Evaluation of growth, survival and body composition of larval white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) fed the combination of three types of algae

Abstract

The larvae of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei are fed, from the stage of protozoea I until to protozoea III (PZ III), with microalgae. The survival rate, duration of the terms of ZI–ZIII and total length of protozoea larvae (PZ) of L. vannamei were survived. The shrimp larvae fed with the six treatments of microalgae (Chaetoceros muelleri, Isochrysis galbana, Tetraselmis tetrathele, C. muelleri : I. galbana, C. muelleri: T. tetrathele and I. galbana: T. tetratheie). The biochemical composition (protein, carbohydrate, lipid and energy) of the algae and the larvae fed those algae were also measured. The largest sizes were recorded for larvae fed with the mixture C. muelleri and I. galbana (4.35 mm) and smaller sizes were observed on larvae fed with I. galbana (3.04 mm) (P < 0.05). The larvae fed with mixture T. tetrathele and C. muelleri (88.42 %) and I. galbana and T. tetrathele (84.50 %) had the highest survival in experimental treatments. The lowest time for development was observed in larvae fed with mixture of T. tetrathele and C. muelleri (92.6 h). The larvae fed with mixture I. galbana and T. tetrathele had the highest protein and carbohydrate levels as compared with other treatments. Also highest lipid level and gross energy were shown in larvae fed with mixture C. muelleri and I. galbana (P < 0.05). The results showed that L. vannamei larvae fed with C. muelleri and the mixed diets containing this species (C. muelleri + Isochrysis sp., C. muelleri + Tetraselmis sp.) had the highest growth and survival among treatments.