Protective effects of Chlorella vulgaris as a feed additive on growth performance, immunity, histopathology, and disease resistance against Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the Pacific white shrimp

Abstract

The present study investigated the effect of Chlorella vulgaris on growth performance, feed consumption, body composition, and immune response of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) against Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection. Shrimps (4.00 ± 0.04 g) were divided into five groups (3 replicates/20 each) in 15 hapa (1 m3) and cultured for 56 days with five C. vulgaris experimented diets at five different concentrations (0, 15, 20, 25, and 30 g/kg feed). Growth performance, feed utilization, biomass, and body composition (protein, lipid, and ash) were analyzed and revealed significant increase (P < 0.05) in shrimp fed the high C. vulgaris diet. Additionally, the survival rate of shrimp in all experimental feeds was improved, but was not significant. Shrimp fed with C. vulgaris at different concentrations showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher antioxidant activity. The study showed that shrimp fed with a concentration of 30 g/kg C. vulgaris in the diet showed significantly (P < 0.05) highest disease resistance against the pathogen tested. Hence, dietary C. vulgaris might be used to improve growth performance, feed utilization, body composition, and immune biomarker responses, leading to disease resistance in cultured shrimp.