In the first experiment, conducted in a research facility, Litopenaeus vannamei broodstock were fed either a 100% fresh food control treatment (FRE, consisting of frozen squid, oyster, mussel and enriched Artemia biomass in a 2.3:1.4:1.3:1 dry matter ratio) or one of the two treatments in which 50% [dry matter (DM)] of the fresh food was substituted with experimental artificial diets: a dry diet based on freeze-dried Artemia biomass (ART) and a control dry diet (CON). In the second experiment, conducted in a commercial hatchery, shrimp broodstock were fed either a fresh ration (FRE, consisting of frozen squid, polychaetes and enriched Artemia biomass in a 2.5:1.5:1 DM ratio) or the same experimental artificial diets (ART and CON) replacing 50% of the DM by elimination of polychaetes and Artemia biomass. In experiment 1 treatments CON and ART produced better results (P ¼ 0.05) than treatment FRE in terms of spawn performance and egg production per female. In experiment 2 no differences were detected among treatments FRE and CON whereas treatment ART performed better (P ¼ 0.05) in terms of spawning, egg production per female and spermatophore quality. Broodstock survival and offspring quality did not differ between treatments in either experiment.KEY WORDS