Effect of different total suspended solids levels on a Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) BFT culture system during biofloc formation.

CARLOS AUGUSTO PRATA GAONA; MARCOS SOUZA DE ALMEIDA; VERONICA VIAU; LUIS HENRIQUE POERSCH; WILSON WASIELESKY JR

AQUACULTURE RESEARCH

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2015 p. 1 - 10

1355-557X

In a Biofloc Technology System (BFT), there is constant biofloc formation and suspended solids accumulation, leading to effects on water quality parameters that may affect the growth performance of cultured shrimp. This study aimed to analyse during biofloc formation the effect of different total suspended solids (TSS) levels on water quality and the growth performance of Litopenaeusvannamei shrimp in a BFT system. A 42-day trial was conducted with treatments of three ranges of TSS: 100?300 mg L 1 as low (TL), 300?600 as medium (TM) and 600?1000 as high (TH). The initial concentrations of 100 (TL), 300 (TM) and600 mg L1 (TH) were achieved by fertilization before starting the experiment. Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles with an average weight of 4.54 1.19 g were stocked at a density of 372 shrimp m3. Physical and chemical water parametersand shrimp growth performance were analysed. After 6 weeks, TSS mean concentrations were 306.37, 532.43 and 745.2 mg L1 for, respectively, TL, TM and TH treatments. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in TSS, settleable solids, pH, alkalinity and nitrite, especially between the TL and TH treatments. Similarly, differences(P < 0.05) were observed in the growthperformance parameters, specifically final weight, survival, feed conversion and productivity. The water quality parameters at lower range of totalsuspended solids concentration (TL) treatment resulted in a better performance of L. vannamei in the BFT system. The maintenance at range of 100?300 mg L1 TSS is thus important to the success of shrimp culture.