Effect of different diets on larval production, quality and fatty acid profile of the marine ornamental shrimp Lysmata amboinensis (de Man, 1888), using wild larvae as a standard

The present work evaluates the influence of broodstock diets [Marine Cuisine^®– MC, MC supplemented with highly unsaturated fatty acid- (HUFA) enriched Artemia biomass – MC + AB, and MC supplemented with squid – MC + S] on larval production, newly hatched and early zoeal stage survival and fatty acid profile of newly hatched larvae of Lysmata amboinensis . These parameters are compared with those from larvae hatched from embryos spawned in the wild. The number (±SE) of larvae produced with MC and MC + S (1077 ± 219 and 1103 ± 184, respectively) was similar to that in broodstock carrying embryos spawned in the wild (1224 ± 111), while those fed MC + AB displayed significantly lower values (1044 ± 161). Larvae produced with MC + AB displayed lower survival for all starvation periods, while larvae spawned in the wild displayed the highest survival. No larvae resisted 144 h of starvation and none moulted to zoea II. The fatty acid comparison revealed that larvae from embryos spawned in the wild displayed the highest levels of DHA, as well as higher DHA/EPA and n -3/ n -6 ratios. These results suggest that broodstock diets commonly used to promote ornamental shrimp's maturation (based on mixed frozen components) are far from being optimal.