The effect of diet on the reproductive performance of pond-reared Penaeus monodon Fabricius broodstock

Abstract

Three practical diets were tested for their effects on the reproductive performance, survival and larval quality of pond-reared Penaeus monodon. Diets A, B and C were formulated to contain the same basal components but supplemented with different sources of lipids. Lipid sources were cod liver oil (Diet A), soybean lecithin (Diet C) or their 1:1 combination (Diet B). An all-natural diet consisting of squid and marine annelids served as control. Pond-raised P. monodon were stocked in four 12-m³ flow-through maturation tanks with 28 females and 22 males per tank. Broodstock were acclimated to the diets prior to unilateral ablation of females. Reproductive performance in terms of total number of spawnings, eggs and nauplii production, average hatch rate of eggs and larval quality was best for Diet A followed by Diet C. Diet B gave the poorest overall response but was better than the control. In the control most of the mature females resorbed their ovaries and failed to spawn; survival rates of females was also lowest. The results suggest that nutritional quality of broodstock diet affects reproduction and larval survival. Diet A (cod liver oil supplemented) was found to be a suitable diet for successful maturation and spawning of pond-reared P. monodon.