Acoustic technology is emerging as a valuable tool for ethological studies, leveraging the click sounds emitted by shrimp mandibles during feeding. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) was employed to investigate the feeding behavior of Litopenaeus vannamei subjected to varying feeding frequencies. Shrimp groups (average weight 3.31 g) were placed in 12 tanks, with three treatment replicates for feeding frequencies of one, two, four, and eight times daily. The same quantity of pelleted feed was provided either as a single feeding or divided into two, four, or eight portions throughout the day. Feeding activity was monitored over an eight-hour period (8 am to 4 pm) using hydrophones connected to a digital recorder. Uneaten feed was collected at the end of each recording session to estimate feed consumption. Audio recordings were analyzed using Raven® Pro 1.5 software.The feeding behavior of L. vannamei varied with the feeding frequencies, showing increased click emissions and feed consumption in groups fed more frequently. Across all frequencies, an initial peak in click activity was observed during the first feeding of the day. Additional peaks in acoustic activity occurred only after subsequent feedings in groups subjected to two, four, and eight daily feedings. These findings highlight the advantages of implementing multiple feeding frequencies up to eight times daily to enhance feeding activity and feed consumption in L. vannamei.
Keywords: shrimp, feeding behavior, feed consumption, ethology, acoustic feeders