A re-evaluation of the lecitihin and cholesterol requirements of juvenile lobster ( Homarus americanus) using crab protein-based diets

Abstract

Juvenile lobsters ( Homarus americanus) were fed purified diets containing three levels of refined soy lecithin, 0, 3 and 6%, each tested in combination with four levels of supplemental cholesterol, 0.00, 0.25, 0.50 or 1.00%. All diets contained 50% purified protein derived from cooked, “deshelled”, whole rock crab ( Cancer irroratus). Regardless of the dietary level of lecithin all diets without supplemental cholesterol resulted in total mortality within 14 weeks. There was no significant effect of dietary lecithin on growth or survival at any level of supplemental cholesterol. Implications of these results in light of the previously reported dietary requirement of lobsters for lecithin are discussed.