Requirements of linoleic and linolenic acid in the diet of Indian white prawn <i>Penaeus indicus</i> (H. Milne Edwards)

Abstract

Feeding trials using purified diets were carried out for determining the requirements of linoleic and lenolenic acid in the diet of Indian white prawn Penaeus indicus. Nine isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets were formulated containing palmitic acid as basal lipid source. Various levels of either individual or in mixture of linoleic and linolenic acids were used in these diets. When fed on diet without linoleic or linolenic acid (diet 1) the prawn exhibited poor growth, food conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and protein utilisation thus indicating that these fatty acids are essential for growth of P. indicus. Diet containing 2U+0025 linolenic acid showed higher growth rate than that contained 1U+0025. Diet containing 1U+0025 linoleic acid supported significantly higher growth. Among the four diets, compounded with mixture of linoleic acid incorporated at 1U+0025 level in the ratio of 0.5:0.5 produced superior growth compared to remaining diets with higher levels of these fatty acids.