Farzad Salehi

Aquaculture is highly significant in terms of ensuring a stable supply of fish and their health benefits for human consumption. The use of proper nutrition and natural additives, such as plant-derived bioactive compounds, can enhance the growth and health of shrimp without harmful effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Terminalia catappa leaf on the growth performance, nutrition, and survival of Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp. Additionally, the impact of Terminalia catappa leaf on digestive enzyme and antioxidant enzyme activities and shrimp immunity was examined. Methodology: Fresh green leaves of almond trees were carefully washed and dried to minimize moisture content. The leaves were then powdered. A total of 120 L. vannamei shrimp were obtained from a private shrimp farming company. The shrimp were placed in 1000-liter tanks, and suitable environmental conditions were maintained using proper transportation techniques. Commercial shrimp feed was used for nutrition. The shrimp were divided into different treatment groups and kept in 300-liter tanks for the experiment. The control group was fed only with commercial feed, while the other groups were fed diets containing different percentages of almond leaf (1%, 3%, and 5% almond leaf for 8 weeks). Conclusions: In general, the highest LG value was observed in shrimp fed with treatment 1, the highest values of total hemocyte, SG, hyaline, amylase, lipase, protease, and phenol oxidase were observed in shrimp fed with treatment 2, and the highest values of catalase, GR, and GST were observed in shrimp fed with treatment 3. The treatments applied were not effective on the growth rate of whiteleg shrimp.