Effect of dietary oxidized fish oil on growth performance, physiological homeostasis and intestinal microbiome in hybrid grouper (♀ Epi-nephelus fuscoguttatus × ♂ Epinephelus lanceolatus)

Oxidized fish oil, as a harmful ingredient in feed, has a negative impact on aquatic animals. But the effect of oxidized fish oil on hybrid grouper (♀ Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × ♂ Epinephelus lanceolatus), especially the intestinal flora, is not yet understood. In the current study, a 65-day raising experiment with diets containing 0 g/kg, 30 g/kg, 60 g/kg, and 90 g/kg oxidized fish oil was performed (called as R, L, M and H group respectively) to investigate the effects of oxidized fish oil on growth performance, whole body composition, serum biochemical index, intestinal digestive enzyme activities and microbiome composition in juvenile hybrid grouper. Oxidized fish oil inhibited growth performance of pearl gentian grouper. The Moisture, crude protein, and ash content in whole body increased as increasing dietary oxidized fish oil content. The vitamin E content and antioxidant enzyme activity in serum including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were significantly increased as the oxidized fish oil in the diet increased, but malondialdehyde (MDA) content in serum was significantly decreased. Meanwhile, the D-Lactate (D-LA) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) content in serum was promoted by oxidized fish oil, but interleukin-6 (IL-6) content was suppressed. Moreover, the intestinal digestive enzyme activities were promoted by oxidized fish oil. The oxidized fish oil reduced alpha diversity of intestinal bacteria. At the same time, oxidized fish oil changed the structure of grouper intestinal flora according to beta diversity and line discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size. In conclusion, oxidized fish oil inhibited growth performance, changed the composition of the body and caused oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, but it promoted the secretion of digestive enzymes in the intestine. More importantly, oxidized fish oil reduced the diversity of intestinal flora and changed the structure of intestinal flora.