Cholesterol requirement of juvenile tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon)

Abstract

The effect of dietary cholesterol on the growth and survival of juvenile tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) was tested using semi-purified diets. Twenty-four shrimp per treatment, with an initial mean weight of 268.2 mg, were individually housed in black nylon mesh pots in 40-liter aquaria containing 30 ppt seawater. Diets containing 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.8, and 1.0% supplemental cholesterol were evaluated. The duration of the experiment was 63 days. Shrimp fed diets containing 0% and 1% cholesterol had significantly lower weight gain and poorer survival than those fed the other diets. There was no significant difference in weight gain of P. monodon fed diets containing 0.2–0.8% cholesterol. A diet containing 1% cholesterol had an adverse or toxic effect on P. monodon growth.