Evaluación del factor de condición (k) en litopenaeus vannamei alimentado con harina de acheta domesticus (grillo)

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of including domestic cricket meal (Acheta domesticus) as a partial replacement for fishmeal in the diet of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), focusing specifically on its influence on the condition factor (K), an indicator of the organism’s physiological status. Four isoproteic experimental diets were formulated with inclusion levels of 0% (control), 12%, 22%, and 32% cricket meal, and were administered over an eight-week period to juvenile L. vannamei, which were fed three times daily—at 06:00, 12:00, and 17:00—with a ration equivalent to 5% of their biomass. Growth parameters (weight and length) were recorded weekly, and the condition factor was calculated for each individual. The results indicated that weight and length gain were negatively affected by suboptimal conditions, such as high stocking density (70 shrimp/m²) and declining water temperature, both of which acted as limiting factors across all treatments. Although the treatment with 32% inclusion (TR3) exhibited slightly higher and more stable K values, no statistically significant differences were observed compared to the control, limiting the evidence of any physiological benefit from Acheta domesticus under the conditions tested. Therefore, while cricket meal presents a functionally adequate protein source with a suitable nutritional profile, its inclusion in aquafeeds did not significantly enhance physiological or productive performance under environmental stress, and its use is recommended only in systems that ensure optimal culture conditions.