將添加0,80,及240mg kg^(-1)蝦紅素飼糧餵予草蝦後期幼蟲四週來比較其成長、活存、及不同型式蝦紅素的濃度。所有的蝦的游離蝦紅素(FA),單酯蝦紅素(MA),雙酯蝦紅素(DA),及總蝦紅素(TA)的濃度皆隨時間而降低。在第四星期,當與控制組相較,80mg kg^(-1)蝦紅素組獲得較高含量的FA及TA,因而導致較高的活存與成長。蝦紅素更進一步添加到240mg kg^(-1)既不增加所有型式蝦紅素的含量,也不增加活存與成長。FA比DA及TA對飼糧蝦紅素的含量敏感而在每一週的採樣中顯現其差異。接著,FA比DA及TA更能影響到成長與活存。MA在所有的採樣中並未顯現與成長與活存的相關性。相對於飼餵蝦紅素含量,任一酯化蝦紅素(MA或DA)對TA的比例比未酯化蝦紅素,即FA較為穩定。
Diets supplemented with 0, 80, and 240mg astaxanthin kg^(-1) were fed to tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) postlarvae for 4 weeks to compare their growth, survival, and concentration and various forms of body astaxanthin. Free astaxanthin (FA), monoester astaxanthin (MA), diester astaxanthin (DA), and total astaxanthin (TA) of all shrimps decreased with time. In the fourth week, as compared to the control, the supplement of dietary astaxanthin at 80mg kg^(-1) resulted in higher content of body FA and TA, consequently higher survival and growth. Further supplement up to 240mg kg^(-1) neither increase content of all forms of body astaxanthin nor survival and growth. FA was more sensitive to dietary astaxanthin levels than DA and TA and reflected its difference in each weekly sampling. In turn, FA had more influence than DA and TA on growth and survival. MA had no correlation with both growth and survival at all samplings. The fraction of either esterified astaxanthin (MA or DA) to TA remained more stable than unesterified astaxanthin (FA) with respect to dietary astaxanthin level.