Effects of enriched Artemia with n–3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on growth performance, stress resistance and fatty acid profile of Litopenaeus vannamei postlarvae

Abstract

A 15-day study was conducted to evaluate the effects of <em>Artemia</em> metanauplii enriched with two commercial supplements (Easy DHA-Selco and <em>S</em>. <em>presso</em>) which contained high levels of n–3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n–3 LC-PUFA) on growth performance, stress resistance and fatty acid profile of <em>Litopenaeus vannamei</em> post larvae (PL). In this regard, PL were fed with three different types of <em>Artemia </em>including: (1) newly hatched <em>Artemia franciscana</em> nauplii as the control group; (2) <em>Artemia </em>metanauplii enriched with Easy DHA-Selco; and (3) <em>Artemia </em>metanauplii enriched with <em>S. presso</em>. Survival rates did not change among different groups. PL fed <em>Artemia </em>enriched with the <em>S. presso</em> and the Easy DHA-Selco showed the highest wet and dry weight, respectively (<em>p</em><0.05). Moreover, PL fed <em>Artemia</em> enriched with the commercial emulsions had higher survival rate (~ 10 %) than treatments fed newly hatched <em>Artemia</em> (<em>p</em><0.05).The concentration of n–3 PUFA especially DHA and also n-3 / n-6 PUFA ratios were higher in PL fed with <em>Artemia</em> enriched with the commercial emulsions than the control group. Feeding enriched <em>Artemia </em>with n–3 LC-PUFA is recommended to improve growth performance in larval stages of <em>L. vannamei</em>.