Fadli Mulyadi, Rizky Trisna Putri, Septian Maulana Purnama, Supriyadi Supriyadi, Michael Czech, Ahmad Syazni Kamarudin, Fitri Sil Valen, Veryl Hasan, R. Adharyan Islamy
The increasing demand for sustainable aquaculture practices necessitates the development of alternative feed ingredients that are nutritionally adequate, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable. Agricultural weeds—abundant, fast-growing, and often underutilized—have emerged as promising candidates for non-fin fish herbivorous aquaculture. This systematic review investigates ten species of aquatic and semi-aquatic agricultural weeds: Alternanthera philoxeroides, Eichhornia crassipes, Lemna minor, Azolla pinnata, Amaranthus spinosus, Najas graminea, Ipomoea aquatica, Hydrilla verticillata, Salvinia molesta, and Marsilea crenata. The review evaluates their nutritional compositions, bioactive compounds, anti-nutritional factors, and effects on growth performance, feed efficiency, immunity, and survival rates in non-fin fish species. Results indicate that several weeds, notably Azolla pinnata and Amaranthus spinosus, contain high crude protein levels—up to 30 and 28% respectively—alongside essential amino acids, and beneficial vitamins and minerals, making them suitable candidates for partial or full replacement of conventional feed ingredients. While certain species contain anti-nutritional factors such as tannins and oxalates, these can be mitigated through effective pre-processing techniques. Among these, fermentation has proven particularly effective, reducing tannin levels by up to 40%, while also enhancing nutrient bioavailability. The weeds reviewed also demonstrated positive effects on feed conversion ratios (FCR), immune responses, and antioxidant activity, with minimal environmental impact. This review underscores the untapped potential of agricultural weeds in promoting circular economy principles in aquaculture and highlights the need for further species-specific research, digestibility trials, and cost-benefit analyses to support their practical application in feed formulation. © 2025, Egyptian Society for the Development of Fisheries and Human Health. All rights reserved.
Agribusiness (Kediri City Campus), Department of Socio-Economic Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Brawijaya University, Jl. Pringgodani, Mrican, District. Mojoroto, East Java, Kediri City, 64111, Indonesia; Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, State University of Surabaya, Jl. Ketintang No. i8, Ketintang, Gayungan District, East Java, Surabaya, 60231, Indonesia; Fisheries socioeconomics(Kediri City Campus), Department of Socio-Economy Fisheries and Marine, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Brawijaya University, Jl. Pringgodani, Mrican, District. Mojoroto, East Java, Kediri City, 64111, Indonesia; Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, BOKU University, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, Wien, 1180, Austria; School of Animal Science, Aquatic Science and Environment, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Besut Campus, Terengganu, Besut, 22200, Malaysia; Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine, Universitas Bangka Belitung, Jl Kampus Terpadu UBB, Balunijuk, Bangka Belitung, 33127, Indonesia; Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Airlangga University, Jl. Mulyosari, East Java, Surabaya, 60113, Indonesia; Aquaculture (Kedri City Campus), Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources Management, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Brawijaya University, Jl. Pringgodani, Mrican, District. Mojoroto, East Java, Kediri City, 64111, Indonesia
