COMPOUNDED DIETS FOR EARLY POSTLARVAL PENAEUS CALIFORNIENSIS

A series of two-week experiments were performed to evaluate extruded, compounded diets and to determine the usefulness of single-cell protein sources as replacements for fish meal in diets for Penaeid shrimp. The diets were compounded at two protein levels, 40 and 44%, using conventional feed ingredients with and without linolenic acid. The tests were conducted using early postlarval (16 mg) Penaeus Californiensis in a flow-through system and the prepared diets were compared against brine shrimp nauplii (Artemia salina). Two types of yeast were evaluated, those from n-paraffins (Toprina G) and brewer's yeast (Yeaco-20). In addition, blood meal and soybean oil meal were used to partially replace fish meal in the test diets. When the yeasts were used at 10% of the diet, it was found that the shrimp achieved a larger mean final weight and exhibited better survival than either the Artemia control or the non-yeast diets. Soybean oil meal was satisfactory as a replacement protein, but blood meal appeared to cause a depression in growth at all levels of inclusion. Of the two yeasts, the n-paraffin yeast appears to be the better complement to the other diet ingredients.