Development of Formula Foods Designed for Macrobrachium rosenbergii Larval and Juvenile Shrimp1

Abstract

ABSTRACTSeveral types of food (differing in shape, form, type of binder, texture, and attractant quality) were developed and evaluated during a series of ingestion and growth studies using larval and juvenile stages of Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The specific food requirements, in terms of physical characteristics, for each growth stage were emphasized.Calculating an energy budget, a caloric comparison was made of the ability of various foods at various concentrations to sustain larval growth. Among six formula diets prepared in three different forms, stage 7–8 Macrobrachium rosenbergii larvae incorporated relatively higher amounts of freeze‐dried diet having 15% Artemia salina meat added.Of the various larval foods evaluated in a growth study, larvae grown on 5.5 mm Artemia salina and freeze dried catfish reached stage 8 significantly faster than groups of larvae fed other diets. Larvae reared on a formula freeze‐dried diet developed to stage 8 more rapidly than animals fed other forms of formula food.Macrobrachium rosenbergii juveiled fed a soybean meal diet bound with 5% collagen did not gain in weight, while animals fed the same diet with long chain amylose starch binder had a 1158% increase in weight. Soybean meal diets bound with cornstarch and agar also had relatively lower weight gains than animals ged diets bound with long chain amylose starch. Shrimp fed diets with freeze‐dried A. salina added had significantly higher weight gains than controls.