Effect of arachidonic acid supplementation on reproductive performance of tank-domesticated Penaeus monodon

Abstract

The reproductive performance of domesticated Penaeus monodon was assessed when fed on two experimental semi-moist maturation diets varying in their arachidonic acid content for 21 days before ablation and throughout a 17-day reproductive assessment. The biochemical composition of the two semi-moist two diets was similar with the exception of arachidonic acid (ARA) content; the basal diet (BAS) consisting of 0.9 g kg−1 DM ARA (1.1% of total fatty acids) and the supplemented diet (ARA-SUP) consisting of 5.0 g kg−1 DM ARA (5.8% of total fatty acids). ARA/EPA and ARA/DPA ratios were 0.1 in the BAS diet and 0.5 in the ARA-SUP diet. Fatty acid composition of the spawned eggs was comparable between diets with the exception of ARA concentration, which was higher in the ARA-SUP (8.95 ± 0.44 g kg−1 DM) than the BAS (3.23 ± 0.17 g kg−1 DM) (P < 0.0001). The cumulative percentage of females spawning (mean ± SE after 17 days) (31.9 ± 7.0%; 24.1 ± 1.3%), number of spawnings per female (0.48 ± 0.1; 0.29 ± 0.02), and eggs per female (62 520 ± 16 935; 44 521 ± 9914) was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher for the ARA-SUP than the BAS. Results of this study suggest that arachidonic acid plays a key role in promoting egg development and spawning in P. monodon.