Vitamin nutrition in shrimp aquaculture: A review focusing on the last decade

Abstract

Recent advances in vitamin nutrition and changes in modern aquafeed formulations necessitate the revision of dietary vitamin requirements of farmed shrimp species. Vitamins and vitamin-like nutrients are critical to the growth, health, and fundamental development of crustaceans. However, information about vitamin nutrition in crustaceans, including shrimps, is fragmented and incomplete. The present review evaluates the latest vitamin studies on shrimp nutrition, focusing on updated literature over the last ten years. The requirements for individual vitamins and vitamin-like nutrients are summarised with new recommendations on their inclusion levels in shrimp feed based on existing literature and industry practice. Estimates of some dietary vitamin requirements remain broad for penaeid shrimp and are absent in other species (e.g., Macrobrachium spp.). New evidence of the potential functionality and benefits of vitamin and vitamin-like nutrients are identified and discussed. However, vitamin nutrition and its interactions with other nutrients and the environment remained understudied in shrimp. This knowledge gap should be filled before providing condition- and species-specific recommendations. Lastly, this review discusses shortcomings in previous studies and highlights future research needs to address current challenges and improve the sustainability of shrimp aquaculture.