Effect of garlic powder-supplemented diets on the growth and survival of Pacific white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Abstract

The effect of different concentrations of garlic (Allium sativum) powder supplement in fish diet on growth and survival of Pacific white leg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei fry was investigated. Shrimp were separated into four experimental groups of 0% (Controls), 2, 4 and 6% concentrations of garlic powder. Garlic supplemented diet did not have any significant effect on weight gain (%), final weight (g) and survival rate (%) of L. vannamei when compared to shrimp in the Control diet. However, feed conversion ratio was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the Control group (1.94 ± 0.03) than those of the Treated groups. Survival rates of the shrimp fed the diets containing garlic powder were way higher (96–99%) compared to shrimp in the Control diet (91%). It was also observed that the shrimp fed the diet containing 6% garlic powder obtained the highest weight gain (%) of 201.33 ± 0.30% among the other groups. The result of the present study established the potential use of garlic powder as additive in the shrimp diet.

Keywords

• litopenaeus vannamei
• garlic-supplementation
• growth performance;