Integrated multi-trophic culture of Penaeus vannamei with Crassostrea sp. and Gracilaria sp. in a nursery system

Abstract

Currently, aquaculture seeks to implement production techniques with better use of nutrients that increase biosecurity and productivity. Therefore, the use of Brazilian native oyster Crassostrea sp. and red seaweed Gracilaria sp. in integrated multi-trophic culture (IMTA) with Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei was evaluated for 40 days in synbiotic nursery system. Four treatments were evaluated: a shrimp monoculture (control without oysters and seaweed in static intensive system), Multi-SOS (culture of shrimp, oyster juveniles and seaweed), Multi-SO (shrimp and oyster culture), and Multi-SS (shrimp and seaweed culture). For water quality, Multi-SOS and Multi-SS treatments presented the lowest values of nitrogenous compounds (TAN, nitrite-N and nitrate-N), while Multi-SO and Multi-SOS presented lower results regarding settleable solids (respectively, 2.84 mL L⁻¹ and 2.02 mL L⁻¹) than other treatments. At the end, the shrimp performance was significantly higher in the Multi-SOS (0.80 g of final weight and 2.02 kg m⁻³ of yield) and Multi-SS (0.85 g of final weight and 2.09 kg m⁻³ of yield) treatments compared to the control. The proximate composition showed flocs with lower crude protein and lipid content and a greater amount of ash in Multi-SOS and Multi-SO compared to the other treatments (control and Multi-SS). Therefore, integrated multi-trophic culture with oysters and seaweed is recommended, as oysters could control settleable solids, and seaweed, in addition to providing a supplementary source of food for shrimp, also reduced toxic nitrogenous compounds.