The effects of dietary astaxanthin on the carotenoid pattern of the prawn Penaeus japonicus during postlarval development.

Penaeus japonicus postlarvae, reared under laboratory conditions, were fed an astaxanthin enriched diet to the investigate carotenoid metabolic capabilities during the postlarval development. Animals fed astaxanthin were found to absorb this carotenoid. The decrease of pigment concentration in the carotenoid starved group is related to the duration of the experimental feeding conditions; the carotenoid depletion depends upon the postlarval status at the starting point. As has been shown for adult prawns, the carotenoid pattern of postlarval stages, regardless of the diet, consists mainly of free and esterified astaxanthin; the relative amounts of these fractions undergo slight variations depending on the diet.