Integrated multitrophic culture of shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and tilapia Oreochromis niloticus in biofloc system: A pilot scale study

Abstract

Shrimp production in biofloc systems generates excess organic matter that must be removed from the system. Due to its ability to consume natural productivity, the integration of tilapia in shrimp culture could help to reduce the levels of total suspended solids in the biofloc system. The present study aimed to evaluate two stocking densities of tilapia in an integrated culture with shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei reared in a pilot-scale biofloc system. Two stocking densities of tilapia were tested, 35 and 65 fish m-3 in a recirculating system with 10 m3 tanks for shrimp culture and 4 m3 for tilapia culture with water recirculation of 965.66 ± 92.83 L h-1 during 78 days. The initial weight of shrimp was 0.9±0.1 g and of tilapia was 7.1±3.2 g. Shrimps were fed according to the feeding table and fish were underfed to stimulate bioflocs consumption. Selected water quality parameters were monitored during the trial. Tilapia densities did not affect shrimp growth (11.5±1.9 g and 10.1±0.7 g for 35 and 65 fish m-3 treatments, respectively). The tilapia presented a FCR lower than 1, proving that bioflocs were consumed by fish. The clarification time was shorter when compared to other studies with shrimp monoculture. Between the treatments, a reduction of 10 hours in the system clarification occurred when lower fish stocking density was used. The results demonstrate the feasibility of integrated shrimp and tilapia culture on a pilot scale, without compromising shrimp productivity.

Swinging between the beneficial and harmful microbial community in biofloc technology: A paradox

“…In addition, some heterotrophic bacteria in the biofloc system facilitate the nitrogen cycle in the system. This denitrification process facilitated by Pseudomonas sp supports the maintain proper nitrogen balance and prevents the accumulation of excess nitrate in the BFT system, which is harmful to shrimp and other aquatic organisms [ 82 , 84 ].…”

Harnessing marine microbiomes to develop a sustainable, all‐Atlantic bioeconomy

“…Alternative approaches to mariculture and coastal agriculture are urgently required. These approaches may harness the diverse metabolic traits of microbial communities to augment the production of marine‐derived resources 8 .…”

“…Microbiomes are also central for the development of low‐carbon and integrated multitrophic mariculture (IMTA). These technologies focus on the developing multitrophic systems that recycle waste and reduce antibiotic use and carbon emissions 8 . Biofloc technology (BFT) has also been successfully applied in the shrimp aquaculture 9 .…”

Catalyzing progress in the blue economy through joint marine microbiome research across the Atlantic

“…For example, integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) efforts piloted by the ASTRAL Horizon 2020 project work to incorporate low trophic levels and synergistic interactions among species within single facilities. Ongoing activities within programs such as AquaVitae or INNOAQUA promote farming species lower on the food web (e.g., microalgae) to improve the food value chain and microbiome enhancements to improve aquaculture (e.g., Silva et al, 2022;Holanda et al, 2023), while the MASTER project developed probiotics to enhance growth of Arctic char (Knobloch et al, 2022). Activities from programs such as SIMBA have explored market forces that can affect the willingness of farmers and consumers to adopt microbial-based solutions (Ali et al, 2021;Tensi et al, 2022).…”