Juvenile Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus Research Articles

Pleionea litopenaei sp. nov., isolated from the gastric tract of juvenile Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped and motile strain HL-JVS1T, was isolated from the gastric tract of a juvenile Pacific white shrimp. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences of strain HL-JVS1T revealed its affiliation with the genus Pleionea, with close relatives including Pleionea mediterranea MOLA115T (97.5%) and Pleionea sediminis S1-5-21T (96.2%). The complete genome of strain HL-JVS1T consisted of a circular 4.4Mb chromosome and two circular plasmids (6.6 and 35.0kb) with a G + C content of 43.1%. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain HL-JVS1T and the type strains of described Pleionea species were 69.7-70.4% and 18.3-18.6%, respectively. Strain HL-JVS1T grew at 10-40°C (optimum, 30°C) in the presence of 0.5 - 9.0% (w/v) sea salts (optimum, 2.0 - 2.5%), and at pH range of 5.5 - 10.0 (optimum, pH 6.5). The major fatty acids (> 10%) were summed feature 9 (iso-C17:1 ω9c and/or C16:0 10-methyl) (23.3%), iso-C16:0 (14.5%), iso-C11:0 3-OH (13.8%) and iso-C15:0 (11.0%). The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminophospholipid, two unidentified aminolipids, and two unidentified lipids. The respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-8. The comprehensive phylogenetic, phylogenomic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic results showed that strain HL-JVS1T is distinct from other Pleionea species. Hence, we propose strain HL-JVS1T as a novel species belonging to the genus Pleionea, for which the name Pleionea litopenaei sp. nov. is proposed with HL-JVS1T (= KCCM 90514T = JCM 36490T) as the type strain.

Effect of dietary phytase and protease supplementation on the growth performance and apparent nutrient digestibility in juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) fed fish meal–free and phosphorus limiting diets

Effect of dietary phytase and protease supplementation on the growth performance and apparent nutrient digestibility in juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) fed fish meal–free and phosphorus limiting diets

Different protein levels in a super-intensive culture of juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in biofloc systems during the early rearing phase

The determination of crude protein level in diets of aquatic organisms allows maximizing growth, decreasing feed costs and improving water quality. A nursery culture of Litopenaeus vannamei was carried out in superintensive biofloc systems using five diets with different protein levels (320 g kg-1 CP, 360 g kg-1 CP, 400 g kg-1 CP, 440 g kg-1 CP and 480 g kg-1 CP); each diet was used in quadruplicates. The experimental period lasted 35 days, and the shrimps (0.59± 0.001 g) were stocked at a density of 600 PL m-³, using 20 experimental units (50 L of useful volume). There were no significant differences in animal survival between treatments (p>0.05). The animals fed with 480 g kg-1 presented higher final weight, SGR when compared to the treatments fed with 320 g kg-1 (p<0.05). Furthermore, feeding shrimp with 32% CP diets results in a reduction in feed utilization and nutrient retention, thus increasing feed costs. Overall, the results show that it is possible to reduce the protein content of L. vannamei diets to up to 360 without affecting the zootechnical performance, survival and antioxidant capacity of the animals.

The effects of dietary myo-inositol on growth and physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses in the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Myo-inositol serves as an essential nutrient in many animal species. However, the optimal requirements of myo-inositol and the mechanisms by which myo-inositol is involved in nutritional regulation in crustaceans are unclear. An 8-week trial was conducted to comparatively evaluate the effects of 6 levels of dietary myo-inositol (20, 528, 1030, 2060, 3180 and 4235 mg/kg diet) on growth performance, body composition, serum metabolite composition, hepatopancreatic metabolite content, and digestive enzyme activity in juvenile Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (0.78 ± 0.039 g). The weight gain and conditioning factors of shrimp fed myo-inositol were significantly higher than those of the 20 mg/kg myo-inositol group. The maximal hepatosomatic index was found in the 1030 mg/kg myo-inositol group. On the other hand, serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein contents in the control group were significantly lower than those in the other groups, and glucose content in the hepatopancreas in the control group was significantly lower than that in the 2060 and 3180 mg/kg myo-inositol groups. Metabolome and transcriptome analyses revealed that myo-inositol significantly affected glycerophospholipid metabolism, transport and catabolism in lysosomes, pancreatic secretion, and bile secretion pathways. The highest growth was achieved with the inclusion of 528 mg/kg dietary myo-inositol. This study has suggested that myo-inositol may promote growth in L. vannamei by improving lipid utilization.

Comparative study on the effects of crystalline L-methionine and methionine hydroxy analogue calcium supplementations in the diet of juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of L-methionine and methionine hydroxy analogue calcium (MHA-Ca) supplements in low-fishmeal diet on growth performance, hepatopancreas morphology, protein metabolism, anti-oxidative capacity, and immunity of Pacific white shrimp (Litopena eus vannamei). Four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were designed: PC (203.3g/kg fishmeal), NC (100g/kg fishmeal), MET (100g/kg fishmeal +3g/kg L-methionine) and MHA-Ca (100g/kg fishmeal +3g/kg MHA-Ca). White shrimp (initial body weight 0.23 ± 0.00 g, 50 shrimp per tank) were allocated to 12 tanks and divided among 4 treatments in triplicates. In response to L-methionine and MHA-Ca supplementations, the shrimp exhibited higher weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), condition factor (CF), and lower hepatosomatic index (HSI) compared to those fed the NC diet (p < 0.05). The WGR and SGR of shrimp fed L-methionine and MHA-Ca showed no difference with those in the PC diet (p > 0.05). Both of L-methionine and MHA-Ca supplementary diets significantly decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of shrimp when compared with the NC diet (p < 0.05). L-methionine supplementation improved the lysozyme (LZM) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) of shrimp, while the MHA-Ca addition elevated the reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in comparison with those fed the NC diet (p < 0.05). Hypertrophied blister cells in hepatocytes were observed in shrimp fed the NC diet, and alleviated with L-methionine and MHA-Ca supplementations. Shrimp fed the MET and MHA-Ca diets had higher mRNA expression levels of target of rapamycin (tor) than those fed the NC diet (p < 0.05). Compared to the NC group, dietary MHA-Ca supplementation upregulated the expression level of cysteine dioxygenase (cdo) (p < 0.05), while L-methionine supplementation had no significant impact (p > 0.05). The expression levels of superoxide dismutase (sod) and glutathione peroxidase (gpx) were significantly upregulated by L-methionine supplemented diet in comparison with those in the NC group (p < 0.05). Overall, the addition of both L-methionine and MHA-Ca elevated the growth performance, facilitated protein synthesis, and ameliorated hepatopancreatic damage induced by plant-protein enriched diet in L. vannamei. L-methionine and MHA-Ca supplements enhanced anti-oxidants differently.

Brown sugar addition enhanced nutrient removal rates, growth performance, and bacterial community in a rice straw-based biofloc shrimp culture system

A 30-day culture trial was executed to ascertain the effects of brown sugar addition on nutrient removal, feed conversion ratio, growth performance, and microbial community in a rice straw-based biofloc shrimp system. Twelve indoor experimental barrels were supplied with juvenile pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) with a preliminary mean weight of ∼1.08 ± 0.35 g. The experimental groups comprised four biofloc treatments labeled as (Control-CT, SG1, SG2, and SG3), each with three replicates. The SG groups were the treatments with varying amounts of carbon source (brown sugar) addition. Each experimental barrel was stocked with 100 juvenile shrimps. To maintain the carbon: nitrogen ratio, brown sugar was added daily in varying amounts in the SG treatments but not in the control group (CT). The results demonstrated that the ammonium and nitrite‑nitrogen concentrations in the SG3 (0.45 and 0.34 mg/L) and SG2 (0.58 and 0.43 mg/L) groups were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the Control (1.18 and 0.88 mg/L). Also, the highest nutrient removal rates for ammonium nitrogen (80%) and nitrite nitrogen (83.79%) were observed in the SG3 treatment. In addition, the SG2 group's feed conversion ratio (0.66) was statistically (p < 0.05) lower than the CT group's (0.83). Compared to the control setup (86%), the SG treatments recorded shrimp survival rates of over 90%. Furthermore, our results revealed that the most dominant microbial phyla in all treatments were Proteobacteria (71.60%), Bacteroidetes (26.60%), Actinobacteria (18.53%), Planctomycetes (8.30%), and Verrucomicrobia (2.40%) which played a significant role in nutrient cycling and promoting water quality. Overall, our study highlighted an innovative ecological farming system that recycles agricultural waste, minimizes inorganic nitrogen levels, and serves as an in-situ food source for sustainable shrimp production.

SUPPLEMENTAL EFFECTS OF MICROALGAE SPIRULINA ARTHROSPIRA PLATENSIS TO THE PLANT-BASED DIET FOR PACIFIC WHITE SHRIMP Litopenaeus vannamei

A sixty-days feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the inclusion effect of spirulina Arthrospira platensis meal (SM) in the diet on growth and health condition of juvenile Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Four isonitrogenous and iso-lipidic experimental diets were formulated to contain 0%, 0,2%, 0,4% and 0,8% SM. After 60 days, shrimp were sampled and total haemocyte counts was measured. The growth performances of shrimp were significantly affected by the dietary inclusion of SM, whereas the inclusion of SM provides a better biomass, final body weight (FBW), weight gain (WG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the control group. Additionally, the inclusion of SM significantly enhances the total haemocytes count (THC) and lysozyme activity in shrimp compared to control group. Therefore, SM can be considered as the functional ingredients in shrimp diet to improve the growth and health condition of shrimp.

Dietary selenium supplementation alleviates low salinity stress in the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei: growth, antioxidative capacity and hepatopancreas transcriptomic responses.

Se is an essential trace element associated with animal growth and antioxidant and metabolic processes. However, whether Se, especially organic Se with higher bioavailability, can alleviate the adverse effects of low salinity stress on marine economic crustacean species has not been investigated. Accordingly, juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) were reared in two culture conditions (low and standard salinity) fed diets supplemented with increasing levels of l-selenomethionine (0·41, 0·84 and 1·14 mg/kg Se) for 56 d, resulting in four treatments: 0·41 mg/kg under standard seawater (salinity 31) and 0·41, 0·84 and 1·14 mg/kg Se under low salinity (salinity 3). The diet containing 0·84 mg/kg Se significantly improved the survival and weight gain of shrimp under low salinity stress and enhanced the antioxidant capacity of the hepatopancreas. The increased numbers of B and R cells may be a passive change in hepatopancreas histology in the 1·14 mg/kg Se group. Transcriptomic analysis found that l-selenomethionine was involved in the regulatory pathways of energy metabolism, retinol metabolism and steroid hormones. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 0·84 mg/kg Se (twice the recommended level) effectively alleviated the effects of low salinity stress on L. vannamei by regulating antioxidant capacity, hormone regulation and energy metabolism.

Toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics of plastic and metallic nanoparticles: A comparative study in shrimp

Nanoplastic is recognized as an emerging environmental pollutant due to the anticipated ubiquitous distribution, increasing concentration in the ocean, and potential adverse health effects. While our understanding of the ecological impacts of nanoplastics is still limited, we benefit from relatively rich toxicological studies on other nanoparticles such as nano metal oxides. However, the similarity and difference in the toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic aspects of plastic and metallic nanoparticles remain largely unknown. In this study, juvenile Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei was exposed to two types of nanoparticles at environmentally relative low and high concentrations, i.e., 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastics (nano-PS) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2) via dietary exposure for 28 days. The systematic toxicological evaluation aimed to quantitatively compare the accumulation, excretion, and toxic effects of nano-PS and nano-TiO2. Our results demonstrated that both nanoparticles were ingested by L. vannamei with lower egestion of nano-TiO2 than nano-PS. Both nanoparticles inhibited the growth of shrimps, damaged tissue structures of the intestine and hepatopancreas, disrupted expression of immune-related genes, and induced intestinal microbiota dysbiosis. Nano-PS exposure caused proliferative cells in the intestinal tissue, and the disturbance to the intestinal microbes was also more serious than that of nano-TiO2. The results indicated that the effect of nano-PS on the intestinal tissue of L. vannamei was more severe than that of nano-TiO2 with the same particle size. The study provides new theoretical basis of the similarity and differences of their toxicity, and highlights the current lack of knowledge on various aspects of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) pathways of nanoplastics.

Effects of dietary yeast culture on health status in digestive tract of juvenile Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus Vannamei

A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary yeast culture (YC) on health status in digestive tract of juvenile Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus Vannamei. Shrimps (initial weight: 3.33 ± 0.06 g) were fed with graded levels of dietary YC (control, 0.3%, 0.5% and 1.0%). Results of the present study showed that villus height and the ratio between villus height and crypt depth in the digestive tract of juvenile shrimp was significantly increased by dietary 0.5% and 1.0%YC (P < 0.05). Besides, dietary 0.5% and 1.0%YC significantly activities of phenoloxidase (PO), lysozyme (LZ), acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) (P < 0.05), significantly up-regulated mRNA levels of prophenoloxidase (propo), lysozyme (lz), anti-lipopolysaccharide factor (alf), crustin and penaienadin (P < 0.05) and down-regulated mRNA levels of caspase-1, nuclear factor κB p65 (nf-κbp65) myeloid differentiation primary response protein (myd88) and toll like receptor (tlr) in the digestive tract of juvenile shrimp (P < 0.05). Compared with the control, dietary 0.5%YC increased Chao1 index in the digestive tract of juvenile shrimp. In addition, compared with the control, dietary 0.5% and 1.0%YC significantly increased relative abundance of Lactobacillus (P < 0.05). It can be concluded that dietary YC made positive contribution to health status in digestive tract of juvenile shrimp through improving morphology and microbiota, enhancing immune function, and inhibiting inflammation of digestive tract.

Effects of Cobalt Sources and Levels on Growth Performance, Serum Biochemistry, Metabolic Activities, and Cobalt Contents in the Tissue of Juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei

AbstractThis two‐factorial study was designed to evaluate the influence of cobalt (Co) sources (cobalt chloride hexahydrate [Cl‐Co] and methionine Co [M‐Co]) and levels (a control and two sets of five Co diets) on the growth performance, serum biochemistry, metabolic activities, and Co contents in the tissue of juvenile Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. A total of 1,320 juvenile shrimp (0.49 ± 0.01 g [mean ± SD]) were randomized into 11 groups (three replicates of each group) and reared for 8 weeks. The results showed that final body weight, weight gain rate, and specific growth rate were significantly affected by Co level, Co source, and their interaction. Different dietary sources and Co levels had significant interaction effects on the triglyceride, total protein, and cholesterol contents but not on the glucose content. The results showed that Co sources and levels had interaction effects on the activities of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase in serum. The interaction had a notable influence on the Co content of the muscle and hepatopancreas. The Co content increased significantly with increased Co recruitment, and the value for the M‐Co group was higher than that for the Cl‐Co group when the dietary Co level was 40 mg/kg. According to the weight gain rate, the optimal requirements of M‐Co and Cl‐Co through broken‐line regression analysis for juvenile Pacific white shrimp were 6.10 and 37.64 mg Co/kg, respectively. The growth promotion effect of M‐Co on juvenile Pacific white shrimp was higher than that of Cl‐Co.

Effects of Dietary Yeast Culture on Health Status in Digestive Tract of Juvenile Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus Vannamei

Effects of Dietary Yeast Culture on Health Status in Digestive Tract of Juvenile Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus Vannamei

Improvement in laboratory research: Effects of stocking density, variation and sample size on outcomes of growth studies with shrimp

A series of laboratory-based growth trials were carried out in semi-closed recirculation system with juvenile Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. The effect of stocking density, initial size variation and replication was evaluated. Trial 1 was conducted for 42 days with different stocking densities (28, 56, 83, 111, 139, 194 and 250 shrimp/m2) to determine the effect of stocking density on performances of shrimp. Trial 2 was conducted for 56 days (2 × 3 factorial design) to test the effect of stocking density (30 and 60 shrimp/m2) and coefficient of variation (CV) at stocking (8%, 15% and 32%) on performances of shrimp. In third trial, data from 15 replicates were randomly sampled to create data sets with varying levels of replications. Significantly reduced growth and survival were noted when increasing the stocking density of shrimp, while the opposite was noted in FCR of shrimp. No significant effect of initial size variation of shrimp was noted on size variation of shrimp at harvest in both stocking densities tested. No interaction was noted between stocking densities and initial CV of shrimp on determining the size variability of shrimp at harvest. In terms of replicate size, a clear improvement in power and reduction in between sample variation was noted as the replication increased, hence suggested that up to 6 replicates are appropriate for a clear water shrimp nutritional study.

Effect of a Black Soldier Fly Ingredient on the Growth Performance and Disease Resistance of Juvenile Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).

This study was performed as part of developing a functional feed ingredient for juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Here we assess the effects of dietary inclusion of a Black Soldier Fly Ingredient (BSFI) from defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal on growth performance, tolerance to salinity stress, and disease resistance when challenged with Vibrio parahaemolyticus or a strain of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). A control diet was used for comparison with three test diets including 4.5, 7.5, and 10.5% of BSFI (BSFI4.5, BSFI7.5, and BSFI10.5). After 28 days, all diets with BSFI had improved weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and specific growth rate (SGR) compared to control. Indeed, SGR was significantly improved from inclusion of 4.5% in the diet, whilst FCR was significantly improved at 7.5% (p < 0.05). During the growth trial, survival was not affected by diet. Shrimp health performance was not significantly affected by the diets across the disease and salinity challenges. Overall, the results indicate that the inclusion of BSFI from H. illucens improves the performance of juvenile L. vannamei.

Dietary organic zinc promotes growth, immune response and antioxidant capacity by modulating zinc signaling in juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate effects of dietary organic zinc (zinc amino acid chelate) on growth performance, mineral bioaccumulation in whole body, hepatopancreas and carapace, innate immune response and antioxidant capacity of juvenile Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated to contain different zinc levels of 46.4 (basal diet), 65.5, 85.9, 108.4 and 130.6 mg kg−1. Dietary zinc level significantly influenced growth and feed utilization, with the lowest weight gain and highest feed conversion ratio observed in shrimp fed the basal diet. The optimal dietary zinc requirement was estimated to be 104.8 mg kg-1 for juvenile Pacific white shrimp. Shrimp fed the diet containing 130.6 mg kg−1 Zn had the highest zinc concentration in hepatopancreas and carapace, but there were no significant differences in calcium or phosphorus concentration in tissues. Dietary Zn increased the activities of lysozyme, alkaline phosphatase and polyphenol oxidase in hepatopancreas. Shrimp fed the diets supplemented with zinc had significantly higher activity of Cu/Zn SOD and lower content of malondialdehyde in hepatopancreas. The expression levels of toll, imd, lzm, proPO and alp involved in immunity and Cu/Zn sod related to oxidation resistance were up-regulated. Zinc also promoted the expression levels of mt and mtf-1, and up-regulated the expression of SLC39 family genes (zip3, zip9, zip11, zip14) in hepatopancreas. These data provided novel insights in the potential mechanism of organic zinc-induced enhancement of immunity and antioxidant capacity in Pacific white shrimp.

Effects of dietary hydrolyzable tannins on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, intestinal microflora and resistance against Vibrio parahaemolyticus of juvenile Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931)

Tannins have great potential as an alternative to in-feed antibiotics. However, no study has investigated the effects of tannins on shrimp. The present study assessed the eff ;ects of hydrolyzable tannins (HTs) fed at different inclusion levels (F0: control, F0.5: 0.05 %, F1: 0.1 %, F1.5: 0.15 % and F2: 0.2 % (g−1 feed) on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune response, intestinal microflora and resistance to Vibrio parahaemolyticus of juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). After 60 days of the feeding trial, a significant increase (P < 0.05) of weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and trypsin in serum and hepatopancreas, and the expression level of catalase (CAT), Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) gene in the hepatopancreas of 0.15 % HT treated groups were achieved. The dietary supplementation of HTs also changed the composition of intestinal microflora. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria accounted for the majority of bacteria, followed by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. At the genus level, Stenotrophomonas, Ruegeria, and Photobacterium were dominant in the F0.5, F1, and F1.5 groups, respectively. The relative abundance of Vibrio and Carboxylicivirga decreased in the intestines of shrimp fed with HTs diets. Furthermore, F1.5 group showed the highest relative percent survival value (80 %) (P < 0.05), which indicates that the supplementation of 0.15 % HTs in challenge test significantly enhanced the resistance of shrimp against V. parahaemolyticus infection after 24 h. These results indicated that 0.15 % HTs could remarkably improve the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, intestinal microflora, and resistance against V. parahaemolyticus of L. vannamei, and can be a potential feed additive for shrimp in aquaculture. According to our study, the optimal dietary supplementation dosage of HTs is 0.15 % feed in diets.

Regulation of growth, fatty acid profiles, hematological characteristics and hepatopancreatic histology by different dietary n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids levels in the first stages of juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

An 8-week feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFAs) on growth performance, fatty acid profiles, hematological characteristics and hepatopancreatic histology in juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) (initial average weight, 0.14 ± 0.01 g). Six isoproteic and isolipidic diets were formulated with graded levels of n-3 HUFA (0.24, 0.53, 0.86, 1.25, 1.58 and 1.97 % of dry matter), and the 0.24 % group was used as control group. The results revealed that shrimp fed the diet containing 0.86 % n-3 HUFA had highest weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR), and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) showed the minimum at the same level. Shrimp muscle fatty acid profiles reflected that of diet. The contents of triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in serum decreased along with n-3 HUFA levels increasing. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in hepatopancreas was highest significantly at the level of 0.86 % n-3 HUFA group than that in other groups. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in hepatopancreas increased with the increasing of n-3 HUFA levels, which reached the maximum value in 1.97 % group and was significantly higher than that in control group. The levels of n-3 HUFA could obviously affect on the cell morphology and lipid deposition in hepatopancreas of L. vannamei. Results of this study suggested that shrimp fed moderate dietary n-3 HUFA could enhance growth, feed utilization, antioxidant capacity and reduces excess lipid deposition.

Effects of conjugated linoleic acid and curcumin on growth performance and oxidative stress enzymes in juvenile Pacific white shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ) feed with aflatoxins

Aflatoxicosis is a growing problem in aquaculture. A 42-day study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and curcumin (CUR) to protect juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) from aflatoxins. Growth parameters along with alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were measured. Shrimps (36) with an average weight of 76 ± 0.9 mg were randomly allocated in eight experimental groups. Non-contaminated diet (NCD) and aflatoxin-contaminated diet (ACD) at 200 μg/kg were prepared. ACD was used to prepare six diets supplemented with CLA (4, 5 or 6 g/kg) and CUR (0.15, 0.2 and 0.3 g/kg). ACD reduced feed intake, growth rate and nitrogen retention efficiency, and increased ALP and GST activity. Improved nitrogen retention was observed for all groups feed with CLA. CUR supplementation at 0.2 g/kg increased feed intake and growth rate while at 0.15 g/kg increased nitrogen retention. ALP activity was reduced in all CUR groups and in 5 and 6 g/kg CLA groups. Reduction in GST activity was observed in 0.15 and 0.2 g/kg CUR groups and 4 g/kg CLA group. CLA supplementation and CUR supplementation can be beneficial to protect juvenile shrimp against aflatoxins.

Growth and Lipidomic Responses of Juvenile Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei to Low Salinity.

The Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), a euryhaline penaeid species, can tolerate a wide range of salinities, but little is known on its strategies to cope with low salinity fluctuations from the aspect of lipidomics. Thus, in this study, L. vannamei were grown in two different salinities [3 and 30‰ (control)] for 8 weeks, and then an liquid chromatography (LC)–mass spectrometry (MS)-based lipidomics analysis was performed to reveal the lipid profile differences in gill and muscle. L. vannamei under low salinity had lower weight gain and condition factor than the control shrimp at 30‰, but no differences were found in survival and hepatopancreas index. A higher number of differential lipid metabolites were identified in gill than in muscle in L. vannamei at salinity 3‰ relative to the control shrimp at salinity of 30‰ (159 versus 37), which belonged to 11 and 6 lipids classes, respectively. Of these lipids, phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidic acid (PA), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and triglyceride (TG) were the main lipids in both shrimp gill and muscle, regardless of salinities. Compared with the control shrimp at salinity 30‰, the percentage of PC significantly reduced, but TG and PA significantly increased in gill of shrimp at salinity 3‰. Moreover, the relative fatty acid abundances showed significant changes in L. vannamei between the two salinity groups, but the patterns of the changes were complex and were fatty acid dependent. Neither lipid nor fatty acid composition in muscle was affected by salinity. Further pathway analysis showed that these metabolites were closely related to lipid and fatty acid metabolic pathways. All the findings in this study reveal that the lipid variations are closely related to bio-membrane structure, mitochondrial function, energy supply, or organic osmolyte contents in hemolymph for improving osmoregulatory capacity of L. vannamei under low salinity.

Replacing Fish Meal with Defatted Insect Meal (Yellow Mealworm Tenebrio molitor) Improves the Growth and Immunity of Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).

Simple SummaryGlobally, Pacific white shrimp is one of the most commonly commercialized marine species in aquaculture. In recent years, the commercial production of this shrimp has experienced major challenges, including the availability and cost of fish meal—the main protein source of commercial shrimp—as well as frequent outbreaks of early mortality syndrome (EMS) among shrimp stock. In the present study, we investigated whether substituting fish meal with a defatted yellow mealworm meal could overcome these challenges. Our results from a series of feeding trials show that it is possible to partially or completely replace fish meal with this insect meal in isoproteic and isoenergetic diets. The insect meal improved growth and feed conversion performances of shrimp; optimum performances were achieved at 50% of fish meal replacement. Furthermore, shrimp that were fed the insect meal and then challenged with the pathogenic bacteria that cause EMS (Vibrio parahaemolyticus) had significantly improved survival rates and reduced immunosuppression. We conclude that an insect meal comprised of Tenebrio molitor mealworm, is a suitable alternative to fish meal in the commercial production of shrimp because of the meal’s high protein value and the presence of chitin/other bioactive substances that counter pathogen infection.Recently, ecological and economic issues have affected fish meal (FM) supply, the main source of protein for shrimp. This triggered a search for alternative dietary protein sources for shrimp production. We studied the consequences of replacing FM with a defatted insect meal, ŸnMealTM (YM), comprised of yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor). Growth and immune parameters of juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannanmei) were compared after an eight-week feeding trial. Shrimp were kept in aquaria with densities of 60 and 40 shrimp/m2 and fed one of five diets in which a proportion of FM was replaced by YM. All diets were isoproteic, isoenergetic, and balanced in lysine and methionine. After the feeding trial, shrimp were challenged with pathogenic bacteria (Vibrio parahaemolyticus). Growth and feed conversion parameters improved when YM was included in shrimp diets; with the highest weight gain and best food conversion ratio (FCR) achieved when 50% of FM was replaced by YM versus the control diet that contained no YM (initial weight: 1.60 g/shrimp; growth: 5.27 vs. 3.94 g/shrimp; FCR 1.20 vs. 1.59). In challenged shrimp, mortality rates were significantly less among groups that received YM, with a 76.9% lower mortality rate in the 50% FM replacement group versus the control.