Effects of feed attractants on feeding, growth and digestive health of mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi)

With the intensification of aquaculture practices, the production of feed‐reared Siniperca chuatsi has risen. However, the use of artificial feed often leads to problems such as poor appetite and feed regurgitation, which reduce feed efficiency and disease resistance. To identify novel appetite stimulants as potential replacements for DMPT and establish their optimal dietary levels, this study evaluated allicin, ferulic, and shrimp paste. Through preliminary experiments, the optimal inclusion levels were determined as 0.4%, 1.5%, and 4% respectively. A total of 225 S. chuatsi (50 ± 11.91) g were randomly allocated into five groups and fed over a 9‐week period with the following diets: a basal diet (control), and basal diets supplemented with 0.07% DMPT, 0.4% allicin, 1.5% ferulic, 4% shrimp paste.The results indicated that, compared with the control group, the ferulic group showed significant improvements in specific growth rate (SGR), satiety intake, total bile acid (TBA), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), antioxidant enzyme activities (T‐SOD, CAT, GSH‐Px), expression of appetite‐promoting genes (npy, agrp), and intestinal health (P < 0.05). In contrast, feed conversion ratio (FCR), mesenteric fat index (MFI), liver injury markers (ALT, AST, MDA), and expression of appetite‐suppressing genes (pomc, cart) were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). The allicin and shrimp paste groups also exhibited increased hepatosomatic index (HIS), satiety intake, and npy and agrp mRNA expression (P < 0.05), along with decreased FCR, AST, MDA, and pomc expression (P < 0.05).When compared to the DMPT group, the ferulic group displayed significantly higher SGR, satiety intake, TBA, AKP, CAT, GSH‐PX activity, npy and agrp expression, and intestinal health scores (P < 0.05), along with lower triglycerides (TG), AST activity, and pomc and cart expression (P < 0.05). The allicin group showed increased HIS, GSH‐PX activity, and npy and agrp expression (P < 0.05), but reduced liver lipid droplet area and pomc , cart expression (P < 0.05). The shrimp paste group had higher HIS, TBA, and lipase (LPS) activity, along with reduced agrp expression (P < 0.05).In summary, dietary supplementation with 1.5% ferulic significantly enhanced growth performance, maintained liver and intestinal health, improved antioxidant capacity, and stimulated appetite in S. chuatsi. These findings support the use of ferulic as an effective alternative to DMPT in S. chuatsi feed. This study provides a theoretical basis for the selection of appetite stimulant types and dosage, and offers valuable reference for optimizing the addition of appetite stimulants in feed-based black bass aquaculture.