The effect of astaxanthin and β carotene inclusion in diets for growth, reproduction and pigmentation of the peppermint shrimp Lysmata wurdemanni

Abstract

The effect of the incorporation of three different concentrations (0.5, 1 and 1.5%) of either astaxanthin (A) or β-carotene (B) was evaluated during the feeding of peppermint shrimp Lysmata wurdemanni post-larvae with six isonitrogenous (34%) and isolipidic (8%) diets. Six treatments: A(0.5), A(1), A(1.5), B(0.5), B(1) and B(1.5), and a control group were evaluate with three replicates and five post-larvae (initial weight 0.03 ± 0.007 g) per replicate. After 105 days of culture, the survival, weight gain, number of molts and gravid female, protein, energy content of fertile eggs and the carotenoid content in cephalothorax and abdomen of the shrimp per treatment group were recorded. The survival of the shrimp was similar in both astaxanthin and β-carotene treatment groups; however, in both treatment groups was significantly higher than the control group, while growth was similar in all treatments. The greatest quantity of molts and ovigerous female were observed in the A(1) and A(1.5) groups; besides, the eggs of the females in A(1) that had the highest protein and energy content. A negative correlation (R 2 = -0.93) was recorded between increasing dietary astaxanthin and body accumulation; in contrast, an increase in dietary β-carotene was positively correlated (R 2 = 0.80) with body accumulation. The results indicate that both sources of carotenoids promote survival and growth and improve egg quality and pigmentation.