Functional Aquafeeds for Climate-Resilient Finfish Culture: A PRISMA-Guided Systematic Evidence Map of Nutritional Strategies for Thermal-Stress Tolerance, Immunity and Metabolic Homeostasis
Abstract
Simple Summary Farmed fish are increasingly exposed to stressful water temperatures as climate patterns become less predictable. Nutrition offers a practical way to help fish cope with these conditions because some feed ingredients can strengthen natural defense systems, protect the intestine and support recovery after heat or cold exposure. This systematic review organized feeding-trial evidence on functional aquafeeds tested in finfish under temperature-related challenges. The reviewed studies indicate that ingredients such as sodium butyrate, selenium sources, astaxanthin, probiotics, plant extracts, essential oils and algae-based products may be useful when they improve several biological responses together rather than one marker alone. The most relevant effects involved better antioxidant protection, immune balance, intestinal condition, stress regulation, energy use and survival. The systematic review also shows that the evidence is still uneven among species and study designs. More standardized trials are needed, especially in marine fish and recovery or disease-challenge models, to support climate-ready aquafeed development.