Abstract
The domestication of fish is a key step in aquaculture, shaping traits required for adaptation to captive rearing conditions. Previous studies suggested that domesticated Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) larvae perform well on formulated feeds, whereas wild-origin larvae exhibit greater dietary flexibility. We hypothesized that larvae originating from wild broodstock would better cope with alternative protein sources than larvae from domesticated broodstock. To test this, we compared the zootechnical performance, digestive enzyme activity, and digestive gene expression of wild- and domesticated-origin larvae fed diets containing soybean meal, poultry meal, or their combination, using a commercial high-fishmeal diet as the control. Wild-origin larvae generally performed better on alternative protein diets, whereas domesticated-origin larvae achieved the best growth on the control diet, indicating a diet-dependent performance trade-off rather than an overall advantage of either group. These findings should be interpreted with caution because the wild and domesticated broodstocks originated from different geographic populations and did not share a common ancestral background. Nevertheless, the observed differences are consistent with the hypothesis that broodstock history and previous nutritional experience may influence the dietary adaptability of offspring. Our results suggest that maintaining traits associated with dietary flexibility may facilitate the transition toward more sustainable aquafeeds and should be considered when developing future breeding and domestication strategies for Eurasian perch.
Acknowledgements
Authors would like to express special gratitude to Valperca SA company for the opportunity to obtain eggs from domesticated Eurasian perch and for the invaluable and productive collaboration.
Funding
This research received funding from the statutory funds of the National Inland Fisheries Research Institute (Olsztyn, Poland; grant no. Z-008).
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The authors declare no competing interests.
Ethics approval
All experimental procedures involving animals were reviewed and approved by the Local Ethics Committee for Animal Experimentation (approval no. 5/2023). The approved protocol explicitly covered all stages of the study, including the acquisition of wild spawners from commercial fishermen, their transport, holding, hormonal stimulation, artificial reproduction, larval rearing, sampling, and euthanasia. Wild Eurasian perch spawners were obtained from licensed professional fishermen conducting routine commercial catches in the Vistula Lagoon. Fish were alive at the time of acquisition and were not captured specifically for experimental purposes. Their handling, transport, and subsequent use in controlled reproduction were conducted strictly in accordance with the approved protocol and in compliance with applicable national and institutional regulations governing animal welfare. All efforts were made to minimize animal stress and suffering throughout the study.
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Palińska-Żarska, K., Niewiadomski, P., Król, J. et al. Dietary flexibility differs between wild- and domesticated-origin Eurasian perch larvae from contrasting broodstock histories: implications for aquaculture of emerging species.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-73177-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-73177-4
Keywords
Perca fluviatilis
- Larviculture
- Domestication
- Dietary flexibility
- Aquaculture sustainability
Source: Ecology - nature.com
