Diets incorporated with varying levels (5, 15, 25 and 35%) of bacterial fermented oil cake mix,
derived by solid-state fermentation (SSF) as fishmeal replacement, were evaluated in Penaeus
monodon post larvae for growth, digestibility and body composition through a 42 days laboratory
experiment. A diet containing 35% fishmeal and no fermented ingredient mix was used as the
control. Pure culture of Bacillus coagulans MTCC-2449 was used for SSF and the 36 h fermented
product was incorporated in the diets. Analysis of response data revealed that the shrimp fed diet
containing 35% fermented ingredient mix (100% fishmeal substitution) had significantly higher
(P<0.05) mean weight gain (0.63±0.03 g), better feed conversion ratio (1.58), apparent protein
utilization (25.65) and protein efficiency ratio (1.71) than all other diets as well as the control.
The apparent protein digestibility (86.56%) and apparent fat digestibility (94.55%) were also
found to be the highest for this diet. The survival rate was 100% in all the treatments and the
control
