Fermented Copra Meal as Replacement for Dietary Fish Meal Protein in Grow-Out Culture of Black Tiger Shrimp, Penaeus monodon Juveniles

Abstract

Feeding trials were conducted to assess the effects of diets containing fermented copra (FCM) as an alternative to fish meal (FM) on growth, survival, and feed efficiency, in Black Tiger Shrimp, Penaeus monodon. A diet was formulated where 40% of the FM protein was replaced by FCM protein, and compared with a commercial shrimp diet. The feeding experiments were carried out using 10-ton capacity circular outdoor tanks. Three hundred and fifty (350) shrimp were stocked in each tank at a density of 35 shrimp per m3. They were fed the diets at a rate which decreased from 15% down to 4% of average body weight (ABW) per day. The results demonstrated that growth, survival, and feed performance, in P. monodon in outdoor tanks were not affected by replacing 40% of the dietary FM with FCM protein. Furthermore, no difference was found in proximate composition of the shrimp carcass fed the commercial and experimental diets. Although protein efficiency ratio (PER) of the commercial and FCM-based diets were similar, protein productive value (PPV) was significantly higher in the FCM than the commercial diet. Hence, we concluded that FCM is a promising alternative protein source for Black Tiger shrimp and can replace 40% of the fish meal protein without adversely affecting growth, survival, and feed efficiency.