FEED AND WATER ADDITIVES FOR SHRIMP CULTURE USING BIOFLOC TECHNOLOGY: CURRENT STATUS OF KNOWLEDGE AND FUTURE CHALLENGES

Biofloc technology (BFT) is used in a variety of aquaculture systems and is commonly used for the culture of shrimp and tilapia. The use of feed and water additives to enhance biofloc as a food source, to enhance shrimp immunity and to control water quality has been documented.

Positive effects on water quality in terms of controlling total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite and nitrate due to the addition of various carbon sources in water and in feed have been established. Also, different prebiotics and probiotics have been successfully used in the culture of shrimp using BFT with significant improvements in shrimp weight gain, feed conversion ratio and health parameters.

Positive effects on growth and health of fish and other livestock species when using other feed additives, such as essential oils, organic acids and other immunostimulants, also have been established. However, no information in the literature can be found on the use of the same additives when added to the culture water or to the feed of a BFT system for shrimp culture. In addition, the mode of action for each additive to achieve higher shrimp production and improve water quality has yet to be determined.

A major deterrent to using additives to the culture water is the cost per unit of production. With the demonstration that shrimp can be cultured using shallow water depths of less than 30 cm, resulting in production levels of up to 25 kg/m³ per crop (Lawrence, 2015), additives use in shallow-water culture systems is much more commercially feasible.  

The current status of knowledge on the use of carbon sources, prebiotics and probiotics when used as feed or water additives for shrimp culture using BFT will be reviewed. In addition, challenges, promises and research opportunities for each additive will be reported.

Reference

Lawrence, A.L., 2015. System and method for super-intensive shrimp production. United States Patent Number 8,985,055 B2.