This study evaluated the nutritional quality of Hediste diversicolor cultivated using waste from beluga sturgeon ( Huso huso ) aquaculture. Over a 60-day trial, polychaetes were reared at four stocking densities (1000–7500 individuals per square meter (ind./m²)) and fed either commercial sturgeon feed or processed farming waste. Results demonstrated that sturgeon waste effectively supported polychaete culture, with survival rates ranging from 53% to 80%. However, worms fed commercial feed exhibited superior growth, yielding over three times greater biomass than waste-fed groups. Nutritional composition was significantly affected by both diet and density. Worms fed commercial feed at an intermediate density (2500 ind./m²) achieved the highest protein content (9.23%) and most beneficial fatty acid profile, characterized by a high PUFA content (46.85%) and n-3/n-6 ratio (0.39). While waste-fed worms showed reduced nutritional quality, an intermediate density of 2500 ind./m² also optimized their composition. A comparative analysis confirmed the commercial feed was richer in protein and essential fatty acids (EPA + DHA) than the processed waste. The study confirms the viability of using sturgeon waste to produce polychaete biomass for aquaculture. However, nutritional trade-offs suggest supplemental feeding may be required to achieve premium quality for aquaculture feed, providing critical benchmarks for implementing circular economy principles in aquaculture systems.
Pajand et al. (Mon,) studied this question.