Effects of Sterol Supplements (Cholesterol FG, Cholesterol SF, and Sterols M1M) on Growth and Survival of the Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei Boone.

Boone for cholesterol was evaluated in a 57-day growth trial. Sterol supplements were (1) cholesterol SF, whichcontained ≥91% cholesterol and ≥97% total sterol, (2) cholesterol FG, which contained ≥60% cholesterol and≥75% total sterol, and (3) sterols M1M, which contained only 21% cholesterol and 63% total sterol. Thecomposition of sterols other than cholesterol in M1M was similar to that in FG. Diets contained five levels of thesterol additives (0.0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4%). Survival (64-91%) was not affected by either the level or type ofsterol supplement. Mean weight gains ranged from 1.6 g for the base diet without sterol supplements to 7.0 g forthe diet with 0.4% FG. For sterol levels above 0.05%, growth on both SF and FG was greater than on M1M.Growth increased with sterol level up to 0.4% for FG and M1M, and up to 0.2% for SF with no further increasefor 0.4% SF. The growth data suggested that the cholesterol requirement for optimum growth was satisfied byeither 0.16% cholesterol SF or 0.25% cholesterol FG, that the dietary requirement for cholesterol by L. vannameiwas 0.15%, and that sterols other than cholesterol in FG and M1M can partially, but not completely, satisfy thedietary requirement for cholesterol.