Nutritional Fish Diseases in Aquaculture: A Human Health Hazard or Mythical Theory: An Overview
Authors: Syanya Fredrick Juma , Litabas Joel Anyula , Mathia Wilson Munala , Ntakirutimana Remy 
Published: July 2023

To consume or not to consume farmed fish diagnosed with nutritional disorders within an aquaculture culture system is a question that resonates with fisheries and aquaculture experts worldwide. Proper fish health management in aquaculture should be a critical area of concern for all fish farmers. It has become a fundamental requirement for achieving sustainable aquaculture production. However, many fish farmers, particularly in developing countries lack knowledge about nutritional fish diseases and how to effectively manage them on the farm. Like human health, farmed fish’s health in aquaculture systems should be a daily priority for fish farmers. Nutritional fish diseases are often overlooked by the majority of fish farmers, even at the commercial level. Most Fish farmers may not realize that nutritional disease prevention can be achieved through the use of well-formulated fish feeds that meet all the nutritional requirements for fish growth. Additionally, maintaining good water quality and implementing best management practices are essential to ensure that the fish stock remains healthy in the culture system. Since different fish species have varying nutritional dietary requirements, it is important to formulate the right nutritional diet based on the specific fish species being cultured. Fish feeds should contain the necessary nutrients to ensure opportunistic disease resistance. Furthermore, fish farmers should be familiar with early diagnosis techniques for nutritional fish disease disorders. This ensures that the harvested fish reaching the market does not raise concerns about the quality and safety of farmed fish products. Failure to diagnose nutritional disorders associated with poor feeds and diets can create doubts in the rapidly growing aquaculture industry. Therefore, this review aims to explore the nutritional requirements of farmed fish species, the impact of nutritional deficiencies on human and public health, the causes of nutritional disorders, and viable therapies for managing these diseases in farmed fish. The data for this review article were collected from various secondary sources, including internationally reputable peer-reviewed articles, conference proceedings reports, internet searches, and more. The findings highlight the importance of providing aquaculture farmers with essential information on fish nutrition-related disease control, as nutritional diseases have been found to be detrimental to fish health and public health. Moreover, many farmed fish affected by nutritional disorders have entered the global fish market, raising questions about their impact on human health. Therefore, it is crucial for fish farmers to prioritize early diagnosis of nutritional fish diseases to ensure the safety of farmed fish in the market and maintain consumer confidence in farmed fish globally. The study recommends further research into the potentially lethal effects of different nutritional fish diseases, particularly when consumed in large quantities and to the environment especially when dead fish is discarded in the backwaters of an aquatic ecosystem.