Effects of total dietary lipid (TDL) on reproduction of Penaeus srylirostris were compared using a series of diets ranging from 7.8% to 13.9% TDL. In addition, a commercial feed was compared to the experimental feeds, and a single fresh diet component (squid as 40% of diet) was compared to a multiple fresh component portion (squid, bloodworms, shrimp, and brine shrimp as 40% of diet). The control diet consisted of the four fresh components in equal proportions.
Significant differences among diet treatments during 87 days of evaluation were observed for mean percent hatch, number of nauplii per spawn, and percent females mating per night. A new parameter, protozoea I length, was evaluated also and appeared to be a sensitive measure of treatment differences. In general, the all‐fresh component diet (control) and diets with multiple fresh components performed better than those with a squid‐only component. Among the three diets varying only in total lipid content, the middle level (11.1% TDL) treatment means were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the highest lipid treatment (13.9% TDL) based on number of nauplii per spawn, percent females mating per night, and protozoea length. The middle level treatment means were also higher than the low lipid level tested (7.8% TDL) for these parameters, but only protozwa length was significantly higher (P < 0.01).
In the best treatment (100% Fresh), there were 189,000 ± 10,300 eggs per spawn (mean ± SE), 103,000 ± 10,400 nauplii per spawn, 51.3 ± 4.3 percent hatch (N = 64), and 7.0 ± 0.7 percent females mating per night (N= 174). The High Lipid treatment, in which the poorest results were obtained, produced 164,000 ± 11,100 eggs per spawn, 39,000 ± 9,400 nauplii per spawn, 23.0 ± 4.8 percent hatch (N = 40) and 3.9 ± 0.5 percent females mating per night (N= 174). Results indicate that dietary lipid levels affect reproduction and that 10% to 11% total lipid produced better results than 7.8% and 13.9%.
