel, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Microalgae offer a nutritionally robust alternative to fishmeal and fish oil, helping reduce pressure on wild stocks and supporting more sustainable aquafeed production. This study explored the potential of replacing fish oil with Tetraselmis (Tetraselmis chui) microalgae biomass in the diet of juvenile rainbow trout (89.0 ± 1.10 g) (Oncorhynchus mykiss), assessing its effects on the fish's health. A control diet containing 53% crude protein and fish oil (FO) was modified by replacing FO with Tetraselmis at three graded inclusion levels: 33% (Tetra33), 66% (Tetra66), and 100% (Tetra100). The 84-day feeding trial evaluated key growth parameters, biochemistry, liver and intestinal histo-architectures, and immune-antioxidant gene expression profiles of the experimental fish. Time-series analyses of growth performance revealed no significant treatment effects from day 14 to day 70, except at the 84-day biomass sampling. The FO (7321.65 ± 60.03g) attained a significantly greater final weight (FW) than Tetra33 (6984.70 ± 86.15g) and Tetra100 (6823.93 ± 160.42g), while remaining statistically similar to Tetra66 (7051.77 ± 107.30g). Likewise, weight gain (WG) of the FO group (5519.65 ± 57.16g) exceeded that of the Tetra100 group (5043.93 ± 142.09g) but did not differ significantly from the Tetra33 (5220.70 ± 73.95g) and Tetra66 (5281.77 ± 110.86g). The feed conversion ratios (FCRs) and specific growth rates (SGRs) of the Tetra groups were comparable to the FO control. Dietary variation did not elicit significant changes in leukocyte distribution, biochemical indices, or gene expression patterns across Tetra groups relative to the FO. Similarly, the histological analysis revealed that Tetraselmis dietary inclusions did not trigger inflammatory reactions in hepatic or intestinal tissues in the Tetra groups compared to the FO. Minor but inconsequential histological modifications were noted, such as moderated sinusoid dilation in the liver and slight changes in intestinal villi of Tetra33 fish. Health biomarker analyses indicated that replacing fish oil with Tetraselmis preserved physiological homeostasis, whereas 66% replacement (Tetra66) yielded the best growth performance compared to FO. However, longer feeding trials are necessary to confirm long-term health and nutritional outcomes.

Indexed as

AntioxidantsFish OilsMicroalgaeOncorhynchus mykissAnimal FeedAnimalsBiomassDietGene ExpressionGene Expression RegulationLiverAntioxidantsFish OilsBlood markersFish oilMicroalgae (Tetraselmis Chui)Oncorhynchus mykissPhysiologySustainable aquafeed

Identifiers

PMID42289477
PMCPMC13265757

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.