Tenebrio Molitor meal in diet: feed efficiency, growth performance, immunity, nutritional value and organoleptic of white-legged shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Tenebrio molitor meal is a high-protein alternative feed ingredient for aquaculture. This study evaluated the effects of replacing fish meal with T. molitor meal on feed efficiency, growth, and hemolymph profile in whiteleg shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ). A completely randomized design was used with five dietary treatments (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% substitution) and three replicates. Results showed that T. molitor meal significantly ( P < 0.05) increased total feed intake, feed utilization efficiency, protein efficiency ratio, specific growth rate, total hemocyte count, differential hemocyte counts and decreased feed conversion ratio. The best performance was observed in the 100% substitution group: total feed intake 73.18 ± 0.51 g, feed utilization efficiency 98.84 ± 0.71%, feed conversion ratio 1.01 ± 0.01, specific growth rate 1.11 ± 0.02% day −1 , survival rate 100%, total hemocyte count 4.2 ± 0.40 × 10 6 cells mL −1 , and differential hemocyte counts: hyaline 92.00 ± 2.00%. Treatment B and D yielded the highest granular cell percentage at 13.00 ± 3.00% and a protein efficiency ratio of 3.35 ± 0.03%. Nutritional analysis also confirmed the presence of essential amino acids, EPA, DHA, and palmitic acid. These demonstrate that T. molitor meal can replace fish meal in L. vannamei diets while maintaining shrimp performance, improving nutritional and immune parameters, and supporting more sustainable feed formulation.