Herbal Additives as Pigmentation Sources in Aquafeeds: Current Usage and Future Potential in Asian Ornamental Fish Farming

The use of herbal additives as color enhancers in aquafeeds has recently gained attention because of their efficiency and additional benefits, such as feed quality improvement, health benefits, growth promotion, and environmental friendliness. The world is inclined toward natural things with sustainability, and this trend is leading to minimizing the dependency on artificial additives. However, Asian farmers use herbal additives in aquafeeds as a traditional practice because of their high availability, ease of access, and cost-effectiveness. Pigmentation is a crucial parameter that determines the price, especially in ornamental fish. A vast range of herbal additives have been used in fish feed to enhance pigmentation. Microalgae, fruits and their extracts, peels, flowers, and vegetable roots have been widely used to intensify the color of ornamental fish. Common Asian herbal additives have been scientifically proven to be suitable color enhancers. However, it is necessary to carry out further research to clarify the contradictory findings and explore the undiscovered areas. Moreover, the increasing demand for herbal additives for human consumption has limited the use of aquafeed. This chapter intends to identify the present applications, issues, and prospects of herbal additives as pigmentation sources.