Chitin but Not Chitosan Supplementation Enhances Growth of Grass Shrimp, Penaeus monodon

Abstract

The effect of chitin, poly-beta-(1 --> 4)-N-acetyl-glucosamine, and chitosan, a polymer of glucosamine obtained by the deacetylation of chitin, on growth and nutrient digestibility was studied in grass shrimp, Penaeus monodon. Shrimp were fed for 8 wk diets containing no supplement (control) or 2, 5 or 10 g/100 g chitin or chitosan. Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of shrimp with a mean initial body weight of 0.45 +/- 0.05 g. Significantly higher body weight gains were observed in shrimp fed the 5% chitin diet than in those fed the 10% chitin or the control diet. The weight gain of shrimp decreased as dietary chitosan supplementation level increased (r = 0. 87, P < 0.05). Feed efficiencies (FE) and protein efficiency ratios (PER) followed the same pattern. Lower protein and lipid digestibilities and lower body protein and lipid contents were observed in shrimp fed all chitosan-containing diets than in controls (P < 0.05). Carbohydrate digestibility was lower in shrimp fed the 10% chitosan diet than in those fed the control diet. Lower protein and lipid digestibilities, body lipid content and blood cholesterol concentration were observed in shrimp fed the 10% chitin diet compared with controls (P < 0.05). Higher weight gains, body lipid contents and blood cholesterol concentrations were observed in shrimp fed the 2 and 5% chitin diets than in those fed the chitosan diets. Shrimp fed the 5% chitin diet had higher protein and lipid digestibilities and higher body protein content than those fed the 5% chitosan diet (P < 0.05). These data suggest that dietary chitin, supplemented at 5%, enhances P. monodon growth, whereas chitosan depresses shrimp growth, regardless of the supplementation level.

Dietary vitamin C and its derivatives affect immune responses in grass shrimp, Penaeus monodon

“…The vitamin mixture was similar to that used by Shiau & Hsu [6], except that it did not contain vitamin C. AA (100% vitamin C activity, Merck Co., Germany), C2S (48% vitamin C activity, Pfizer Inc., New York, U.S.A.), C2PP (25% vitamin C activity, Roche Rovimix Stay-C 25, Switzerland), C2MP-Na (25·2% vitamin C activity, Showa Denko K. K., Tokyo, Japan) and C2MP-Mg (46·46% vitamin C activity, Showa Denko K. K.) were each added to the basal diet at the expense of small amounts of cellulose to two concentrations (adequate, five times adequate) of AA (2000, 10 000 mg kg diet , respectively. The diets were prepared and stored as described previously [20]. Juvenile P. monodon were obtained from the Tungkang Marine Laboratory (Tungkang, Pingtung, Taiwan).…”

“…Dissolved oxygen was monitored weekly and was >7·5 mg O 2 l 1 throughout the experimental period. Water temperature ranged 27-29 C, pH 6·3-6·5 and salinity [19][20][21]. A photoperiod of 12 h light, 12 h dark (08.00-20.00 h) was used.…”

Effect of dietary chitin on digestive enzyme activity, growth and survival of Macrobrachium tenellum juvenile prawns

“…Lower content of chitin apparently had no direct effect on survival, what is in agreement with previous studies. Kumar et al (2006) and Shiau & Yu (1998) studied chitin and shrimp head meal, respectively, on survival of M. rosenbergii and Penaeus monodon (Fabricius, 1798). Kumar et al (2006) find a survival of 40-80% while Shiau & Yu (1998) reported 74-84%, without significant differences or correlation between the amount of chitin and survival.…”

“…chitin (44% shrimp head meal), and 5% purified chitin produce good weight gain and low feed conversion ratio. Shiau & Yu (1998) report a high weight gain in giant tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) fed a diet containing 22% chitin (equivalent to 5% purified chitin). They state that chitin in diets that is >22%, reduces weight gain.…”

“…Most of the works on the effect of chitin in the diet of crustaceans have been developed with penaeid species (Chang et al, 1988;Shiau & Yu, 1998;Terwilliger, 1999;Chang et al, 2001;CasillasHernández et al, 2006;Chih-Hui & Chen-Chun, 2012). For Macrobrachium prawns, Kumár et al (2006) compared the effect of natural chitin and purified chitin on the growth of Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man, 1879).…”