Effect of periodic light intensity change on the molting frequency and growth of Litopenaeus vannamei

Abstract

Five light intensity treatments (60lx, “CL”; 600lx changed to 60lx, “FL1”; 1500lx changed to 60lx, “FL2”; 3000lx changed to 60lx, “FL3”; 6000lx changed to 60lx, “FL4”) were tested to determine the growth of Litopenaeus vannamei under periodic light intensity change conditions. After 45-day experiment, shrimp in FL2 treatment showed the best weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGRd), which might have been caused by high food conversion efficiency (FCEd), lowest energy allocation for respiration and excretion, and highest energy allocation for growth. The molting frequency in FL4 treatment was the lowest and significantly lower than those in other treatments, but the growth was not the worst. These results suggest that periodic light intensity fluctuation from 1500lx to 60lx could promote growth of L. vannamei which could be used as a pattern of regulation of light intensity in the commercial shrimp culture.