Growth and fatty acid composition of juvenile leader prawns, Penaeus monodon, fed different lipids

The effects of feeding different lipids on the growth and fatty acid composition of juvenile leader prawns, Penaeus monodon, were evaluated using pelleted diets, Seven experimental diets were formulated using 4% canola oil, 4% cod liver oil, 4% lard, 4% linseed oil, 4% medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, 4% soy bean oil and 2% cod liver oil + 2% MCT oil. The diets were fed to triplicate groups of ten prawns (1.49 +/- 0.01 g) for 40 days. Growth rates of prawns were significantly (P < 0.01) affected by lipid source. Mean growth rates of prawns fed linseed oil, canola oil, soybean oil and MCT/cod liver oil were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in prawns fed cod liver oil or lard. Prawns fed MCT oil exhibited a significantly (P < 0.05) lower mean growth rate than prawns fed all other diets. Survival of prawns was between 77 and 100%. Analysis of fatty acid composition of neutral and polar lipids of whole prawns revealed similar fatty acid profiles to the diets, Partitioning of 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 to polar lipids and shorter chain fatty acids to neutral lipids was observed in all treatments. Prawns may desaturate 16:0, elongation and desaturation products of 18 carbon fatty acids were not noted. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.