AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENTATION OF FEED PELLETS OF THE GIANT SHRIMP (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)

ABSTRACT Amino acids reported to be essential for the giant shrimp ( Macrobrachium rosenbergii ) and other crustacea have been added at a 1% level by weight to Purina Marine Ration repelletized with binders. Separate batches of repelletized feed were made as follows: control without supplement; isonitrogenous control with 1% ovalbumin supplement, or with 1% of the natural enantiomorph of arginine, lysine, phenylalanine, histidine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, or threonine separately supplemented. Pellets were fed to individual animals in parallel experiments under precisely controlled and defined environmental and density conditions. Growth rates and conversion ratios and indices were measured as previously reported. Arginine, phenylalanine, leucine, and isoleucine stimulated the growth‐conversion index while the other amino acids tested had no significant effect on this index and appeared to be available at a sufficient level in the commercial pellet.