EVALUATION OF WEIGHT GAIN IN POST-LARVAE OF MARINE SHRIMP Litopenaeus vannamei (BOONE, 1931) FED ON FISH SPECIES WHICH COMPOSE THE MARINE SHRIMP FISHERIES BYCATCH

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the early development of Litopenaeus vannamei post-larvae in freshwater fed on fish species that compose the shrimp fisheries bycatch. Forty eight post-larvae with initial average of weight 0.008±0.001 g and length 11±0.5 mm were cultured. For each treatment were used ration of shrimp with 45% crude protein, Opisthonema oglinum (OO) and Chloroscombus chrysurus (CC), respectively. The treatment were arranged in a randomized complete blocks desing with 4 replications. The stocking density consisted of 4 shrimp per aquarium. During the 75 days, the shrimp were fed “ad libitum”. The average temperature final was 27.1±0.8ºC for the 3 treatments and final average pH 7.68±0.27 for the shrimp feed on RC and 7.66±0.22 for the feed on OO and CC, respectively. The final weight of the shrimp at the 75 days were 0.560±0.096 g, 0.495±0.091 g e 0.500±0.101 g and final length were 62.1±0.9 mm, 57.0±0.8 mm e 56.2±0.9 mm for the treatments RC, OO and CC, respectively. The results of final weight and length showed no statistical differences among treatments tested. The survival rate was 87.5±14.4%, 68.8±12.5% and 62.5±14.3% for the RC, OO and CC, respectively. We concluded that the use of shrimp ration, fishes O. oglinum and C. chrysurus as food for initial development of post-larvae shrimp can show similar results. KEY WORDS: Chloroscombus chrysurus, diets, Litopenaeus vannamei, marine shrimp, Opisthonema oglinum.