The effect of biofloc (BFT) and clear water (CW) at low (ls) and high-water salinity (hs) in wild juveniles of Penaeus setiferus were evaluated. Four treatments were implemented: hsBFT, lsBFT, hsCW, and lsCW. After 45 days, final weight (FW), weight gain (WG), hepatosomatic index (HSI), and survival rate (SR) were evaluated. Antioxidant activity in muscle and hepatopancreas were measured: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S transferase (GST), lipid peroxidation (LPO), protein oxidation (PO). The FW and SR was low for lsCW (P < 0.05), whereas the WG and HSI was high in hsBFT and lsBFT (P < 0.05). The integrative biomarker response index (IBR) showed differences between muscle (M) and hepatopancreas (HP). Results showed an increase of SOD and CAT measured from HP for lsBFT treatment. For M, CAT and GST were high only in BFT (regardless of the water salinity). LPO determined from M and HP recorded the high values at hs and ls, respectively. The PO determined in HP showed substantial damage in BFT (regardless of the salinity), whereas the same determination from M was only important for lsCW treatment. When the analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed, SOD, LPO, and PO were significant in response to salinity (P < 0.05). In contrast, for CAT, the higher activity was due to the rearing system and salinity interaction (P < 0.05). Results suggest that BFT could diminish the stress by stimulating the antioxidant system to maintain the redox balance through a higher enzyme activity and decrease damage in the proteins and lipids of the cells.

This study evaluated the effect of biofloc technology (BFT) at 3 (lsBFT) and 35 (hsBFT) practice salinity units (psu) on the zootechnical performance, oxygen consumption, antioxidant activity, and oxidative damage of Litopenaeus setiferus juveniles reared in outdoor tanks. After 90 days, no significant differences were observed in terms of survival (p > .05). The final weight as well as wet weight gain, final biomass, and feeding conversion ratio (FCR) showed higher values for shrimp reared with hsBFT than those reared with lsBFT (p < .05). Compared to that for the hsBFT treatment, high oxygen consumption (VO2) was observed for the lsBFT treatment under fasting and postprandial conditions (p < .05). The activity of the enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione‐S‐transferase from shrimp muscle did not show significant differences between the treatments (p > .05). Regarding the lipid peroxidation (LPO) and oxidized protein (PO) in muscle samples, no significant differences were observed in LPO, whereas the PO was significantly higher for the lsBFT treatment (p < .05), which was related to higher fasting and postprandial oxygen consumption of the juveniles (p < .05). The adaptation of L. setiferus juveniles reared in BFT at low salinity is relatively weak because of their low growth and excessive oxygen consumption and the oxidative damage (PO) produced.

Litopenaeus setiferus has been described as an economically important native species ranging from the north Atlantic along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico to Florida. Its reproduction has been studied in captivity, as well as some aspects of its nutritional physiology, diseases and adaptation to various environments, including nurseries. In terms of growth, L. setiferus has been compared with L. vannamei for its performance in ponds. As a native species, L. setiferus benefits local fisheries and is also used as a bait shrimp for recreational activity. The present review covers background information and recent advances in research and development efforts to determine its potential both for aquaculture in ponds and intensive biofloc systems (BFT), as well as for the stocking of fishing grounds. The collective research advances for this species presented in this review could help to sustain various strategies, including highly intensive techniques, to rehabilitate L. setiferus in connection with potential institutes.