SURVIVAL, METAMORPHOSIS AND GROWTH OF PENAEID SHRIMP LARVAE REARED ON A VARIETY OF ALGAL AND ANIMAL FOODS

Abstract

ABSTRACTExperiments conducted with Penaeus aztecus, P. setiferus and P. vannamei compared survival, metamorphosis and dry weight growth of larvae fed a variety of algal and animal food regimes. The major objectives were: (a) comparison of the nematode Panagrellus redivivus and the brine shrimp Artemia as animal food sources and (b) comparison of effects of feeding diatoms (Skeletonema costatum and Chaetoceros gracilis) vs phytoflagellates (Isochrysis sp. and Tetraselmis chuii) with nematodes or brine shrimp nauplii added to the diet starting at the protozoea‐two or mysis‐one substage.Specific feeding regimes were identified for each shrimp species tested which would allow for total or partial replacement of Artemia as the animal food source, without reducing production results. However, Panagrellus redivivus was found to be less versatile than Artemia nauplii in terms of overall nutritional value to the shrimp larvae. The superiority of using two diatom species vs two phytoflagellate species as an algal food source for penaeid shrimp larvae demonstrated in earlier experiments was confirmed.The results strongly suggest that evaluation of rearing regimes used for production of penaeid postlarvae should include growth in terms of dry weight, as well as survival and rate of metamorphosis.