Types of Feed for Whiteleg Shrimp
Nurturing whiteleg shrimps with good feed will result in high-quality shrimps when harvesting. Find out types of feed for whiteleg shrimp to keep them healthy.
One of the ways to take care and nurture whiteleg shrimps is through the feed. Proper feed for whiteleg shrimp will enable the shrimps to grow well. Therefore, you need to notice the food intake. To provide the qualified one for the shrimps, you can combine natural diets with additional artificial feed sources. Here are some types of feed you can consider.
1. Fishmeal
One of the proper feed for whiteleg shrimp that many farmers use is fishmeal. Made of marine fish, fishmeal provides essential fatty acids, protein, and other minerals, such as B vitamins and phosphorus for the shrimp diet. Furthermore, this meal contains dietary requirements for shrimp growth. Because of the popularity of this diet, you can find it in many countries.
2. Pellets
Many shrimp farmers use pellets to feed whiteleg shrimp. Pellets become the source of energy to grow the shrimps as they have some essential nutrients needed to keep shrimps healthy.
You can feed the shrimps by scattering pellets over the surface of the pond two to three times a day. Time management can be different depending on the size of the shrimps. Therefore, you need to make sure the shrimp size to adjust the proper daily feed. The purpose is to manage the quality of shrimp feed and reduce feed waste.
3. Biofilm
Whiteleg shrimp can eat from different food substrates with a variety of water conditions. Based on the following conditions, another alternative feed for whiteleg shrimp is the biofilm. Biofilm is such a natural diet where the shrimps can find it easily underwater in a tank or a pond. It forms a layer that appears submerged in water as the diatoms, bacteria, algae, fungi, and other organisms appear.
4. Fish-oil Free Diet with DHA and EPA Supplements
If you aim to farm and sell whiteleg shrimps to the plants or markets, try to feed them with the fish-oil free diet with additional docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) supplements. This kind of feed is suitable to increase the quality and shrimp growth under field situations.
5. Dried Leaves
Consider dried leaves to be an alternative natural source for the whiteleg shrimp diet. The leaves contain fiber and cause biofilm to attach and grow on. You can use dried and brown leaves from many trees, like maple, willow, cherry, acorn, a plum, or oak.
6. Soybean Meal
The size quality of whiteleg shrimp depends on the nutrient content of the diet you give. Another preferential feed for whiteleg shrimp to consider is soybean meal. It is a richer source of essential amino acid profiles compared to other diets. This meal also enables the shrimps to digest efficiently.
In conclusion, there are several types of feed for whiteleg shrimp you can provide. You can combine natural and artificial diets to increase the growth of the shrimps. The selection of proper diets brings about the result in the cost efficiency with final high-quality whiteleg shrimps in the harvest time.
Sources:
https://thefishsite.com/articles/the-benefits-of-fish-meal-in-aquaculture-diets
http://www.fao.org/3/a-y3781e.pdf
https://www.feednavigator.com/Article/2019/08/20/Fish-oil-free-shrimp-diets-may-benefit-from-DHA-additive-use
https://thefishsite.com/articles/cultured-aquatic-species-whiteleg-shrimp