Improved performance of larval Penaeus vannamei Boone, 1931 production fed with Thalassiosira pseudonana Hasle and Heimdal, 1970 cultured with irradiation of light-emitting diode-LED compared to fluorescent light

Abstract The nutritional quality of microalgae used as feed in larviculture is essential to improve shrimp production. The shrimp Penaeus vannamei (zoea) larvae were fed with the microalga Thalassiosira pseudonana produced with light-emitting diode-LED or fluorescent lights irradiated and evaluated for survival, weight, and molting time from Nauplius V to Zoea III. The microalgae density and biomass were estimated at the harvest production level, and total lipid content and fatty acids profile as nutritional quality were evaluated. The density of the microalgae did not differ significantly, but its biomass and the content of lipids with LED were significantly higher (0.27 ± 0.05 mg L − 1 , 17.11 ± 7.30% lipids) than with fluorescent lights (0.17 ± 0.05 mg L − 1 , 4.7 ± 1.2%). Docosahexaenoic acid and docosapentaenoic acid concentrations were higher in the microalgae produced with LED, however eicosapentaenoic acid and other 15 fatty acids did not differ between treatments. The average weight of Zoea III differed between treatments (LED lights = 7.9 ± 0.6 µg and fluorescent lights = 6.3 ± 0.5 µg), and the molting time to Zoea III was 9 h shorter when fed with algae from LED, while survival was higher at 83.9 ± 0.9% LED and 78.4 ± 1.5% fluorescent lights. The nutritional quality of lipids from T. pseudonana under exposure to LED lights provides a better production and performance of P. vannamei zoeal larvae than when fed with T. pseudonnana irradiated with fluorescent lights.