Organic acids or their salts are promising feed additives for aquatic animals to improve growth performance. We determined the effect of supplementing diets with sodium salts (formate, acetate, lactate, propionate, butyrate, fumarate, succinate and citrate) on trypsin and chymotrypsin activities, in vitro digestibility and zootechnical performance in the whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Shrimp trypsin and chymotrypsin activity increased in the presence of acetate and propionate and decreased in the presence of lactate and citrate. The highest in vitro protein digestibility of the experimental diets, using shrimp enzymes, was obtained for diets containing fumarate and succinate, which was significantly greater than the control diet (no supplements). In a growth trial, the highest final weights were in shrimp fed diets supplemented with fumarate, succinate, butyrate and propionate, increasing 53%, 46%, 38% and 29%, respectively, compared to the control. Shrimp that were fed diets with fumarate digested more feed and had a feed conversion ratio 23% higher than the control shrimp. Shrimp survival did not differ among treatments. We concluded that organic salts in the diet modify digestive enzymatic activity and in vitro protein digestibility of whiteleg shrimp. Fumarate, succinate, butyrate and propionate have potential as feed additives for L. vannamei.

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Changes in digestive enzyme activity and histology were studied in Atractosteus tropicus embryos, larvae and juvenile periods. Alkaline protease, chymotrypsin, carboxypeptidase A, lipase and α-amylase were detected in all periods and gradually increased until reaching the maximum peak in juveniles; meanwhile, acid protease was first detected at 5 days after hatching (dah) when first feeding started and trypsin and leucine aminopeptidase activities were detected from 19 dah, their values being increased gradually until reaching a maximum value at 31 dah. Acid and alkaline phosphatase activities increased from yolk-sac absorption (3 dah) until day 31 after hatching. Zymogram for acid protease showed two bands in active forms (0.4 and 0.5 Rfs) from day 5 after hatching and a third protease form (0.3 Rf) that appears at 31 dah. Two active forms (26.3 and 24.9 kDa) were detected using SDS-PAGE alkaline proteases zymogram at 5 dah, and an additional active form (44.1 kDa) was detected at 7 dah. Regarding the histological development of the digestive system, the exocrine pancreas containing zymogen granules was already visible at 3 dah, whereas at 5 dah first gastric glands were already detected in the stomach. Between 7 and 9 dah, the digestive tract of A. tropicus resembled that of a juvenile specimen with a well-developed and short oesophagus, stomach divided into a glandular and non-glandular (pyloric) stomach, folded intestine with pyloric caeca and a well-developed spiral valve (posterior intestine). Considering this, larvae of A. tropicus are capable of digesting several foods from yolk absorption (3 dah), maximizing its activities at 15 dah, age at which the organisms maximize its capability to absorb nutrients from diets provided.

This study determined the effect of different dietary protein and lipid levels on growth and survival of juvenile redclaw Cherax quadricarinatus. Nine practical test diets were formulated to contain three crude protein (CP) levels [260, 310 and 360 g kg−1, equivalent to 225, 260 and 296 g kg−1 digestible protein (DP) respectively] at three crude lipid (CL) levels (40, 80 and 120 g kg−1, equivalent to 38, 67 and 103 digestible lipids respectively), with digestible protein : digestible energy (DP : DE) ranging from 14.6 to 22.6 mg protein kJ g−1. Three replicate groups of 15 crayfish (initial weight mean ± SD, 0.71 ± 0.13 g) per diet treatment were stocked in 40 L tanks, at 28 °C for 60 days. The highest mean weight, specific growth rate and biomass, with values of 7.0 g, 3.67% day−1, and 370.2 g m−2, respectively, were achieved by feeding a diet with P : L = 310 : 80 (P < 0.05). The treatments resulted in a survival rate of 80–91%, feed conversion ratio of 1.08–1.61 and protein efficiency ratio of 2.24–3.08. Results indicated that a diet containing 270 g kg−1 DP (equivalent to 320 g kg−1 CP), 75 g kg−1 digestible lipid (DL) with a DP/DE of 18.4 mg protein kJ−1, and 0.031 g protein per animal per day was optimum for juvenile C. quadricarinatus under the tested experimental conditions.

The activities of several digestive enzymes during larval development of the spotted sand bass (Paralabrax maculatofasciatus) were evaluated using electrophoretic techniques. The results show the presence of three isoforms of alkaline protease from day 2 after hatching (ah) and the early appearance of one pepsin-like band from day 12 ah onwards. In addition, two lipase bands first appeared on day 2 ah, and there was a change in the molecular weight of one band from day 15 ah onwards. Several alpha-amylase isoforms were observed from hatching up to day 5 ah. These results indicate that the important digestive enzymes develop rapidly in these larvae, supporting the possibility of early weaning at day 12 ah using artificial diets.