Cholesterol Requirements of Juvenile American Lobster (Homarus americanus)

Abstract

In preliminary feeding trials with juvenile American lobsters (Homarus americanus) there were some differences in growth and survival that appeared to be related to deletion or addition of cod liver oil, mineral salts, vitamins, and glucosamine. However, the results were questionable due to deficiency of dietary cholesterol. Only when 1% cholesterol was added to the control diet was growth and survival achieved similar to that of lobsters fed brine shrimp. The optimum or required level of cholesterol was found to be approximately 0.5% of the dry weight of the diet.