Growth performance and nutritional impact of Moringa oleifera leaf extract as supplemental diets in the juvenile pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei)

Moringa (Moringa oleifera) is widely recognized for its potent medicinal properties and immunostimulant effects. This study aimed to investigate the impact of a hot water extract of moringa leaves on the growth performance, feed conversion ratio, and survival of pacific white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei. Four different diets were used in this experiment, each containing varying levels of moringa leaf extract: 0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 g/kg of the diet. A total of 1,200 shrimp, with an initial body weight of 0.01 g/individual, were carefully selected to ensure they were free from Vibrio infestation. One hundred shrimp were placed in each circular tank, with a volume of 750 L or 133 individuals per cubic meter. The shrimp were fed the diets four times daily, with a protein content ranging from 13% to 39%, over a period of 30 days. The results of the study revealed that the growth performance and survival rate of the shrimp in the groups that were fed diets supplemented with moringa were significantly higher than those in the control group (without moringa supplementation). The highest growth performance, in terms of specific growth rate, weight gain, and final weight, was observed in the groups of shrimps that were fed diets containing either 2.5 g or 5 g of moringa leaf extract per kilogram of the diet (p<0.05). Furthermore, the diet containing 2.5 g of moringa leaf extract per kilogram resulted in the highest survival rate compared to the other treatment groups. Therefore, it can be concluded that the optimal level of moringa in the diet of vannamei shrimp is 2.5 g/kg of the diet.