Algae for Aquaculture: Recent Technological Applications

Algae are essential in aquatic ecosystems as they form the base of food webs, providing bioactive compounds that sustain and improve the growth of commercially important aquatic animals. However, it is critical to provide the required quality and quantity of specific algae strains for each aquatic animal throughout their life cycles on a commercial scale. In sustainable aquaculture, algae, including microalgae and seaweed, could be introduced to aquaculture animals in different forms, such as live, dried, liquid extract, and nanoparticle forms. These forms enhance the benefits of algae bioactive compounds for aquatic animals. The world requires cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and feasible technologies for large-scale production of aquaculture organisms. The integration of algae and animals in sustainable aquaculture offers an intelligent solution to the challenges faced in monoaquaculture. This chapter focuses on different algal forms in aquaculture, including live feeds, biomass concentrates, water conditioners using the “green water technique,” aqua-feed additives, co-culturing technologies, and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) to encourage the development of low-cost, highly efficient, and sustainable aquaculture projects in the future. Overall, understanding the role of microalgae in sustainable aquaculture is crucial for improving the growth and health of aquatic animals and for maintaining the ecological balance of aquatic ecosystems.