Dietary biotin requirement for maximum growth of juvenile grass shrimp, Penaeus monodon

A feeding trial was conducted to estimate the minimal dietary biotin requirement for juvenile grass shrimp, Penaeus monodon. Purified diets with eight levels (0, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 3.0, 6.0, 10.0 and 20.0 mg/kg) of supplemental biotin were fed to P. monodon (mean weight 0. 26 +/- 0.01 g) for 8 wk. Each diet was fed to three replicate groups of shrimp. Shrimp fed diets supplemented with biotin (0.2-20.0 mg/kg) had significantly (P < 0.05) higher weight gain, feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio than those fed the unsupplemented control diet. Weight gain was high in shrimp fed 3. 0-10.0 mg biotin/kg diet and lowest in shrimp fed