Effects of Diet and Water Source on the Nursery Production of Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Abstract

Penaeid shrimp reared in eutrophic pond water grow significantly faster than shrimp in clear well water, and this growth enhancement is especially pronounced in postlarval shrimp. The objective of this study was to determine if the nutritional benefits of pond water could supplement a lower protein feed for postlarval Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Sixteen 230‐L tanks were stocked with 10‐d postlarvae at a density of 350 shrimp/tank. Four treatments (four replicates/treatment) were tested for 6 wk and consisted of: 1) shrimp grown in well water and fed a commercially available 45%‐protein feed (W/45); 2) shrimp grown in pond water and fed the same 45%‐protein feed (P/45); 3) shrimp grown in well water and fed a commercially available 52%‐protein feed (W/ 52); and 4) shrimp grown in pond water and fed the same 52%‐protein feed (P/52). At the end of the experiment. mean weight gain (± SE) for shrimp in pond water (1.85 ± 0.03 g) was significantly greater (P > 0.0001) than shrimp in well water (0.98 ± 0.10 g). Mean weight gain for shrimp fed the 52%‐protein feed (1.56 ± 0.13 g) was significantly greater (P > 0.0001) than shrimp fed the 45%‐protein feed (1.26 ± 0.20 g). In addition, there was a significant interaction effect between water source and feed (P > 0.0001). Mean weight gain for shrimp in the W/52 treatment (1.23 ± 0.04 g) was 68% greater than shrimp in the W/45 treatment (0.73 ± 0.03 g). However, mean weight gain for shrimp in the P/52 treatment (1.90 ± 0.03 g) was only 5% greater than shrimp in the P/45 treatment (1.80 ± 0.04 g). These results suggest that organically rich pond water provides postlarval shrimp with sufficient nutrients to compensate for nutritional deficiencies associated with a lower protein feed.

Growth‐Enhancing Effect of Pond Water on Four Size Classes of Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

“…likely contributed to the wide range of results reported in the literature. In this study, postlarvae reared in pond water exhibited a 390% increase in growth relative to postlarvae reared in well water (Table 2), and this magnitude of growth enhancement for postlarvae was much greater than was previously reported (60-150%; Otoshi et al 2001). This dramatic improvement in growth demonstrates the importance of natural productivity, particularly during the nursery phase of growout.…”

“…In addition, several studies have shown that growth rates of L. vannamei reared under intensive culture conditions were significantly enhanced when shrimp were grown in organically rich pond water versus clear seawater (Table 1). One of these studies (Otoshi et al 2001) demonstrated the growth-enhancing effect of pond water during the nursery phase where experimental shrimp were stocked as Day 10 postlarvae. All other studies investigated the growth-enhancing effect of pond water on juvenile-sized shrimp where stocking weights ranged from 0.68 to 1.94 g. The 1 Corresponding author.…”

Effects of Artificial Substrate and Stocking Density on the Nursery Production of Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

“…In addition to attached POM, postlarval and juvenile L. vannarnei can exploit suspended POM as a food source. Otoshi et al (2001) reported that postlarvae reared in organically rich water (containing suspended bacteria, microalgae, and microbial-detrital aggregates) exhibited an 89% increase in weight gain compared to postlarvae grown in clear water essentially devoid of POM.…”

Effects of Artificial Substrate and Water Source on Growth of Juvenile Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

“…Well water was the source water for the round pond, so any differences in water quality between well and pond water resulted from inputs into and management strategies affecting the round pond. Previous studies indicate that water from the round pond can contain high concentrations of suspended organic matter, including microalgae and microbialdetrital aggregates, whereas well water typically has low concentrations of organic matter and is devoid of microalgae (Moss and Pruder 1995;Otoshi et al 2001;Divakaran and Moss 2004). Water in the round pond was mixed by a 1-HP paddlewheel that operated nightly, and pond water was transferred to the laboratory by a 1/ 4-HP submersible pump placed 0.5 m below the water surface at the outer perimeter of the pond.…”