Shrimp feed: how to formulate it at each stage

Date: 04/11/2026

A shrimp diet must keep pace with the changes that take place from the earliest stages of development through the grow-out phase. As the animal develops, its nutritional requirements, feeding behavior, ability to utilize nutrients and the physical characteristics required of the feed all change.

At the shrimp post-larval stage, factors such as diet quality, attractiveness and amino acid availability receive greater attention. During the juvenile and grow-out phases, the balance between protein and energy has a greater influence on weight gain, feed conversion and feeding costs.

That is why formulation should not be limited to reaching a predetermined crude protein percentage. This article explains how requirements change from one stage to the next and which criteria should be considered when evaluating protein sources, digestibility, feed water stability and cost per performance.

In this article, you will find:

What does shrimp feed need to deliver at each stage of production?

Nutritional priorities change as shrimp develop. Formulation must provide energy, amino acids, lipids, vitamins and minerals in proportions suited to each stage, while also offering digestibility, attractiveness and physical characteristics appropriate for consumption.

Another relevant aspect is the ability to utilize nutrients. Species, weight, salinity, temperature, stocking density, the natural productivity of the environment and feeding management all affect the response to the diet, so no single composition can meet the needs of every production system.

In addition to protein, formulation must supply energy and fatty acids that match the requirements of the species and the production stage. On this point, it is possible to partially replace fish oil with animal-origin oils, provided the formulation maintains the supply of EPA and DHA through appropriate sources. It is also important to consider the fatty acid profile, digestibility, oxidative stability and production conditions.

How do shrimp nutritional requirements change at each stage?

Nutritional priorities change as shrimp develop. Beyond the requirements related to species and weight, formulation must keep up with changes in feed intake capacity, growth, nutrient utilization and the production goals of each stage.

Stage	Main nutritional objective	WHAT TO PRIORITIZE IN THE FORMULATION
Post-larvae	Support rapid development and survival during the nursery phase	Digestibility, available amino acids, attractiveness, particle size and water stability
Juvenile phase	Maintain growth and diet utilization	Protein-to-energy ratio, feed conversion, amino acid profile and production conditions
Grow-out phase	Promote weight gain and feed efficiency through harvest	Protein utilization, feed conversion, shrimp diet stability and cost per performance

Post-larvae

Shrimp post-larvae grow rapidly and depend more heavily on a diet suited to their intake and digestive capacity. At this stage, particle size, attractiveness, water stability and amino acid availability are as relevant as protein content.

Juvenile phase

During the juvenile phase, formulation must support growth without diverting an excessive share of protein to energy production. The balance with lipids and carbohydrates, digestibility and the amino acid profile all affect nutrient utilization and feed conversion.

Grow-out phase

In grow-out, weight gain, feed conversion and cost per performance carry more weight in production decisions. Reducing protein without assessing its quality can limit amino acid supply, while raising the percentage beyond what the animals can utilize increases costs and nitrogen excretion.

Health challenges such as White Spot Syndrome, Infectious Myonecrosis (IMN) and vibriosis can also affect feed intake, survival and productivity. The shrimp diet provides nutritional support, but it does not replace biosecurity, water quality control, diagnosis and health management.

What should be evaluated in the protein used in shrimp diets?

Protein composition must be analyzed based on the amount available for metabolism, not just the crude percentage. The main criteria include:

● Digestibility: the proportion of protein digested and absorbed under the conditions evaluated.
● Amino acid profile: shows whether the source supplies essential amino acids in the proportions required by the species and stage.
● Bioavailability: the absorbed fraction that remains available for use by the body.
● Attractiveness and palatability: affect how shrimp locate, grasp and consume the feed.
● Standardization: reduces differences between the nutritional matrix used in calculations and the actual composition of the ingredient received.
● Mineral composition of the source: indicates the contribution of phosphorus and other minerals that must be balanced in the diet.
● Microbiological safety: part of the control of raw materials, processing, storage and the finished product.

Crude protein content is an estimate based on the nitrogen present in the ingredient. As a result, two sources with similar percentages may differ in amino acid profile, digestibility, minerals, fat and nutrient availability.

How does protein digestibility affect feed conversion?

Before it can be used for maintenance and growth, protein must be digested into peptides and amino acids, absorbed and directed to metabolism. Losses at any of these steps reduce the amount of nutrients that shrimp actually utilize.

This relationship can be seen in the following points:

● Protein utilization: more digestible sources increase the share potentially available for absorption.
● Nutrient waste: the undigested fraction may be excreted and increase the waste load in the system.
● Amino acid availability: the balance among absorbed amino acids affects protein synthesis.
● Feed conversion: poorly utilized diets may require more feed to produce the same biomass gain.
● Formulation cost: price, intake, feed conversion and performance must be evaluated together.

Araujo et al. (2025), authors of Effect of Protein Intake on Growth and Nutrient Retention of Pacific White Shrimp in a Green Water Recirculating Aquaculture System, evaluated juvenile shrimp weighing 0.41 g over 11 weeks. The experiment used 32 tanks, diets with 25% to 40% crude protein and two feeding rates to analyze the effects of protein concentration and the amount of feed supplied.

When the lower-protein diets were supplied in larger amounts to match protein intake, shrimp showed growth similar to that of the treatments equivalent to 40% protein. However, the higher feeding rates combined with lower protein levels increased feed consumption and were the most expensive for producing 1 kg of shrimp, which reinforces the importance of analyzing cost per performance.

What is the relationship between feed quality and water quality?

Feed that is supplied but not consumed can break down and release organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus into the production environment. Nutrients that are not retained in tissues also partly return to the water through feces and excretion.

When physical stability is insufficient, soluble components can be lost before the feed is eaten. A balanced formulation suited to the animals' digestive capacity, on the other hand, favors nutrient utilization, but results also depend on processing, the amount supplied, feeding frequency and the removal of uneaten feed.

Méndez-Martínez et al. (2021), authors of Dry Matter, Protein, and Energy Digestibility of Diets for Juvenile Pacific White Leg Shrimps Reared at Different Salinity Levels, evaluated two experimental and six commercial diets over 120 days. The study used juveniles of approximately 4 g at salinities of 5, 35 and 50 parts per thousand; water stability ranged from 86.8% to 99.9%, while apparent protein digestibility ranged from 56.9% to 85.8%.

In the combined analysis, experimental formulation E2, based on fish meal and combined with a salinity of 35 parts per thousand, showed the best balance between water stability and digestibility in aquaculture. Responses varied across diets and salinities, showing that feed performance depends on both the formulation and the conditions under which it is used.

How to choose protein sources for shrimp feed?

A formulation can combine different sources to achieve the target amino acid profile, digestibility, attractiveness and cost. The choice depends on the role each ingredient plays.

Protein source	Role in the formulation	What to evaluate
Marine meals and ingredients	Can supply protein, amino acids, minerals, marine lipids and attractant compounds	Digestibility, ash, stability, origin, consistency and availability
Plant proteins	Broaden supply options and can contribute to the replacement of marine ingredients	Limiting amino acids, antinutritional factors, digestibility, attractiveness and need for supplementation
Land animal proteins	Provide protein and amino acids, with varying fat and mineral profiles	Raw material, processing, digestibility, ash, standardization and safety
Hydrolyzed proteins	Supply low-molecular-weight peptides and free amino acids; may also contribute to attractiveness and to health- and performance-related responses, depending on demonstrated bioactivity	Degree of hydrolysis, molecular weight distribution, solubility, composition, inclusion level and experimental results

Replacing one source with another should not be calculated solely on the basis of crude protein equivalence. Amino acids, energy, minerals, digestibility, attractiveness and behavior during processing must remain consistent with the goal of the diet.

What is the role of hydrolyzed proteins in shrimp feed formulation?

In enzymatic hydrolysis, proteases break some of the bonds in proteins, forming low-molecular-weight peptides and free amino acids. This fragmentation changes properties such as solubility and attractiveness and may reduce the steps needed for digestion, although the outcome depends on the raw material, the process and the complete diet.

Low-molecular-weight peptides can contribute to digestibility, attractiveness and the functional effects of the diet. The magnitude of the response should be interpreted together with composition, inclusion level, species, production stage, the source being replaced and results obtained under conditions comparable to those of commercial farming.

Negrini et al. (2024), authors of Different Protein Hydrolysates Can Be Used in the Penaeus vannamei Diet as a Partial Replacement for Fish Meal during the Grow-Out Phase, evaluated 1.35 g juveniles in 24 experimental units over 50 days. The six treatments included a fish meal control and five strategies of 6% partial replacement: chicken protein hydrolysate; enzymatic chicken feather hydrolysate; Aquabite, a product based on marine fish peptides; chicken protein hydrolysate with maltodextrin; and chicken protein hydrolysate with yeast.

The hydrolysate treatments maintained growth, feed conversion, survival and hemocyte counts similar to the control, while amylase and trypsin activity varied among diets. The result demonstrates the feasibility of the hydrolyzed proteins evaluated as partial substitutes for fish meal under the experimental conditions.

MBRF Ingredients' BioActio Health & Performance is produced through the enzymatic hydrolysis of chicken proteins. The ingredient is part of the hydrolyzed protein portfolio for aquaculture and contains low-molecular-weight peptides and 15% free amino acids, while also supporting palatability.

In 2025, MBRF Ingredients won the F3 Krill Replacement Challenge with BioActio Health & Performance. The challenge selected ten finalists from among 40 companies and evaluated krill substitutes in a 12-week trial with Atlantic salmon, considering growth, feed intake and survival.

Shrimp feed: performance depends on formulation quality

Nutritional requirements vary according to species, weight, stage and production system. Crude protein percentages in shrimp diets offer benchmarks, but they must be interpreted alongside energy, amino acids, digestibility, attractiveness and the physical stability of the feed.

For this reason, ingredient selection should consider nutrient utilization and cost per performance, not just purchase price. Hydrolyzed proteins can play specific roles within this set when their composition and experimental results match the needs of the formulation.

Discover BioActio Health & Performance and talk to the MBRF Ingredients team to evaluate its application in aquaculture formulations. The technical analysis can take into account diet composition, production stage and the intended results for the operation.

Frequently asked questions about shrimp feed

What is the recommended protein content in shrimp feed?

There is no single percentage that applies to all feeds. In studies with P. vannamei, Barreto et al. (2023) estimated about 47% crude protein in the diet for 3.2 mg post-larvae in a clear-water recirculating system, while Lee and Lee (2018) estimated 34.5% to 35.6% for 0.65 g and 4.8 g animals and 32.2% for 10.5 g animals, using semi-purified diets. These values are benchmarks tied to the experimental design and do not replace an assessment of the species, stage, energy, protein source and production system.

Do protein requirements change with the shrimp's stage?

Yes. Post-larvae grow rapidly and may require diets with higher protein density, while juveniles and grow-out animals respond to different relationships among protein, energy and intake.

What should be evaluated in the protein source used in shrimp diets?

The evaluation includes digestibility, amino acid profile, bioavailability, attractiveness, non-protein components (such as minerals and lipids), standardization and microbiological safety. These parameters reveal aspects of the protein source that crude protein content alone does not.

How does digestibility influence shrimp growth?

Digestibility indicates the share of nutrients that can be digested and absorbed. When protein is poorly utilized, fewer amino acids are available for maintenance and growth.

What influences shrimp feed conversion?

Feed conversion depends on diet composition and digestibility, the amount supplied, feeding frequency and the feed's water stability. Temperature, salinity, stocking density, animal health and water quality also affect the outcome.

Can hydrolyzed protein be used in shrimp feed?

Yes. Hydrolyzed proteins supply low-molecular-weight peptides and free amino acids, can improve attractiveness and may have bioactive functions related to nutrient utilization and physiological responses. Their application depends on composition, inclusion level and the evidence obtained for the species, stage and formulation evaluated.

How to choose protein sources for shrimp feeding?

The choice should consider each source's contribution to amino acids, energy, minerals, digestibility and attractiveness. The combination must also be compatible with the stage, the production system and the expected cost per performance.