# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Invertebrates >  Lets talk about shrimps' immune system

## marle

Read a good article about shrimps from www.engormix.com

These are the highlights in the article.

_Shrimp immune system_

_An understanding of shrimp immune defense is just beginning to emerge. Bachère (2000) provided an excellent summary of the defense systems used by shrimp in the event of infection. However, as Flegel (2001) pointed out, most of our knowledge of shrimp immunity is based on studies of bacterial and fungal infections. The author further argued that shrimp response to viral infections is different from that of bacterial infections.

Shrimp have an open circulatory system and there is no separation between the circulatory and lymphatic systems. The fluid within this open system is called hemolymph. Hemocytes are cells present in the hemolymph. These cells play a major role in the immune response of shrimp to bacterial and fungal infections. The shrimps immune system identifies invasion by means of specific cell wall components of the invading organisms.

Peptidoglycans and lipopolysaccharides on bacterial cell walls and betaglucans on fungal cell walls are the molecules that are readily identified by specific molecules in the hemolymph. Once such a pattern recognition molecule binds to its specific molecular counterpart on the foreign body, a number of hemocyte-mediated responses follow to clear the invading organisms. These responses include agglutination, phagocytosis, and production of free radicals and antimicrobial compounds. A number of studies have shown that the shrimp immune system can be stimulated with purified peptidoglycans, lipopolysaccharides or betaglucans to achieve generalized immune protection against bacterial infections. Live or inactivated bacteria or yeast may also offer protection against bacterial infections. These aspects will be discussed later in this article.

It is generally believed that invertebrates are incapable of adaptive immune response. This is based on the fact that inducible humoral compounds such as immunoglobulins, T cell receptors, the Major Histocompatibility Complex and memory T-cells are not present in invertebrates. However, citing the presence of adhesion molecules belonging to the super family of immunoglobulins and a few other observations, Arala-Chaves and Sequeira (2000) postulated that invertebrates might possess a unique form of adaptive immune response.

As discussed earlier, the severity of a viral disease typically subsides in about two years after the first incidence of the given disease. Meticulously documenting the history of past viral epizootics worldwide, Flegel (2001) noted that all major viral disease problems resulted in catastrophic crop losses in the first two years, but mortality became less severe afterwards. The virus was never eliminated, but persistent infections occurred. In many cases, the infected shrimp did not show any sign of disease and survived to harvest. The apparent protection from the disease was applicable only for those shrimp previously exposed to the given virus. Shrimp populations previously unexposed to the virus suffered severe mortality. There was no crossprotection, i.e. shrimp populations that enjoyed a degree of protection against a certain virus due to previous exposure were susceptible to disease due to another virus to which they had not been exposed. All these observations point to the possibility that a specific and memory-based viral defense mechanism exists in shrimp.

Pointing out that viral infections do not result in hemocyte aggregation and subsequent generalized cell-based immune responses, Flegel (1997) suggested that shrimp die from viral infections due to large-scale occurrence of programmed cell death (apoptosis). He further proposed that prior exposure to a virus resulted in specific memory that suppressed apoptosis upon subsequent infections (Flegel, 2001). This has been termed as the viral accommodation theory.

If specific and memory-based viral defense mechanisms are present in shrimp as speculated by Arala-Chaves and Sequeira (2000) and Flegel (2001), possibilities of developing compounds to prevent mortalities due to viral infections exist. Note that repeated infections still occur in shrimp previously exposed to a virus, but the infected shrimp do not succumb to diseases due to the defense mechanism. The infections impose an energy cost on the shrimp. The generally declining performance of P. monodon stocks in Asia is now attributed to the persistence of one or more viruses in the stocks. Furthermore, the protection offered by previous viral exposure is limited. Stressful situations, particularly low dissolved oxygen, low temperature or a sudden change in pH, increase the vulnerability of shrimp to WSSV or YHV even now._
_
The role of feeds in shrimp health management

Feed and feed management play a critical role in shrimp health management at a number of levels. First, feeds should be free of disease-causing organisms. The shrimp culture industry widely uses pelleted feeds. The high temperature (>90ºC) used in the pelleting process is likely to eliminate most viral particles. The risk of viral transmission through feeds is therefore considered minimal. Second, feeding should be managed in ponds such that wastage and consequent organic loading are minimized. Frequent feeding is recommended as this minimizes wastage and ensures continuous availability of fresh feed to the animals. Feed pellets lose their integrity in water if left for more than few hours and contribute to wastage and resulting water quality problems. Third, and the most significant contribution of feeds in shrimp health management, is through the delivery of nutrients and products (Table 1) that enhance and stimulate the host defense system._



_NUTRIENTS THAT ENHANCE SHRIMP IMMUNE SYSTEM

Immune response imposes energy cost in animals. It results in changes in nutrient partitioning and directs more nutrients to the immune system (Humphrey et al., 2002). Therefore, nutrient requirements for optimum health status of an animal are expected to be higher than those for growth. Apart from this, certain nutrients are specifically implicated in the enhancement of immunity in many animals. These include some vitamins, trace minerals, ω-3 fatty acids, phospholipids, carotenoid pigments and nucleotides.

Merchie et al. (199 found that increasing vitamin C level from 100 to 3400 mg/kg diet resulted in a concomitant drop in mortality of post-larval P. monondon subjected to osmotic shock. They also reported that high vitamin C or astaxanthin levels resulted in an increased resistance to salinity shock. Chien et al. (2002) reported that dietary supplementation with 80 mg/kg astaxanthin improved survival of P. monondon exposed to toxic levels of ammonia. The positive effect of vitamin C and astaxanthin on shrimp immunity is probably related to their antioxidant properties. In addition, vitamin C also plays a role in wound healing. Lavens and Sorgeloos (2000) noted that feeding post-larvae shrimp with Artemia nauplii (brine shrimp) that have been enriched with highly unsaturated fatty acids improved their ability to survive salinity shock. Coutteau et al. (2000) showed that phosphotidyl choline included in the diets of P. japonicus and P. vannamei at 1.5% significantly improved stress resistance in the animals. Both ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids are precursors of eicosanoids that are potent mediators of inflammatory response in higher animals.

Phospholipids play a major role in cell membrane integrity, a significant factor in the first line of defense against antigens in all organisms. Experience with other animal species, including fish, shows that vitamin E, selenium and nucleotides may have a beneficial effect on the shrimp immune system. Vitamin E and selenium are highly effective antioxidants known to affect immune defense systems of vertebrates including fish. Vitamin E scavenges free radicals generated during the early stages of lipid peroxidation in cell membranes, while selenium is a component of glutathione peroxidase, which reduces the level of lipid peroxidation inside the cells. Given the facts that almost all highly unsaturated fatty acids are required for optimum growth of shrimp, and that these fatty acids are extremely prone to oxidation, dietary provision of vitamin E and selenium becomes all the more important.

Nucleotides are increasingly being perceived as semi-essential nutrients in human and animal nutrition. Although endogenous synthesis of nucleotides occurs in tissues, it is an energetically expensive process. Furthermore, cells involved in immune response do not synthesize nucleotides. Nucleotides from dietary sources are preferably used at times of rapid growth or physiological stress. Pointing out that natural food organisms and ingredients rich in nucleic acids such as bacteria, fish solubles, meat solubles and yeast extracts have growth promoting effects in shrimp, Devresse (2000) proposed that nucleotides are perhaps critical in shrimp health management. Health aspects of nucleotides have not been studied in shrimp. In trout and salmon, Burrels et al. (2001) have shown that nucleotide-supplementation caused greater resistance to microbial infections._

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## marle

_Conclusions

Shrimp diseases are the single most constraining factor on the profitability and progress of shrimp farming worldwide. Prevention of diseases is a major challenge. Shrimp have an innate immune system that responds to infections, but their adaptive immune system is inadequate to handle most infections. Particularly poor is the ability of shrimp to fight viral infections. Antibiotics do not work against most infections, and their use is banned in many countries anyway. As a result, emphasis in shrimp health management is on biosecurity  exclusion of infectious organisms and their carriers in the culture system. Environmental management to minimize stress also plays a major role in disease prevention. Developing a fool-proof biosecurity system and managing shrimp culture systems without any stress are not realistic goals. Improving the host defense capabilities should therefore be part of any practical shrimp health management program.

Enhancing the immune system through nutrients and immunostimulants is important in improving host defense capabilities in shrimp. Probiotics also play an effective role in improving defense capabilities. Immune-enhancing nutrients that have been identified in shrimp are vitamin C, ω-3 fatty acids, phosphotidyl choline and astaxanthin. Other nutrients with potential immune-enhancing properties are nucleotides, vitamin E and selenium. Compounds that stimulate immune response in shrimp are mainly derived from the cell walls of single cell organisms. Lipopolysaccharides and glucans have been found to be effective against bacterial infections, although the effect of glucans has not been consistent. Peptidoglycan and fucoidan have been found to be effective against viral infections, but studies on these molecules are limited. Furthermore, they may not be cost-effective. Mannan oligosaccharides that have been found to be effective in improving health status of other animal species need to be investigated in shrimp. Dietary delivery of some probiotic bacteria and yeasts increases resistance of shrimp to bacterial infections.

Although a much better understanding of shrimp diseases, the immune system and the effects of nutrients, immunostimulants and probiotics has been achieved in the past five years, there is much more to learn. At the fundamental level, there is a strong need to develop predictable indices of immune response and a standardized disease challenge protocol. It will make interpreting results of independent studies on effects of a given nutrient or product more reliable. At the application level, there is an array of needs ranging from empirical testing of products to optimizing application (doseresponse, application protocols, etc.). There is also a need to test nutrients, molecules and microbes that have not been investigated adequately in the past. Antioxidants, nucleotides, mannan oligosaccharides, yeasts and antiviral bacteria deserve the most attention in the future._



Hope this helps in a better understanding of shrimps! 

Kudos to lifelong learning!  :Grin:

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## Spid

Nice article. Thanks for sharing.

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## skratikans

I enjoyed the article..glad you shared it!

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## d2sign

Very interesting article, thanks for sharing.
So I think those immune system improve products designed for shrimp are contain _vitamin C, ω-3 fatty acids, phosphotidyl choline_ and _astaxanthin._
But Mosura Shrimp Tonic areconsists of twenty amino acids, not any of the above mention.. Confuse.

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## fattyman

Don't confused, if you read carefully, the above article says:
_Although a much better understanding of shrimp diseases, the immune system and the effects of nutrients, immunostimulants and probiotics has been achieved in the past five years, there is much more to learn._ 

Mosura Bioplus helps control pathogenic bacteria outbreaks by competitive exclusion, it is a probiotics product like what the article mentions
Mosura Shrimp Tonics is a synthetic immunoglobulin with amino acidic that is immunstimulant
Mosura CRS food has stablized vitamin C, fatty acid, and astaxanthin are nutrients

These 3 products cover the factors of nutrients, immunostimulants and probiotics exactly like what the article says.

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## nasty12

Thanks Marle on the find of great article!
and fattyman for the great summary. Now I know keeping shrimps are not easy, we are actually using high tech shrimp farming method.

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## marle

> Don't confused, if you read carefully, the above article says:
> _Although a much better understanding of shrimp diseases, the immune system and the effects of nutrients, immunostimulants and probiotics has been achieved in the past five years, there is much more to learn._ 
> 
> Mosura Bioplus helps control pathogenic bacteria outbreaks by competitive exclusion, it is a probiotics product like what the article mentions
> Mosura Shrimp Tonics is a synthetic immunoglobulin with amino acidic that is immunstimulant
> Mosura CRS food has stablized vitamin C, fatty acid, and astaxanthin are nutrients
> 
> These 3 products cover the factors of nutrients, immunostimulants and probiotics exactly like what the article says.


hi fattyman,

may i know where do you get your in depth source of the ingredients inside Mosura products? 

i referred to them here. http://www.assaaqua.com/mosura-shrim...specialty-food 

i think it will be beneficial to the forumers if we can know more about the ingredients inside each crs food product and use the above mentioned article to know which particular ingredient exist inside each product and its benefits.

Currently, i know that _Phospholipid_ and _Vitamin C_ is in Ebita hinormaru bento from this website http://www.ebitabreed-intl.com/bento.php.

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## fattyman

Hi Marle,

I dont know what do you meant by "where do you get your in depth source of the ingredients inside Mosura products" ? But I got all the information from the back of the bottles and website, let me try to cut and paste here for your convinence. 

For Mosura CRS Food:

It has mentioned: "it contains stablized vitamin C, fatty acid, and antioxidant" at the back of the bottle. Also they mentioned about stablized vitamins E here:
http://www.assaaqua.com/mosura-shrim...specialty-food

For Mosura Shrimp Tonic:
You can find that they mentioned about synthetic immunoglobulin and amino acid at:
http://www.assaaqua.com/mosura-shrim.../shrimps-tonic

For Mosura BioPlus:
You can find out they mentioned about "helps control pathogenic bacteria outbreaks by competitive exclusion" which is inline with the great article you have found in:
http://www.assaaqua.com/mosura-shrim...mosura-bioplus 

I am taking the above products as example products of applying the concept of nutrients, immunostimulants and probiotics into shrimp hobby to reduce shrimp casualty.

Personally, I have been using Mosura CRS food and Bioplus, and now Shrimp Tonics and I found they are good. Previously, we have a dicussion on what is good food and I tried to tell you, you can't judge a food by how much the shrimps like to eat. You have to see what is inside by seeing the result of your demanding or diffcult shrimps by yourself by how they breed. 

I am breeding high grade red bee shrimps, blue (with red line) tiger, and pure (no cross with blue) black tigers. These 3 species are known to be demanding. I am not keeping hardy shrimp like fire red.

Blue tiger with Red lines.



Black Tiger



Red Bee Shrimp:



Marle, may I know what shrimps are you keeping? And grade?

MFG
Manu

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## marle

Hi fattyman, 

Nice amount of shrimps you have there!

Apologies if i didnt make myself clear. For eg. you mentioned that "Mosura CRS food has stablized vitamin C, fatty acid, and astaxanthin are nutrients" , however, i couldn't find the ingredient astaxathin like what you mentioned earlier at the website you referred me to and i do not own Mosura CRS food thus am unable to look at the bottle itself. I went to search online for astaxathin and this is the link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astaxanthin

Please guide us! Thanks!

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## fattyman

Hi Marle,
I have misread that antioxidant to be astaxanthin. But I can be partially right also, astaxanthin is an antioxidant. Please refer here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astaxanthin , it says: However, it is a powerful antioxidant; it is 10 times more capable than other carotenoids.
I can be totally right, it Mosura CRS food website, it says Mosura CRS food contains crustaceans and it is common knowledge that crustaceans contains astaxanthin. 
I am reaching the conclusion from the website and that is my intereption, or you may wish to double confirm himself with Mosura. 
Be the way, are you a nutrionist or food specialist? What shrimps are you keeping (please share) ?

Cheers
Manu

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## d2sign

> Previously, we have a dicussion on what is good food and I tried to tell you, you can't judge a food by how much the shrimps like to eat. You have to see what is inside by seeing the result of your demanding or diffcult shrimps by yourself by how they breed.


Well say Manu, I almost give up on Mosura Special CRS Food cause my CRS doesn't seen like it very much. Anyway, you have any other food to recommend?

And, amazing collections you have there  :Well done:

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## marle

yup i agree with you both of you guys.

Hi fattyman,

i am trying to learn more things here as well, am not a nutritionist nor specialist.  :Grin:  Didnt go to the extend to call the company to ask, but great job on helping us assume it is that!  :Well done:  

You mentioned in another thread that food has an influence to the shrimps long term color, growth rate, birth rate and babies sex ratio. Do you know what are the elements/ingredients that helps in this?

hi  :drool 2: sign, 

i used Mosura food before and i share the same sentiments as you. I am not sure how much Mosura Special CRS food(assuming even if it contains all the greatest ingredients) will benefit our shrimps if they don't really eat it. 

Nonetheless, maybe different shrimps have different reactions to different brands of food.

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## fattyman

Hi Marle, 

There is no assumption for crustaceans contains astaxanthin. Even school kids in Germany know crustaceans contains astaxanthin.
You are trying to create a mockery of me. Why do you bother to ask me more question?
Those shrimps in my photo are eating Mosura CRS Food, and that is my answer to you, it is a good food, in my view. Why do you keep asking for recommendation when I have recommended you? If you dont like the food, it is fine with me. You dont have to believe me, you just need to believe the nice shrimps I bred, they are real.
What shrimps are you keeping, do you have any to shrimps at all to show?
Why do you want to blast me, afterall this is keeping CRS hobby. i more interested in keeping and breeding nice crs than about crs or food science.
Cheer
manu

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## marle

> Hi Marle, 
> 
> There is no assumption for crustaceans contains astaxanthin. Even school kids in Germany know crustaceans contains astaxanthin.
> You are trying to create a mockery of me. Why do you bother to ask me more question?
> Those shrimps in my photo are eating Mosura CRS Food, and that is my answer to you, it is a good food, in my view. Why do you keep asking for recommendation when I have recommended you? If you dont like the food, it is fine with me. You dont have to believe me, you just need to believe the nice shrimps I bred, they are real.
> What shrimps are you keeping, do you have any to shrimps at all to show?
> Why do you want to blast me, after all this is keeping CRS hobby. i more interested in keeping and breeding nice crs than about crs or food science.
> Cheer
> manu


I have absolutely no harm directed towards you. My questions are circulated around the shrimps immune system. I apologize if i had hurt you in any way. The reason i am not talking about my shrimps is because this thread is dedicated about topics related to shrimps immune system and not about my shrimps.

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## doubleace

Hi fattyman

you mention that MOSURA crs tonic, food and bioplus are good for shrimps immune system. How about mineral plus?

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## Spid

Hi fattyman,

You have very nice blue and black tigers there. Probably you want start a thread here in the invertebrate section introducing this species to our fellow shrimp keepers here. I guess many will be very interested.

And thanks for sharing so many important pointers here too.

Hi Marle, 

Let me share something that I have thus learn in shrimp keeping. 

I believe food does not have a much impact on the immunity of our shrimps as a whole. As observed, shrimps are fast eater, they can eat and shit at the same time. Whatever eaten will be pass out very fast. Fast till they can eat and shit at the same time. This lead me to believe shrimps are not good nutrient absorbers. Yes vitamin C, E, ω-3 fatty acids, phosphotidyl choline and astaxanthin, nucleotides, vitamin E and selenium are all good nutrients, not only on shrimps but to human and fishes as well. The question here is whether shrimps are able to absorb all these. 

What important I believe in about maintaining of healthy shrimps is the water conditions they live in. Given they are bottom dwellers and are high sensitivity in nature, uneaten food especially those originate from high protein food source will harm the shrimps. Thus minimal feeding is always encourage.

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## fattyman

> Hi fattyman
> 
> you mention that MOSURA crs tonic, food and bioplus are good for shrimps immune system. How about mineral plus?


Hi, 
Mosura CRS Food, Shrimp Tonic and Bioplus, they can provide nutrients, immunostimulants and probiotics for your shrimps which are to make your shrimps strong.
For Mineral Plus is to provide good enviroment. When you don't have the right enviroment, either your shrimps won't be nice or they can't survive at all. Nutrients, immunostimulants and probiotics alone will give not give the best to the shrimps if your enviroment is not correct. For example, if you GH is too low or lack of minerals, when your shrimps molt, they will die. Mineral Plus can provide GH and minerals.
All these products can help you, but proper temperature and water quality/enviroment are they basic survival need. If you have ignore these 2 basic needs, they will not able to survive in the first place. 
Most people can breed CRS, some can breed nicer, some can breed more, some can give birth to flowerhead and also to bring them to adulthood, even if the breeding stock is the same. Such products make the some extras difference.

Spid,
Thank for your compliment. I will consider to start a thread on my shrimps on Invertibrate section.

Marle,
No worry. But do consider to start a thread on your shrimp in Invertibrate section.

Cheers
manu

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## marle

> Yes vitamin C, E, ω-3 fatty acids, phosphotidyl choline and astaxanthin, nucleotides, vitamin E and selenium are all good nutrients, not only on shrimps but to human and fishes as well. The question here is whether shrimps are able to absorb all these. 
> 
> What important I believe in about maintaining of healthy shrimps is the water conditions they live in. Given they are bottom dwellers and are high sensitivity in nature, uneaten food especially those originate from high protein food source will harm the shrimps. Thus minimal feeding is always encourage.


I think this makes alot of sense, well said!

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## crs_lover

I agreed that uneaten or left over of high protein food is undesirable and affect the quality of the water. I used to remove the left over food manually and keep snail to finish the unfinished food. 

For me the greatest pleasure on shrimps keeping is during feeding time when they gather to eat the food; and if they eat you know they are healthy.

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