Performance of pacific white leg shrimp fed an open-source marine resource-free diet under commercial conditions

Abstract

Pacific white leg shrimp were stocked (150 PL m -3 ) into one of four plastic-lined 1000 m 3 (0.1 ha) ponds. Ponds were randomly fed one of two diets in duplicate: a commercial shrimp feed (Grobest® Vista Eco), or an open formula, experimental, fishmeal and fish oil-free diet (F3). Shrimp were fed by hand and automatic feeders using commercial feed tables for 56 days. Sub-samples of shrimp (n = 50) were weighed weekly from each pond to evaluate growth and adjust feeding rates. Following harvest, no differences were observed between diets for survival. Combined pond biomass was 2045.0±45.96 kg (S.D.) and 2302.5±28.99 kg for commercial and F3 shrimp respectively. FCR were 1.15±0.00 and 1.03±0.01 (P< 0.05). Individual F3 fed shrimp were significantly (P< 0.05) heavier at trial termination with animals fed the commercial diet weighing 18.03±0.24 g versus 23.25±0.84 g (P< 0.05). Total hemocyte counts were 33.