Study on Development of Formulated Feed for Improving Growth and Pigmentation of Shrimp (Penaeus monodon) Juveniles

Traditional method of shrimp (Penaeus monodon) culture is a common practice in Indian Sundarbans which is done without any sound scientific back-up, proper feed and water quality management. The shrimp farmers use traditional feed of animal origin that often results in fouling of water quality and disease outbreak in cultured species. The present paper highlights the effect of total replacement of animal ingredients in shrimp feed with dust of saltmarsh grass Porteresia coarctata (as principal floral ingredient). Weight gain, condition index (C.I.), feed conversion ratio (FCR), survival, body pigmentation (astaxanthin level) were analyzed in shrimps along with pond water quality. Higher C.I. values, survival rate and gain in shrimp weight were observed in experimental pond (E) compared to control pond (C). Low FCR values were observed in the experimental pond than the control pond. Astaxanthin values in shrimps of the experimental pond were also higher than the control pond which points towards P. coarctata as the source of carotenoid in the shrimp tissue.