LAUSR

This study was conducted to evaluate dietary inclusion effects of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis (SP) meal on the growth, survival, biochemical composition, and particularly reproductive performance during eight successive spawning events in the caridean red cherry shrimp, Neocaridina davidi, for 11 months. Juveniles were fed with six diets containing 0 (control), 1, 3, 5, 8, and 10% of SP levels. Most growth indicators in terms of final weight, specific growth rate, and average daily growth rate were significantly higher in the shrimp fed with SP10. The highest survival of females (75–81%) was recorded in shrimp fed SP8–10, being different from the other groups (25–73%). No changes were observed in lipid and moisture contents, and protein content showed an increasing trend with dietary Spirulina levels up to 10%. Absolute fecundity (eggs per female) was significantly affected in order of the highest to lowest viz. 45, 39, 30, 28, 27, and 24 with different incorporations. The relative fecundity (eggs per female’s body weight) of shrimp fed SP8–10 showed differences with the other groups. Except for the control, all Spirulina-fed females of SP1–5 showed hatching percentages of 78–84% compared with those of 91–94% for SP8–10. Relative fecundity in females fed SP8–10 showed differences from the fourth to the sixth spawning events compared with the other groups; this trend decreased non-significantly until the eighth spawning. The results obtained suggest that dietary inclusion of S. platensis meal at a level of 8–10% can improve the growth, survival and, in particular, reproductive performance of red cherry shrimp in commercial aquaria during maturity only up to the sixth spawning event.