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This study was carried out to investigate the effect of water‐soluble polysaccharides extract of algae Ulva rigida (WPU) as dietary supplement on growth performance, antioxidant enzyme activity, lysozyme and phenoloxidase activity, and resistance of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) subjected to bacterial infection with Photobacterium damselae. Three replicate groups of shrimp (1.0 g) were fed four diets containing four levels, 0 or control, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 g/kg of WPU for 8 weeks over the growth trial. Thereafter, 30 shrimps from each dietary treatment were infected with bacteria P. damselae to evaluate disease resistance of infected shrimp. The results of this study showed that WPU was effective as a growth promoter for L. vannamei. The best growth rate was observed in shrimp fed 1.5 g/kg of WPU diet. Regarding antioxidant defences, the diets supplemented with three levels of WPU stimulated glutathione peroxidase and catalase activates in experimental shrimps. MDA content of L. vannamei‐fed diet containing WPU 1.5 and WPU 1.0 was lower than WPU 0 and WPU 0. 5 diets. Also, lysozyme and phenoloxidase activities of shrimp receiving WPU at 1.0 and 1.5 level were significantly higher than those fed WPU 0 and WPU 0.5 diets. In addition, using WPU extract in all diets decreased mortality in L. vannamei in a dose‐dependent manner after challenge with P. damselae. These results suggest that incorporation of water‐soluble polysaccharides from green algae U. rigida at 1.5 g/kg doses improves growth and antioxidant activity and enhances the immune responses in shrimp L. vannamei.