Maturation performance, offspring quality and lipid composition of Macrobrachium rosenbergii females fed increasing levels of dietary phospholipids

The effects of increasing levels of dietary phospholipids (PL) on the repro ductive performance, egg and larval quality, and lipid composition of femal es of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii were investigated. Thr ee isolipidic diets containing similar amounts of highly unsaturated fatty acids but varying levels of PL (0.8, 2.4 and 4.6%) were fed during 180 days to three groups of eight females originating from Thai ponds. No significa nt differences were observed for fecundity, egg size and hatchability, star ved larvae size, and size, survival and tolerance to stress of 8 day-old la rvae. Similarly, no major differences in the lipid composition of the midgu t gland, ovaries and muscle tissue of females could be detected. Results in dicate the lack of need of dietary supplementation of PL for M. rosenbergii broodstock, as previously reported for earlier life stages. It is suggeste d that the basal level of 0.8% dietary PL was sufficient to meet the dietar y demands of the prawn broodstock. The PL requirements of M. rosenbergii br oodstock, if any, may be satisfied in commercial feeds through the inclusio n of ingredients containing some phospholipids endogenously.