Early feeding of flatfish on microfeeds: improved performance, survival and quality of larvae and juveniles

FlatFIRST

Project Summary

This project focuses on improving how young flatfish are fed during their earliest life stages, including Senegalese sole, turbot and Atlantic halibut. Early feeding is a critical phase in fish development and plays a key role in their growth, health and survival.

By studying and refining the characteristics of specialised early-life feeds and feeding practices, the project aims to support a smoother transition from live food to formulated diets. This will help young fish develop more robustly, improve their overall quality and reduce losses during sensitive developmental stages. In the long term, the project contributes to more sustainable and efficient aquaculture practices, supporting the production of healthier flatfish while reducing the reliance on complex and costly live feeding systems.

Ficha de Operacao_Partner CCMAR

Early feeding of flatfish on microfeeds: improved performance, survival and quality of larvae and juveniles

Start and End Date

01.05.2024 - 30.04.2027

Research Group

Aquaculture Research Group

Coordinating Entity

SPAROS

CCMAR Coordinators

Sofia Engrola

Project reference

COMPETE2030-FEDER-01171000 (E!4876)

Total Budget

1084780.32 €

CCMAR Budget

187281.62€

Project Activities

BTC25_Sharif et al EAS25_Barruncho et al

ENAQUA25_Barruncho et al ENAQUA25_Garcia et al

AQUA_APEZ25_Barruncho et al AQUA_APEZ25_Engrola et al

Publications

Communications in scientific meetings - Oral communications

Sharif, A., Barruncho, R., Teodósio, R., Colen, R., Pinto, W., Santos, A., Castro, C., Serradeiro, R., L.E.C. Conceição, Engrola, S. 2025. Tailoring peptide size to enhance growth and physiological performance in sole larvae. National Aquaculture Meeting CIMAR LA – ENAQUA, November 27th-28th, Faro, Portugal.
Conceição, L.E.C., Pinto W., Gonçalves, A.T., Costas, B., Engrola, S. 2025. Functional microfeeds for early stages of fish and shrimp. XVII Simposio Internacional en Nutrición Acuícola, November 19th-21st, Ciudad de la Paz, Mexico (Online).
Engrola, S., Teodósio, R., Sharif, A., Colen, R., Barruncho, R., Pinto, W., Castro, C., Serradeiro, R., Vázquez, J.A., Conceição, L.E.C. 2025. Optimising larval nutrition in flatfish using protein hydrolysates: growth and redox effects. Aquaculture Europe 2025, September 22nd-25th, Valencia, Spain.
Pinto, W., Santos, A., Morais, M., Soares, F., Colen, R., Teodósio, R., Engrola, S., Conceição, L.E.C. 2025. Tailoring diets for the early stages of flatfish: reviewing latest findings on sole and turbot larvae nutrition Aquaculture Europe 2025, September 22nd-25th, Valencia, Spain.

Communications in scientific meetings - Posters in conferences

Barruncho, R., Sharif, A., Teodósio, R., Colen, R., Pinto, W., Santos, A., Castro, C., Serradeiro, R., Conceição, L.E.C., Engrola, S. 2025. Effects of protein hydrolysates on microdiet optimisation for turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) larvae. National Aquaculture Meeting CIMAR LA – ENAQUA, November 27th-28th, Faro, Portugal.
Garcia, T., Sharif, A., Colen, R., Pinto, W., Santos, A., Castro, C., Serradeiro, R., Conceição, L.E.C., Engrola, S. 2025. Optimising co-feeding protocols for Senegalese sole larvae: impacts of Artemia reduction on growth performance. National Aquaculture Meeting CIMAR LA – ENAQUA, November 27th-28th, Faro, Portugal.
Barruncho, R., Sharif, A., Teodósio, R., Colen, R., Pinto, W., Castro, C., Serradeiro, R., Vázquez, J.A., Conceição, L.E.C., Engrola, S. 2025. Molecular weight of dietary protein hydrolysates impact sole metamorphosis and thermal challenge. Aquaculture Europe 2025, September 22nd-25th, Valencia, Spain.
Sharif, A., Barruncho, R., Teodósio, R., Colen, R., Pinto, W., Castro, C., Serradeiro, R., Conceição, L., Engrola, S. 2025. Nutritional modulation from first feeding in Solea senegalensis larvae. Blue Think Conference 2025, September 10th, Oporto, Portugal.
Barruncho, R., Sharif, A., Teodósio, R., Colen, R., Pinto, W., Castro, C., Serradeiro, R., Conceição, L.E.C., Engrola, S. 2025. Otimização da qualidade larvar em linguado senegalês através da inclusão de hidrolisados proteicos em microdietas. AQUA’25: IV Jornadas de Aquacultura, March 20th-21st, Olhão, Portugal.
Engrola, S., Teodósio, R., Sharif, A., Colen, R., Barruncho, R., Pinto, W., Castro, C., Serradeiro, R., Conceição, L.E.C. 2025. Influência de hidrolisados proteicos no desenvolvimento larvar de peixes planos. AQUA’25: IV Jornadas de Aquacultura, March 20th-21st, Olhão, Portugal.

Papers and Abstracts in conference proceedings

Barruncho, R., Sharif, A., Teodósio, R., Colen, R., Pinto, W., Santos, A., Castro, C., Serradeiro, R., Conceição, L.E.C., Engrola, S. 2025. Effects of protein hydrolysates on microdiet optimisation for turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) larvae. National Aquaculture Meeting CIMAR LA – ENAQUA, November 27th-28th, Faro, Portugal. Book of Abstracts ENAQUA 25, Engrola, S., Teodósio, R., Aragão, C. (Eds.), Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve (CCMAR), p. 109. ISBN: 978-989-33-8817-4
Garcia, T., Sharif, A., Colen, R., Pinto, W., Santos, A., Castro, C., Serradeiro, R., Conceição, L.E.C., Engrola, S. 2025. Optimising co-feeding protocols for Senegalese sole larvae: impacts of Artemia reduction on growth performance. National Aquaculture Meeting CIMAR LA – ENAQUA, November 27th-28th, Faro, Portugal. Book of Abstracts ENAQUA 25, Engrola, S., Teodósio, R., Aragão, C. (Eds.), Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve (CCMAR), p. 109. ISBN: 978-989-33-8817-4
Sharif, A., Barruncho, R., Teodósio, R., Colen, R., Pinto, W., Santos, A., Castro, C., Serradeiro, R., L.E.C. Conceição, Engrola, S. 2025. Tailoring peptide size to enhance growth and physiological performance in sole larvae. National Aquaculture Meeting CIMAR LA – ENAQUA, November 27th-28th, Faro, Portugal. Book of Abstracts ENAQUA 25, Engrola, S., Teodósio, R., Aragão, C. (Eds.), Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve (CCMAR), p. 109. ISBN: 978-989-33-8817-4

MSc Thesis

Barruncho, R., 2025. Boosting Senegalese sole larvae quality through the inclusion of protein hydrolysates in microdiets. Master’s thesis (MSc in Aquaculture and Fisheries). Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.