This study evaluated the effects of soy protein ratio, lipid content and the minimum dietary level of krill meal in plant-based diets over the growth performance and digestibility of Litopenaeus vannamei. Nine plant-based diets varied the soybean meal ( SBM) and soy protein concentrate ( SPC) inclusion ratio at 1 : 2.3, 1 : 1 and 2.5 : 1, and their dietary lipid content at 121.4 ± 9.4, 102.3 ± 1.2, and 79.9 ± 1.2 g kg−1 (in a dry matter basis). An additional diet containing 120 g kg−1 of fish meal (salmon by-product) was used as a control. Krill meal was included at 0, 5, 10, 20 and 30 g kg−1 in a new set of plant-based diets. After 10 weeks in clear-water tanks of 0.5 m3, no effect of SBM: SPC ratio and dietary lipid content was detected on shrimp survival. However, dietary lipid levels of 80 and 121 g kg−1 combined with a high SPC to SBM resulted in the lowest final body weight and the poorest apparent crude protein digestibility, respectively. Krill meal increased feed intake at only 10 g kg−1, while at 20 g kg−1, it accelerated shrimp growth, increased yield and reduced food conversion ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]