Full-fat or defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal as a fish meal replacer in diet for Penaeus vannamei

Abstract Fish meal (FM) replacement with full-fat or defatted black soldier fly ( Hermetia illucens ) larvae meal (FBSF and DBSF, respectively) in diet for Pacific white shrimp ( Penaeus vannamei ) was assessed. A control diet (Con) was formulated to contain 20% FM and 25%, 50% and 75% FM were replaced with FBSF or DBSF to prepare six other diets (designated as FBSF5, FBSF10, FBSF15, DBSF5, DBSF10 and DBSF15, respectively). Total of 560 juvenile shrimp (0.77 ± 0.02 g) were selected and randomly allocated to 28 tanks (240 L) in four replicates. The shrimp were fed one of the diets six times daily for a period of 8 weeks. Growth performance was significantly enhanced in FBSF or DBSF groups than in Con group. Phenoloxidase activity was significantly increased in DBSF10 and DBSF15 groups than in Con group. FBSF5 and DBSF15 groups showed significantly increased lysozyme activity compared to Con group. Glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly improved in FBSF10 and DBSF15 groups than in Con group. No significant difference was observed in muscle amino acid composition among all the groups. Relative expression of insulin–like growth factor-binding protein gene was significantly increased in DBSF10 and DBSF15 groups compared to Con group. Shrimp fed FBSF or DBSF diets showed significantly upregulated mRNA expression of prophenoloxidase gene than in shrimp fed Con diet. Lauric acid (12:0) level of hepatopancreas fatty acid profiles was significantly increased by the increase in FBSF and DBSF supplementation in diets. Eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) levels in both muscle and hepatopancreas were significantly lower in FBSF10 and FBSF15 groups than in Con group. These results indicate that FBSF or DBSF could be used as a promising ingredient for FM replacement in diet for the shrimp and DBSF would be better than FBSF for the shrimp performance.