Sperm quality of Litopenaeus vannamei fed fresh or experimental food in two culture systems

Abstract

The growth of shrimp production through aquaculture has led to efforts to optimize processes such as nutrition during the prematuration and reproductive phases. This study sought an optimal culture system and diet to enhance the reproductive characteristics of male Litopenaeus vannamei during prematuration: this compared biofloc with clear water, and an experimental pellet (EP) with a mix of fresh food. Effects were measured in terms of shrimp survival, sperm quality, immunological parameters including prophenoloxidase (ProPO) and hemocyte count, nutritional condition measured as metabolites in hemolymph, hepatopancreas, and reproductive tract, oxidative stress biomarkers in the hepatopancreas and reproductive tract, and relative expression of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, ProPO, alpha2-macroglobulin and caspase in reproductive tract. Survival was higher with pellets (100%) than with fresh food (87%). Shrimp that were fed pellets had a higher hepatosomatic index, higher nutrient concentration in the hepatopancreas, and a higher antioxidant activity in the reproductive tract. Notably, sperm quality remained similar regardless of culture system or diet. These promising results should be ratified with a bioeconomic study to check the feasibility of hatcheries to use monosex tanks and feeding the males with EPs.