Effect of dietary vitamin C supplementation on the oxygen consumption, ammonia-N excretion and Na+/K+ ATPase of Macrobrachium nipponense exposed to ambient ammonia

The 96-h LC50 of ammonia-N and the effects of dietary vitamin C on oxygen consumption, ammonia-N excretion and Na+/K+ ATPase activity of Macrobrachium nipponense exposed to ambient ammonia were investigated. The results showed that the 96-h LC50 of ammonia-N was 36.6 mg l−1 for the freshwater prawn, M. nipponense, at pH 8.0. When prawns were exposed to high ambient ammonia-N concentrations, the oxygen consumption rate increased and ammonia excretion decreased. Dietary vitamin C supplementation led to higher oxygen consumption and lower ammonia excretion. Na+/K+ ATPase activity increased with increased ambient ammonia-N exposure in the range of 0–18.3 mg l−1, and then was reduced at ambient ammonia-N 36.6 mg l−1. Na+/K+ ATPase activities of prawns fed a vitamin C-supplemented diet were significantly lower than those of prawns fed a diet which was not supplemented with vitamin C.