Changes in soil and water quality at sediment–water interface of Penaeus vannamei culture pond at varying salinities

The health of the pond environment in shrimp farming is important for sustainable and profitable aquaculture, in which sediment–water interface is the most important influencing area. With this objective, the key parameters of water and sediment at the interface was studied in shrimp ponds with varying salinities and compared with the surface water and soil to understand the variations and the underlying causes. Total ammonia nitrogen and total alkalinity were higher in water at the interface as compared to surface water, whereas pH, nitrite, oxide forms of nitrogen (NO₃), phosphorus (PO₄) and oxidizing bacteria were observed to be lower. There was no significant difference with respect to macrominerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium between water at the interface and surface. These changes are profoundly influenced by the uppermost 1.0‐cm thick sediment layer, where the maximum transition of nutrients takes place with the water column. The outcome of the study highlights the effectiveness of water sampling for metabolites at the interface, which reflects at an early stage any potential deterioration of pond environment, which will help the farmer to initiate timely mitigation measures.     

The effects of density and artificial substrate on intensive shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei nursery production

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) can be installed indoors, allowing year-round production of tropical animals in nearly any climate. A nursery phase is commonly used in Litopenaeus vannamei production since it allows for enhanced biosecurity and better quantification of animals while reducing space requirements. However, it is unclear whether animal density and inclusion of artificial substrate may improve shrimp performance during the nursery phase. In this experiment, we compared shrimp production parameters in two stocking densities with or without the use of an artificial substrate by creating four treatments: low-density LD; 1500 PL/m⁻³, low-density with substrate LDS, high-density HD; 3000 PL/m⁻³), and high-density with substrate (HDS). The LDS and HDS treatments included 0.46-m² of high-density polyethylene 2.5-cm mesh as a substrate, which increased the tank surface area by 21 %. Each treatment was randomly assigned to four 160-l culture tanks, each with a biofilter. The shrimp had an initial weight of 4 mg and were grown for 50 days. The low-density treatments had significantly higher dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH than the high-density treatments (P ≤ 0.001). Specifically, LDS had the highest DO and pH followed by the LD, HD, and HDS treatments, respectively. High-density treatments had significantly higher NO₂-N levels than low-density treatments during week 2 of the experiment when an unusually high concentration of nitrite was observed. FCR was significantly lower in both low-density treatments than in high-density treatments. At harvest, the total biomass (kg m⁻³) was significantly higher in high-density treatments than in low-density treatments (P ≤ 0.001), and the HDS treatment had a significantly greater biomass output than HD. Producers should consider artificial substrate and higher densities during nursery production to maximize shrimp production; however, the effects on water quality should also be taken into account.     

Reproductive performance of fairy shrimp Branchinecta orientalis (G. O. Sars 1901) (Crustacea: Anostraca), fed with effluent of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum 1792) ponds

Aquaculture production is predicted to increase sharply. In this regard, live feed plays a crucial role in the larval phase of many aquaculture organisms. Hence, a persistent concern in aquaculture is to find low‐cost and eco‐friendly feed sources to culture live feed organisms. Branchinecta orientalis (G. O. Sars 1901), a fresh/brackish water fairy shrimp, was reared using effluent from rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum 1792) ponds, either fresh but supplemented with two species of microalgae, Scenedesmus sp. and Haematococcus sp., or non‐supplemented but after “ageing” of the culture medium. The feeding experiment was designed at a density of 100 individuals L^?1 in 2‐L vessels. The results indicated that differences between final length, survival and most reproductive parameters of the treatment with aged medium and the treatment using fresh medium supplemented with Scenedesmus sp. were non‐significant (p > .05). Better results were obtained for a number of reproductive parameters in the treatment supplemented with Haematococcus sp. Thus, for intensive resting egg production of B. orientalis, microalgae can be replaced by aged non‐supplemented effluent from trout ponds as a nutrient‐rich feed source. This consequently can reduce drainage of nutrients into the environment and thus decrease aquatic pollution.     

明轮驱动虾塘自主导航投饵船设计与可靠性试验

基于明轮驱动的虾塘投饵船能够适应养殖池塘复杂的环境、满足全塘抛撒的要求，可靠性是其进行推广的关键。采用滚塑工艺设计了全封闭投饵船体，利用免油脂润滑不锈钢链轮和明轮作为驱动机构，以避免对水体的污染，螺旋输送饵料装置可满足船载投饵过程中重心位置稳定的要求，通过GPS+电子罗盘的方式实现了自主导航定位和姿态控制需求。根据虾塘投饵和控制性能要求，进行投饵船直线运动和转弯运动模型的构建，采用PID航向、航速运动控制算法进行巡航路径控制，池塘测试平均速度为0.72m/s，直行和转弯最大偏航量分别为0.8m和0.5m。40d的养殖塘现场试验结果表明，自主导航投饵船在复杂路径下运行平稳，可满足虾塘饵料投喂要求，同时对强风、大雨等恶劣环境进行了可靠性测试，发现并解决了相关问题。     

Evaluation of three non‐genetically modified soybean cultivars as ingredients and a yeast‐based additive as a supplement in practical diets for Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Two growth trials and a physiology assessment were conducted to evaluate three non‐genetically modified (GM) soybean cultivars as ingredients in practical diets for Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. In addition, a commercially available fermented yeast product was evaluated as dietary supplement. For the growth trials (46 and 35 days, respectively, for trials 1 and 2), the basal diet was primarily composed of soybean meal (SBM), fishmeal (FM), whole wheat, corn protein concentrate, poultry meal (PM, pet food grade) and corn starch. Non‐GM cultivars were processed with novel methodologies to produce Navita? ingredients (N1, N2 and N3) which were incorporated at low (L) or high (H) levels into the experimental diets, in partial replacement of FM and full replacement of conventional SBM. The last two formulations incorporated the fermented yeast for a total of nine experimental diets (Table 1 ). Results from the growth trials indicate that shrimp fed diet 5 (HN2) exhibited significantly lower (p < .05) weight gain as compared to shrimp fed diets 1 and 2 (basal and LN1, respectively) in trial 1, as well as compared to animals fed diets 1, 2, 3 and 8 (basal, LN1, HN1 and basal + yeast) in trial 2. The feed conversion ratio significantly increased for shrimp fed diet 5, in contrast with shrimp fed diets 1, 2, 3 and 8 in trials 1 and 2, as well as compared to shrimp fed diets diet 6 (LN3) in trial 2. For the physiological assessment (stress and immune responses), only the effects of diets 1, 3, 8 and 9 (basal, HN1, basal + yeast and HN1 + yeast, respectively) were investigated. Granular cell counts were significantly higher for shrimp fed the yeast‐containing diets. Haemolymph glucose and haemolymph packed cell volume were significantly reduced for shrimp fed diets 3, 8 and 9. No significant differences were observed in total haemocyte counts, hyaline cells counts, semi‐granular cells counts, haemolymph protein, haemocyte phagocytic capacity and haemocyte respiratory burst activity. Results of this work indicate that selective soy breeding technology coupled with novel processing options has the potential to increase the nutritional value of conventional SBM for shrimp feeds. Trends on immune responses were more difficult to elucidate possibly due to the limited length of the feeding trial.     

Evaluation of Agave lechuguilla by‐product crude extract as a feed additive for juvenile shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Agave lechuguilla is a succulent plant species, mainly distributed in the northeast of Mexico and south of the United States of America. The main use for this plant is the fibre´s extraction (known as Tampico fibres), resulting in 15% of fibres and 85% of a by‐product waste named guishe. The lechuguilla collectors, normally incinerate the guishe, thus causing environmental contamination. Interestingly, recent studies showed that guishe contains molecules with nutritional properties, such as saponins, flavonoids and sugars. Therefore, in this work, we evaluated the effect of the crude extract of guishe as a feed additive in whiteleg shrimp diets. According to that, MS‐HPLC analysis of the extract showed the presence of saponins such as diosgenin, smilagenin, hecogenin, manogenin, tigogenin hexose, yucagenin, chlorogenin, diosgenin diglucoside and the flavonol, quercetin. After chemical analysis, the crude extract was included into an experimental diet in four levels; 0% (L0%), 0.1% (L0.1%), 0.3% (L0.3%) and 0.6% (L0.6%). Dietary incorporation of the extract was evaluated by zootechnical performance, haemolymph biochemistry, histomorphology and digestive enzyme activity of shrimps. After 5‐week feeding, the L0.3% diet showed significantly higher growth and better feed utilization among treatments. A significant increase in tubule epithelium height and tubule coverage area from hepatopancreas in shrimp under L0.3% diet compared with the control diet suggest an improvement of the health and nutritional status of the shrimp. Inclusion of L0.3% and L0.6% of the crude extract resulted in a reduction in amylase activity, without effect in glucose levels in the haemolymph. Thus, we suggest that lechuguilla guishe crude extract contains nutritional molecules that may be used as a feed additive to promote shrimp productivity.     

Performance of Mixed Species and Mono‐specific Algal Diets for Culture of Larval Western School Prawns,Metapenaeus dalli

The effect of three mono‐specific and four combinations of the diatoms Chaetoceros muelleri, Chaetoceros calcitrans, and the chlorophyte Tetraselmis suecica on survival, development, and dry weight of the western school prawn, Metapenaeus dalli, was assessed from protozoea I until mysis I. The development and dry weight of larvae were significantly greater when fed diets comprising C. muelleri and/or T. suecica. A fourth diet, consisting of all three microalgal species also performed just as well. Survival alone was a poor measure of the performance of the various diets. Larvae fed with C. calcitrans, either alone or in a mixed diet with either C. muelleri or T. suecica, had significantly slower development and lower dry weight. Overall performance, assessed using the normalized biomass development index, determined that both mono‐specific and mixed diets containing C. muelleri and T. suecica were among the best for M. dalli larvae. These results for M. dalli are consistent with those found for commercially grown penaeid prawns. This study enhances the limited knowledge on the feeding requirements of metapenaeid prawn larvae. Moreover, the results will help improve hatchery methods for the aquaculture‐based enhancement of M. dalli in the Swan‐Canning Estuary and potentially increase the abundance of this iconic recreational species.     

Successful rearing of whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei larvae fed a desiccation‐tolerant nematode to replace Artemia

The nematode Panagrolaimus sp. was tested as live feed to replace Artemia nauplii during first larval stages of whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. In Trial 1, shrimp larvae were fed one of four diets from Zoea 2 to Postlarva 1 (PL1): (A) Artemia nauplii, control treatment; (NC) nematodes enriched in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) provided by the dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii; (N) non‐enriched nematodes; and (Algae) a mixture of microalgae supplemented in C. cohnii cells. In Trial 2, shrimp were fed (A), (NC) and a different treatment (NS) with nematodes enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) provided by the commercial product S.presso^®, until Postlarva 6 (PL6). Mysis 1 larvae fed nematodes of the three dietary treatments were 300 μm longer (3.2 ± 0.3 mm) than control larvae. At PL1, control shrimp were 300 μm longer (4.5 ± 0.3 mm) than those fed DHA‐enriched or PUFAs‐enriched nematodes. No differences were observed in length and survival at PL6 between control larvae and those fed DHA‐enriched nematodes (5.1 ± 0.5 mm; 33.1%–44.4%). Shrimp fed microalgae showed a delay in development at PL1. This work is the first demonstration of Panagrolaimus sp. suitability as a complete substitute for Artemia in rearing shrimp from Zoea 2 to PL6.     

Effects of fish origin probiotics on growth performance,immune response and intestinal health of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) fed diets with fish meal partially replaced by soybean meal

This study was conducted to evaluate the application of four fish origin probiotics to relieve the side effects induced by SBM in shrimp. Shrimps were fed with high fish meal diet (C0, positive control containing 500 g/kg FM and 0 g/kg SBM), low fish meal diet (C, control containing 250 g/kg FM and 340 g/kg SBM) or the control diet (C) supplemented, respectively, with 1.0 × 10⁸ CFU/g Bacillus pumilus SE5 (T1), Psychrobacter sp. SE6 (T2), Enterococcus faecium MM4 (T3) or Bacillus claussi DE5 (T4). After 6 weeks of feeding, the growth performance, hepatopancreatic digestive enzymes, intestinal histological structure and immune parameters were determined. The results showed that compared with high FM group (C0), significantly lower WGR and SGR as well as higher FCR were observed in the low FM group (C) (p < .05). Compared with the control, significantly lower FCR was observed in treatment T1 (p < .05), but not in treatments T2–T4. Protease, amylase and lipase activities in all the treatments (T1‐T4) were significantly higher than the control (p < .05). GOT and GPT activities in the control were significantly lower than the C0 (p < .05), while higher MDA level was recorded in the control (p < .05). Meanwhile, higher GPT activities were observed in treatments T1‐T4 compared with the control (p < .05). Compared with the C0, lower SOD, ACP and AKP activities were observed in the control. Significantly improved SOD and AKP activities were observed in all probiotic feeding groups compared with the control (p < .05). The control diet led to significant reduction of intestinal wall thickness and villus height compared with the C0 (p < .05), while significantly higher intestinal wall thickness and villus height were exhibited in all the probiotic groups compared with the control (p < .05), except intestinal wall thickness in treatment T3. Thus, these results demonstrated that the four fish origin probiotic strains could relieve the side effects induced by high level of SBM in shrimp, while probiotic B. pumilus SE5 showed the best performance.     

Effects of antimicrobial peptides on growth,feed utilization,serum biochemical indices and disease resistance of juvenile shrimp,Litopenaeus vannamei

This experiment was conducted to assess the effects of antimicrobial peptides at different levels (Diet 1 (0%), Diet 2 (0.1%), Diet 3 (0.2%), Diet 4 (0.4%), Diet 5 (0.6%) and Diet 6 (1%)), on growth, serum biochemical indices and antioxidant effect, feed utilization and disease resistance in Litopeneaus vannamei. There were four replicates in each group in the experiment (mean weight = 0.21 ± 0.00 g) and also fed with their respective diets for 8 weeks. Growth performance compared with the control group (0%) significantly increased at first and then decreased among treatment groups (p < .05) whereas the survival rate ranged from 78% to 96%. No significant differences were observed in terms of moisture, crude protein and ash content, but there was a significant increase in crude lipid (p < .05). In serum, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, polyphenol oxidase, triglyceride, glucose and total cholesterol changed as compared with 0%. Total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde were also different from 0%. Disease resistance was increased in shrimp among treatment groups with 0.4% recording the lowest mortality percentage of 37% after the challenge test. The results from the present study suggested that supplementation of AMP at 0.4% in shrimp diet can improve growth performance, antioxidants activities and innate immune response of Pacific whiteleg shrimp.