Food utilization, growth and lactate dehydrogenase activity of the prawn, Metapenaeus dobsoni (Miers) fed with commercial diet

Abstract

An assessment of commercial diet and its impact on conversion efficiency, growth parameters and an enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the eye was made. The test organisms (Metapenaeus dobsoni) were grown in the laboratory using commercial diet (low protein, high carbohydrate and no lipid). It was observed that the growth rate using this diet was not encouraging and could not transform energy at optimum level resulting into low protein and high carbohydrate levels in the edible tissue of the prawns. LDH activity decreased with the growth of the prawns fed on this diet. Three isozymes of LDH were observed in the eye tissue. No effect of this diet could be noticed on the isozyme patterns, The commercial diet used in the present study showed marked effect on the activity of LDH in the eye but could not influence the isozyme patterns of LDH.