SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department Contribution No. 97.

Juveniles of P. monodon Fabricius (initial mean weight 1.76 g) were reared on semipurified diets containing 10 or 40% maltose, sucrose, dextrin, molasses, cassava starch, corn starch or sago palm starch for 6 weeks. Highest survival (56%) was obtained in juveniles fed with a diet containing 10% sucrose. Within 10 days of rearing, complete mortality was observed in prawns fed with higher levels of maltose and molasses. After 6 weeks, among the starches, sago palm starch provided for the best survival at 10% level. There was no relationship between time to death and size of the prawn (r = −0.10). Significant differences were observed between the type, as well as the level, of carbohydrate in the diet on the survival of juvenile prawn. Histopathological changes in the hepatopancreas, gills and exoskeleton of juveniles fed with the various carbohydrates were also studied.