There are three main carbon sources for sustaining biofloc systems: fructose, lactose and dextrose. These systems create a self-sustaining, controlled environment with no water exchange, relying on a community of microorganisms that form flocs.
To keep these systems running, external carbon sources are essential. Therefore, understanding which one is most effective in improving water quality, while enhancing shrimp survival and growth, is vital.
Researchers from Acharya Nagarjuna University investigated these three carbon sources in the biofloc production of tropical white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), the world’s most widely farmed shrimp species.
They conducted four treatments: three using fructose, lactose, and dextrose as carbon sources, and a control group without any additional carbon source.
The findings revealed that water conditions were significantly better in the biofloc treatments with added carbon than in the control. Dextrose emerged as the most effective carbon source, achieving a post-larval survival rate of 93%, followed by fructose at 88.67% and lactose at 86.33%. The control group lagged behind with a survival rate of 79.33%.
Researchers also noted improvements in key water quality parameters, such as reduced ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, which are highly toxic to shrimp.
This study provides valuable insights into optimistic biofloc systems through the use of cost-effective and efficient carbon sources, paving the way for more sustainable aquaculture practices.
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