Effects of Salinity and Dietary Protein Contents on Growth Performance and Body Composition of Indian White Shrimp (Fenneropenaeus indicus)

Abstract

The effects of salinity and nutritional status on the growth performance as well as body composition of the Indian white shrimp (Fenneropenaeus indicus) were investigated. Juveniles of shrimp (35 days old; 0.25 g mean weight) were exposed to salinities of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 g L-1 (experiment І). Results showed that salinity affected the growth and survival of juvenile F. indicus significantly (P<0.05). The highest weight gain, final weight and carapace length gain and lower FCR were observed at 20 g L-1 of salinity and the highest food intake, SGR and survival were determined at 30 g L-1 of salinity. A 3×3 factorial experiment containing three levels of dietary protein (35, 40 and 45%) and three levels of salinity (25, 35 and 45 g L-1) was performed for 60 days to determine the response of shrimp (mean weight of 3.21±0.12 g) to different dietary proteins under different salinity conditions (experiment П). Results revealed that growth performance was improved due to increase in protein and decrease in salinity. At 45% of dietary protein and salinity of 25 g L-1, the highest weight gain, SGR and better FCR were determined. The proximate analysis of shrimp carcass showed no appreciable difference between the treatments.