Tilapia

Environmental enrichment increases aquatic animal welfare: A systematic review and meta-analysis

With the rapid development of aquaculture and the gradual decrease in fishery resources, aquatic animal welfare (AAW) has received increasing attention from animal protection organisations, government departments, biologists, fish culturists and consumers. Although environmental enrichment (EE) can potentially benefit AAW,...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Zhang, Z., Gao, L., Zhang, X. 2022. Environmental enrichment increases aquatic animal welfare: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Reviews in Aquaculture 14(3), 1120–1135.

Pre-slaughter transport density and seasonal effects on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): Welfare and filet quality outcomes

This study evaluated the effects of pre-slaughter transport density on physiological welfare indicators and fillet quality of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) during summer and winter. The experiment followed a completely randomized 3 × 2 factorial design, with three transport densities...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Fish, Tilapia

Citation: Terto, D. K., Bridi, A. M., Carvalho, R. H. de et al. 2026. Pre-slaughter transport density and seasonal effects on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): Welfare and filet quality outcomes. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 13.

EPI-DOM framework for fish welfare assessment: External and internal indicators for tilapia in aquaculture

Introduction: The EPI-DOM framework proposes an applied epidemiological approach to evaluate and manage tilapia welfare in laboratory and production systems, integrating animal-based indicators with risk factors organized into operational domains (management, environment, interaction). Methods: An integrative review (2000–2025) was conducted...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Tilapia

Citation: Martínez-Yáñez, R. 2026. EPI-DOM framework for fish welfare assessment: External and internal indicators for tilapia in aquaculture. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 13.

Simple life, simple minds? How habitat simplification in aquatic ecosystems shape fish cognition

This narrative review synthesises current knowledge on the effects of habitat complexity, defined as the variation in physical structures within ecosystems, on fish cognition, brain morphology, and personality. Globally, habitat complexity is declining through a process known as habitat simplification,...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Natural Behavior, PersonalityAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Shark & Ray, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Klinke, A., Brown, C. 2026. Simple life, simple minds? How habitat simplification in aquatic ecosystems shape fish cognition. Animal Cognition 29(1), 23.

Fish welfare in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS): The imperative for environmental enrichment (EE)

Aquaculture has become the fastest-growing food production sector worldwide, recently surpassing wild-capture fisheries in total output. This rapid expansion underscores the need to ensure sustainability through robust animal welfare standards. Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) are increasingly adopted due to their...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Fruscella, L., Passantino, A., Kotzen, B. 2026. Fish welfare in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS): The imperative for environmental enrichment (EE). Animals 16(4).

Tilapia on-farm welfare assessment protocol for semi-intensive production systems

The aim of this study was to develop and test a tilapia on-farm welfare assessment protocol, based on Brazilian semi-intensive production systems. The study included two mains steps: the elaboration of tilapia welfare protocol and its on-field feasibility test. The...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Euthanasia, Husbandry & Management, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Tilapia

Citation: Pedrazzani, A. S., Quintiliano, M. H., Bolfe, F. et al. 2020. Tilapia on-farm welfare assessment protocol for semi-intensive production systems. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 606388.

Respirometer in a box: Development and use of a portable field respirometer for estimating oxygen consumption of large‐bodied fishes

Respirometry has become the standard method for measuring the metabolic rate of fishes. Traditionally, respirometry has required the fish to be kept in captivity and tested under controlled conditions; however, many species do not readily adapt to captivity, and stress...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Byrnes, E. E., Lear, K. O., Morgan, D. L. et al. 2020. Respirometer in a box: Development and use of a portable field respirometer for estimating oxygen consumption of large‐bodied fishes. Journal of Fish Biology 96(4), 1045-1050.

Best practices for non-lethal blood sampling of fish via the caudal vasculature

Blood sampling through the caudal vasculature is a widely used technique in fish biology for investigating organismal health and physiology. In live fishes, it can provide a quick, easy and relatively non‐invasive method for obtaining a blood sample (cf ....

Year Published: 2020Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Lawrence, M. J., Raby, G. D., Teffer, A. K. et al. 2020. Best practices for non-lethal blood sampling of fish via the caudal vasculature. Journal of Fish Biology 97(1), 4–15.

An adaptable, user-friendly score sheet to monitor welfare in experimental fish

Fish are increasingly used as experimental animals across research fields. Currently, around a quarter of all experimental animals used are fish. Less than 20% of these are standard model species. Welfare assessments for experimental fish are in their infancy compared...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Shark & Ray, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Flueck-Giraud, M., Schmidt-Posthaus, H., Bergadano, A. et al. 2025. An adaptable, user-friendly score sheet to monitor welfare in experimental fish. Laboratory Animals 59(2), 226–241.

Shelter or complexity? Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) preference for enrichment structures is a matter of time and frequency of visits

Assessing fish preferences for resources may be an interesting approach to select environmental enrichments to improve their welfare. However, different operational variables may end up indicating distinct preferences. Here we investigated whether Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) express different preferences for...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Tilapia

Citation: Maia, C. M., Montalt, A. V., Arechavala-Lopez, P. et al. 2025. Shelter or complexity? Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) preference for enrichment structures is a matter of time and frequency of visits. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 283, 106498.