In aquaculture, The juvenile stage of shrimp is one of the fragile stages, often challenged by environmental pressure and changes in water quality. Incorporating betaine into larval feed formulations offers nutritional and physiological support that helps improve survival and metamorphosis rates.

Betaine functions as an osmolyte, maintaining cellular balance and protecting tissues against salinity fluctuations. This is particularly valuable for shrimp larvae, which undergo rapid development and are vulnerable to stress. In addition, betaine has a feed attractant effect, encouraging more consistent feed intake and ensuring larvae receive sufficient nutrients during critical growth stages.

Producers using betaine in hatchery diets have reported stronger post-larvae with higher uniformity, which contributes to better performance in later grow-out phases. By supporting energy metabolism and stress resilience, betaine provides an effective tool to stabilize larval development and increase overall hatchery productivity.