Effect of γ-aminobutyric acid supplementation on growth performance, endocrine hormone and stress tolerance of juvenile Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, fed low fishmeal diet

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the optimum dietary γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) level in low fishmeal diet for juvenile Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei . Six practical diets (449 g kg −1 protein, 87 g kg −1 lipid) supplemented with graded levels of GABA (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 mg kg −1 ) were formulated. Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of 30 shrimps (approximately 0.44 g), and the shrimps were fed four times a day to apparent satiation. Weight gain and gain rate were significantly increased with the supplementation of GABA ( P < 0.05). Hepatosomatic index and survival were also significantly influenced by the dietary GABA levels ( P < 0.05) and show a similar trend to those of growth performance. Insulin and neuropeptide Y concentrations in blood were increased with the supplementation of GABA. In total, 150 mg GABA kg −1 -supplemented diets significantly increased the survival after 12, 24 and 36 h of NH 3 stress, also increased the total antioxidant capacity, total superoxide dismutase, catalase, antihydroxyl radical and phenoloxidase activities before and after the 36 h NH 3 stress compared to basic group. These results clearly indicated that GABA could improve growth performance, antioxidative capacity and resistance against NH 3 stress in L. vannamei , and 150 mg kg −1 GABA supplementation was suitable for L. vannamei fed with low fishmeal diet.