Biofilm feeding by postlarvae of the pink shrimpFarfantepenaeus brasiliensis(Decapoda, Penaidae)

Abstract

The effect of biofilm was assayed for Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis postlarvae fed with commercial pellets. Indoor tanks in a zero water exchange system were used, considering: shrimp fed with biofilm and commercial feed (B+F), and shrimp fed only with commercial feed (F); both receiving polyethylene sheets as artificial substrates. For B+F, sheets were placed 15 days before the trial into a heterotrophic medium (containing diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii, commercial feed, molasses and wheat bran in a 20 C:1 N ratio) to promote biofilm development. For F, clean sheets were used and daily replaced to avoid biofilm formation. Biofilm chlorophyll a concentration, micro‐organisms density and water quality were determined weekly. Also, a stomach content analysis was made. An increase in chlorophyll a concentration was observed in biofilm during the experiment, characterized mainly by pennate diatoms, filamentous cyanobacteria, flagellates, ciliates, nematodes and rotifers. Most of these items were found in the stomach of shrimp; however, no significant differences in growth were detected between treatments. Survival was significantly higher and nitrite concentrations were significantly lower when biofilm was present. The results indicate that the use of biofilm could be considered a good tool during F. brasiliensis nursery phase, mainly by improving survival through the maintenance of water quality.

Biofloc based technology evaluation for nutrient dense culture system for nursery and grow-out farming of Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei Boone, 1931

“…In addition, Stuart et al (2009) The presence of biofloc helped to improve shrimp growth, survival rate and the culture productivity in the present study. The findings corroborate the results of other studies that show the positive effect of biofloc on production indices for the culture of post-larvae and juvenile shrimp (Arnold et al, 2009;Audelo-Naranjo et al, 2010;Lezama-Cervantes and Paniagua-Michel, 2010;Zhang, 2011;Viau et al, 2012). Reduction of dietary protein level without affecting growth performance of cultured shrimp in the presence of biofloc has been reported by several authors (Hari et al, 2004;Ballester et al, 2010).…”

Addition of sodium nitrite and biofilm in a Litopenaeus vannamei biofloc culture system

“…In the present study, the use of artificial substrates did not enhance the shrimp growth in neither of the two phases, however could be contributed to high survival in treatment with previous addition of NaNO2 and biofilm, reducing the negative effect of the excess of total suspended solids. A similar positive effect occurred in the study performed by Viau et al (2013), which observed no significant differences in mean body weight of pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis), but an increase in survival when biofilm was provided to the culture tanks.…”

“…When attached, microorganisms grow on a layer adhered to a solid surface, which can be artificial or natural depending on the rearing system that is used (Fitch et al, 1998;Nogueira et al, 1998). In the biofloc culture systems, both the microbial community that is formed suspended in the water (bioflocs) and the biofilm (formed on the artificial substrates) can contribute to the metabolism of the nitrogen compounds generated within the culture (Schveitzer et al, 2013;Viau et al, 2013).…”

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“…They concluded that the presence of substrates increased the surface area of the tanks and reduced the relative stocking densities; and consequently reduced the stress level of the shrimps, indicated by the higher survival rates. A positive impact of substrates on the production indices for the culture of post-larvae and juvenile shrimp has been reported by several authors [26][27][28]61]. Those authors concluded that the increase in the growth of the shrimp resulted in the reduction in the stocking density because of the presence of substrates.…”

“…Polyethylene and polypropylene screens, bamboo, plastic bottles and commercial products (Aquamats TM) have been used as substrates in growth tanks [26]. In experiments with post-larvae and juvenile marine shrimp, the use of substrates is frequently associated with improved performance by the shrimp [27]. In intensive cultures, substrates have been used in an effort to mitigate the negative effects of increasing the stocking density [28].…”