Use of commercial fermentation products as a highly unsaturated fatty acid source in practical diets for the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Removal or reduction of marine ingredients (MI) from feed formulations is critical to the sustainability of the aquaculture industry. By removing MI, diets may become limiting in several nutrients including highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ArA). To reduce reliance on MI in shrimp diets, two trials were conducted with Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles to determine the feasibility of using fermentation meals rich in DHA and ArA as the primary source for HUFA. A practical diet with no MI was formulated with/without DHA and ArA supplements and fed in the first trial. A diet with menhaden fish oil or a combination of plant oil with/without DHA and ArA supplements was used in the second trial. To determine whether HUFA is only needed in the early growth stages, we also fed one group a HUFA‐supplemented diet to 5 g and then switched them to a HUFA‐supplement‐free diet. In both trials, the weights were reduced when HUFA supplements were not provided either throughout the trial or from 5 g to harvest (<16 g). These results suggest that supplementation of plant oils with DHA‐ and ArA‐rich oils from fermented products is a viable option to replace marine fish oil for L. vannamei.