Heritability of economically important traits in the Atlantic cod Gadus morhua L

During the development of breeding programme for Atlantic cod Gadus morhua L., in Iceland, genetic parameters were estimated for 1402 individuals, which were assigned with DNA profiling to 140 dams and 70 sires. The cod was reared in cages on the eastern and western coasts of Iceland from 2004 to 2005. At the average body weight of 1.8 kg, the estimated heritability (h² ± SE) for body weight, gutted weight and the condition factor (CF) were 0.31 ± 0.06, 0.34 ± 0.04 and 0.24 ± 0.06 respectively. Genetic correlation (r_G) in body weight between the two rearing locations was estimated as 0.95, which reflects a low G × E interaction. The estimated heritability for hepatosomatic index (HSI) and fillet yields was 0.061 ± 0.04 and 0.04 ± 0.04 respectively. The HSI and fillet yields were highly genetically correlated with body weight or 0.67 and 0.82 respectively. The genetic correlation between the CF and body weight was estimated as 0.31. There appears to be substantial amount of additive genetic variation for body weight suggesting that selection is likely to be successful. Low heritability for fillet yields and the HSI indicates less promise of genetic improvement. Assigning of parentage to individuals with DNA profiling was 80% successful.     

Selection responses in survival of Macrobrachium rosenbergii after performing five generations of multi-trait selection for growth and survival

A selective breeding program was established to improve the growth and survival of the cultured giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The response to selection was estimated for the survival of M. rosenbergii using a fully pedigreed synthetic population formed by three introduced strains. The data included 122,761 progeny from 437 sires and 723 dams in seven generations with a nested mating structure. The genetic parameters and estimated breeding values (EBVs) were estimated using a generalized linear mixed model with the probit link function. The realized response was estimated from the difference in the marginal means of survival for the selection and control populations, while the predicted response was obtained from the difference in the mean retransformed survival rate based on the survival EBVs between generations. The realized genetic gain in survival from the G₁ to G₆ generation ranged from ?1.24 to 2.72 %. The accumulated realized genetic gain (5.02 %) expressed as a percentage was 8.46 %. Across the generations, high heritability (0.401 ± 0.020, Set 1) was obtained when using the model without the c effect and was significantly different from zero (P < 0.05). However, the low heritability and common environment (0.013 ± 0.011 and 0.088 ± 0.007, Set 2) were estimated using the model that included the c effect. The accumulated predicted gains (6.29 and 0.61 %, respectively) from the Set 1 and Set 2 parameters over the five generations of selection expressed as proportions were 9.08 and 0.87 %, respectively. The low genetic gain for survival is most likely caused by a low relative weight in the selection index and reduced genetic variation because of consecutive between-family selection.     

Heritability estimates and response to selection for growth of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in low-input earthen ponds

This study presents results of two generations of selection (G₁ and G₂) for growth of Nile tilapia. The selection environment consisted of earthen ponds which were fertilized daily with 50 kg dry matter (dm)/ha chicken manure. No supplementary feeds were provided. In total, 6429 fully pedigreed experimental fish were included in the analysis. Survival till harvest was highly variable ranging from 35% to 77% and was affected by initial weight, pond, and age effects. Body weight at harvest (BW) increased from a mean of 67.4 g in the grandparental (unselected) population (G₀) to 129.5 g in G₂ was affected by initial weight, pond, sex and age effects. Generations were discrete and therefore genetic parameters were estimated separately for each year. Heritability estimates for BW ranged from 0.38 to 0.60, and the heritability for survival ranged from 0.03 to 0.14. The estimated selection response was 23.4 g (34.7%) between G₀ and G₁ and 13.0 g (14.9%) between G₁ and G₂. These results demonstrate the feasibility of selection for growth of Nile tilapia in low-input environments.     

Genetic parameters of survival for six generations in the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Genetic parameters were estimated for survival of Macrobrachium rosenbergii using a fully pedigreed synthetic population formed by three introduced strains. The data included 107 398 progeny from 394 sires and 654 dams in six generations with a nested mating structure. The variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using a generalized linear mixed model with the probit link function. Available heritabilities in survival from the generation G₃ to G₅ ranged from 0.007 ± 0.020 to 0.066 ± 0.044 (P > 0.05) using a model that included the common environmental effect (c). Across generations, low heritability (0.016 ± 0.012, P > 0.05) was estimated using the model with inclusion of the c effect. There were statistically significant differences in the heritability estimates between different ponds for most generations. Moreover, the genetic correlation of survival between ponds over six generations varied from low to high (?0.0007 ± 0.17 to 0.80 ± 0.069) and was significantly different from unity. There were low correlation coefficients (?0.039 ± 0.096 to 0.342 ± 0.081) between body weight estimated breeding value (EBV) and survival EBV of families in different generations. The low heritabilities for survival are most likely caused by low genetic variation in the founder populations and reduced genetic variation because of consecutive selection.     

Response to selection for harvest body weight of Oreochromis shiranus

Realised and predicted responses to selection were obtained for harvest body weight of Oreochromis shiranus from two generations of selection at the National Aquaculture Centre, Domasi, Malawi. The realised response was estimated from the difference in the least squares means of selected and unselected control populations, while the predicted response was obtained from the difference of the mean breeding values between generations. The realised (13.2%) and predicted (14.4%) responses for harvest body weight over the two generations of selection were not significantly different (P > 0.05). The intensity of selection from F₁ to F₂ (0.66) and from F₂ to F₃ (0.59) was low due to availability of few selection candidates per family at harvest caused by mortality, tag loss and the need to form broad heterogeneous multi-strain F₂ and F₃ populations. Within generation, the heritability estimates for the F₁ (0.31 ± 0.09), F₂ (0.31 ± 0.10) and F₃ (0.35 ± 0.11) generations were moderate. Across generation, the heritability estimate was low (0.14 ± 0.27). Within generation, the magnitude of the common full-sib effect was moderate (0.08-0.09) and not significantly different from zero (P > 0.05). However, across generations, the common full-sib effect was high (0.27 ±0.05) and significantly different from zero (P < 0.05). A substantial correlated selection response due to selection for increased harvest body weight was observed for both tagging body weight and for survival from tagging to harvest; for tagging body weight 22.8% from F₁ to F₂ and 15.9% from F₂ to F₃; for survival 7.2% from F₁ to F₂ and 13.8% from F₂ to F₃. The results are discussed in relation to the maximisation of the genetic gain in the future generations while constraining the rate of inbreeding.     

Phenotypic and genetic parameters for body traits in the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) in India

Phenotypic and genetic parameters were estimated for three body traits (harvest weight, carapace length and standard length) and for adult male morphotypes of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii in a fully pedigreed synthetic population in India. The data set included 9,173 progeny produced over four generations from 162 sires and 234 dams. Variance components and genetic parameters were estimated fitting an animal model using the residual maximum‐likelihood methodology. The heritabilities for harvest body weight (HW), carapace length (CL) and standard length (SL) were moderate (0.22 ± 0.056, 0.22 ± 0.055 and 0.25 ± 0.059 respectively). The common environmental effects for HW, CL and SL were 0.10 ± 0.020, 0.08 ± 0.018 and 0.10 ± 0.021 respectively. As M. rosenbergii is sexually dimorphic, we estimated heritabilities within each sex. Heritability of HW in females (0.27 ± 0.068) was greater than that in males (0.15 ± 0.057). CL and SL followed the same pattern. The occurrence of male morphotypes is a unique characteristic of adult populations of M. rosenbergii. Populations from culture ponds exhibit a wide range of sizes. To examine whether there was a heritable component in male morphotype frequencies, we treated male morphotypes as traits. The additive genetic variance (and hence the heritability) was zero for male morphotype, indicating that selective breeding to increase the proportion of desirable male morphotypes would not be effective. The genetic correlations among body traits were all positive, high and approaching unity. The results are discussed in relation to selection plans for the giant freshwater prawn.     

Genetic parameters of survival in four generations of Indian white shrimp (Fenneropeneaus indicus)

This study evaluated the genetic variance for survival at harvest of Indian white shrimp (Fenneropenaeus indicus) using a pedigreed synthetic population generated upon collecting broodstock from different fishery grounds in Egypt. The estimated heritabilities (h² ± SE) of survival from generations G₀ to G₃ ranged from 0.144 ± 0.026 to 0.008 ± 0.030 using a model that included the common environmental effect (c²). Low heritability (0.014 ± 0.015) was estimated across generations with the inclusion of common environmental effect (c²). However, the h² of survival from G₀ to G₁ ranged from 0.569 ± 0.071 to 0.410 ± 0.011 when c² was not included. The genetic correlation for survival between different ponds from G₀ to G₃ was moderate to high (0.79 ± 0.042 to 0.83 ± 0.012) but significantly different (P < 0.05). There were low correlation coefficients (?0.237 ± 0.089 to 0.316 ± 0.073) between body weight estimated breeding value (EBV) and survival EBV of families in four generations.     

Mass selection for small‐sized cysts in Artemia franciscana produced in Vinh Chau salt ponds,Vietnam

Unidirectional mass truncation selection for small‐sized cysts was carried out on brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana Kellogg 1906), Vinh Chau strain, Vietnam, through cyst sieving and then culturing the selected individuals (<5% of the population) under field and laboratory conditions over two successive generations (F₁ and F₂). The results showed that at both culture scales, the cyst size of the selected line was smaller (P < 0.05) compared with the control (non‐selected) line, illustrating that there was a response to selection. The cyst size decreased about 3% per generation and the accumulated gain on the target trait was in the range 5.82–6.07% at the end of the selection process compared with the base population. The realized heritability estimation (h²) for cyst size was 0.23 ± 0.06 and 0.74 ± 0.19 in the field trials and 0.34 and 0.51 in the laboratory test for the F₁ and F₂ generation respectively. The variations found between the respective trials may be explained as the result of environmental interaction with the selection process, but the results show that a selection program for small‐sized cysts in Artemia by mass selection is possible.     

Selection response and realized heritability for growth in three stocks of the Pacific oyster <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea gigas</Emphasis>

To estimate response to selection and realized heritability for shell height, a one-generation selection was performed in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas using three stocks from China (stock C), Japan (stock J), and Korea (stock K). Applying about the same intensity of selection in the upward direction, three selected and three control lines were created, which were reared under the same environmental conditions at larvae, spat, and grow-out stages. Stock C and stock J showed significantly higher response to selection and realized heritability than stock K at spat and grow-out stages (P < 0.05). At harvest on day 360, the selected lines of stocks C, J, and K were 12.2, 12.2, and 7.9% larger than their control lines, respectively, for shell height. When averaged across the grow-out period, the genetic gain for stocks C, J, and K was 13.2 ± 1.2, 13.2 ± 1.0, and 7.2 ± 0.7%, respectively, and realized heritability was 0.334 ± 0.028, 0.402 ± 0.024 and 0.149 ± 0.027, respectively. The relatively high realized heritability estimate obtained for stock C and stock J indicates that there is genetic variation in the two stocks and that selective breeding by mass selection is very promising.     

Genetic improvement of Israeli blue (Jordan) tilapia,Oreochromis aureus (Steindachner), through selective breeding for harvest weight

Genetic parameters and selection responses were obtained for harvest body weight of blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus) from data collected over three generations in a selected population. A total of 18 194 records representing 186 sires and 201 dams were used in the analysis. Within generation heritability estimates for harvest body weight ranged from 0.18 to 0.58. When data from more than one generation were included in the analysis, heritability estimates became more stable (0.33–0.40) and it was 0.33 when all data were included in the analysis. The common full‐sib effect accounted for 10% of the phenotypic variance in the full data set. Heritability for survival from stocking to harvest was estimated at 0.01 and 0.09 in actual units (fitting an animal model) and in the logit (sire model) scale respectively. The genetic correlation between harvest body weight and survival was 0.22 and not significantly different from zero. The total selection response for harvest body weight over the three generations of selection measured as the difference between least‐squares means of selected and control lines was 17.7%. The corresponding figure when response was measured as the difference between mean breeding values of selected and control lines was 19.6%. The average inbreeding coefficient was 0.003 after three generations of selection. These results indicate that there are good prospects for the genetic improvement of harvest body weight in blue tilapia.     

长牡蛎壳黑和壳白选育群体生长性状的选择效应

为了培育壳色性状优良且生长性状良好的长牡蛎(Crassostrea gigas)新品系,本研究以5个壳黑第四代家系和5个壳白第四代家系的成贝为基础群体,利用截头法对壳高进行选择,构建了壳黑和壳白快速生长系第一代群体,分析了两个选育群体的壳高和活体体重的选择反应、遗传获得和现实遗传力等遗传参数。结果表明,在长牡蛎收获的490日龄,壳黑群体和壳白群体选择组壳高较对照组壳高分别提高(9.83?1.68)%和(9.97?1.87)%,体重分别提高(10.16?3.64)%和(11.36?1.96)%。两选育群体壳高的平均现实遗传力分别为(0.353?0.09)和(0.405?0.111),体重的平均现实遗传力为(0.192?0.080)和(0.244?0.123)。本研究表明壳黑群体和壳白群体具有较大的遗传方差,在对壳高生长速度直接选择的同时实现了对活体体重的间接选育,可继续通过群体选育提高生长速度。本研究结果可以为培育出壳色美观、生长性状良好的长牡蛎优良品种提供科学依据。     

Genetic analysis of the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei): heterosis and heritability for harvest body weight

The aim of this study was to estimate heterosis and heritability for harvest body weight of the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) measured at commercial farm conditions. Heterosis and heritability were estimated using a base population from diallel crosses of eight introduced strains. The base population included 9936 shrimp from 207 families that were produced with 188 sires and 172 dams using a nested mating design by artificial insemination. Heterosis was calculated basing on the least squares means (LSM) of harvest body weight. The results showed that most of the hybrids (75%) have positive heterosis for harvest body weight, which ranged from ?13.36% (UA2 × UA5) to 13.80% (UA6 × UA5) with a mean of 2.41%. The high amount of heterosis manifested in the hybrids indicated the usefulness of these hybrids for improving the growth. Variance components and heritability for harvest body weight were estimated using an animal model. The heritability estimate for harvest body weight was 0.092 ± 0.082 (h²) when genetic groups were excluded from the pedigree, but it was decreased when genetic groups were included in the pedigree ( = 0.066 ± 0.050), implying that there are strain additive genetic effect and heterosis in the base population. However, the heritability estimates for harvest body weight were significantly different from zero (P < 0.05) and there was no significant difference between h² and (P > 0.05). The results from this study indicated that significant improvement for growth is possible through cross‐breeding and selective breeding in L. vannamei.     

Phenotypic and genetic parameters for body measurements, reproductive traits and gut length of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) selected for growth in low-input earthen ponds

In this study we present estimates of phenotypic and genetic parameters for body size measurements, reproductive traits, and gut length for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) selected for growth in fertilized earthen ponds for two generations. Throughout the experiment, ponds were fertilized daily with 50 kg dry matter, (dm)/ha chicken manure. No supplementary feeds were added. For the analysis, 6429 fully pedigreed experimental fish from G0, G1 and G2 were used. Generations were discrete and therefore parameters were estimated separately for each year. Heritability estimates for body measurements ranged from 0.4-0.6 for standard length to 0.69-0.79 for head length. Phenotypic correlations between body weight and body measurements ranged from 0.64 to 0.89. Genetic correlations were close to unity. The heritability estimate for maturity at harvest (corrected for sex) was 0.13. Heritabilities for carcass traits were estimated from G₁ only and were 0.16 for gutted weight and 0.06 for dressing percentage. Phenotypic correlation between body weight and gutted weight was 0.84 and the genetic correlation was 0.20. Heritability estimate for gut length was 0.22. We also estimated a high genetic correlation between gut length index and standard length (0.78) but a low genetic correlation between gut length index and body weight (0.22 ± 0.28). These results suggest that selection for growth on an herbivorous diet could result in a correlated response in gut length.     

Genetic parameters of growth and survival in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas is a representative bivalve mollusc that is widely cultured in the world and is the largest molluscan group cultured in China. In order to assess the feasibility of improving survival of C. gigas through genetic selection, the heritability and genetic correlations for growth and survival traits between different life stages were examined. Genetic parameters were estimated based on intraclass correlations of 49 full‐sib families (29 half‐sib families) in larvae (4 and 20 days after fertilization) and spat (140 days after fertilization) stages. The heritability for growth traits in larvae and spat was 0.30–0.86 and 0.53–0.59, respectively, and varied with ages. The heritability of survival was low in larvae (0.13 ± 0.05 and 0.17 ± 0.04, respectively for 4 and 20 days after fertilization) but medium (0.39 ± 0.07) in spat, suggesting that selection for increasing spat survival was feasible. The genetic correlation between growth traits within age was medium to high and positive (ranging from 0.47 to 0.96, respectively, between shell length (SL) and shell height (SH) at 20 days and between SL and SH at 140 days after fertilization), suggesting that selection to improve single growth trait will cause positive response in another growth traits in C. gigas. The genetic correlations between survival and growth traits at 140 days were low but positive (ranging from 0.23 to 0.27, respectively, between survival and SH and between survival and SL at 140 days after fertilization), suggesting that selection for survival may not have a negative response in growth. Overall, this study suggests that survival traits should be taken as improving target of next selection breeding programme in C. gigas.     

Divergent selection for shell length in two stocks of small abalone Haliotis diversicolor

To determine whether genetic improvement can be attained through a selective breeding programme, divergent selection for shell length was applied to two stocks of Haliotis diversicolor. Stock A was descended from the cross between males from a Japanese wild population and females from a Taiwan aquacultured population and Stock B was from the Taiwan cultured population, which had been successively cultured in mainland China for about 10 generations. The 10% largest and 10% smallest abalones for each of these two stocks were selected as parents for the large‐selected and small‐selected lines respectively. Equal numbers of abalone were randomly chosen from the two stocks to serve as parents for the control lines before the selection. The selected and control lines were reared under the same conditions at early juvenile, later juvenile and grow‐out stages. Stock A showed a significantly higher response to selection and realized heritability than Stock B (P<0.01). The large‐selected line of Stock A and Stock B grew 12.79% and 4.58% faster than their control lines on shell length respectively. The average realized heritability for shell length was 0.441±0.064 for Stock A and 0.113±0.013 for Stock B. Responses to selection were different at different ages in each stock and the body weights of the selected lines were significantly different from the control lines in both stocks at the grow‐out stage. Asymmetric responses to selection in the two directions were also observed in both stocks. Differences in response to selection and realized heritability between the two stocks are presumably due to genetic variability.     

Microsatellites markers to depict the reproductive and genetic patterns of farmed gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata): illustration by a case study on mass spawning

In the absence of breeding strategy, natural spawning constitutes the breeding ground for fish farmers to empirically manage their commercial broodstock. In this context, we used six microsatellite markers to characterize the genetic pattern of six commercial seabream broodfish tanks having a common history spanning four generations. The progeny of one tank single‐day mass‐spawning event, reared in two different environments, was used to estimate the genetic parameters for body weight. Limited genetic differentiation was observed among broodfish groups. A panel of nine loci allowed us to unambiguously assign 95.4% of the offspring (1692) and identify 37 parents (65% of the total broodfish). The limited effective population size (N_e = 15.3) was due to the elevated variance of parental contributions and to broodfish failing to contribute to the progeny. The fluctuation of the allele frequency highlighted the risks of genetic drift and reduction in the heterozygosity in the next generations. Heritability for body weight was moderate at commercial size (0.40 ± 0.10) and the high genetic correlation at later stages laid the groundwork for precocious selection criteria for growth. The discussion opens on the opportunity to use mass spawning for selective breeding.     

Genetic (co)variation in harvest body weight and survival in Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei under standard commercial conditions

In 1997, CENIACUA (Centro de Investigaciones para la Acuicultura en Colombia) in collaboration with AKVAFORSK (Institute of Aquaculture Research, Norway) initiated a family-based selection scheme in Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei to improve growth rate and survival in ponds and tanks. This paper reports results from a series of tests in which a total of 430 full-sib families (representing 204 paternal half-sib families) were tested for harvest weight and survival in standard commercial and intensive growing environments. The families originated from two selected lines. The estimates of heritability (h²±S.E.) for harvest weight for the two lines were 0.24±0.05 and 0.17±0.04, and the corresponding estimates for survival in pond/tanks were 0.04±0.02 and 0.10±0.02. Results showed a favorable correlation between the estimated mean full-sib family breeding values for harvest weight and pond/tank survival (0.42 in line 1 and 0.40 in line 2) indicating that selecting for growth will cause a positive correlated response in overall survival. The genetic correlations between body weights and pond/tank survival in different grow-out environments were high, demonstrating low genotype by farm interaction (GXE) for both traits.     

低密度养殖模式下中国明对虾社会交互效应的遗传分析

针对低密度养殖模式下中国明对虾收获体质量和眼球磨损性状的直接遗传效应(DGE)和间接遗传效应(IGE)进行了估计。为了准确估计中国明对虾收获体质量及眼球磨损性状的遗传参数,将来自G8和G9代的178个被标记的家系(G8代88个全同胞家系,G9代90个全同胞家系),共计6 408尾中国明对虾,每个家系分成3组(每组12尾),随机放入3个不同的圆缸(半径100 cm),其中,G8代88个圆缸,G9代90个圆缸。每个圆缸包含3个不同的家系,1个家系共与其他6个家系进行组合,生长测试80 d后对体质量及眼球磨损性状进行测量和评估。结果显示,使用传统的动物模型获得收获体质量的遗传力为0.11±0.05,属低遗传力水平。似然比检验结果表明,需要将IGE效应包含在模型中(LRT=5.26)。利用包含IGE的扩展动物模型估计得到的总遗传方差由DGE方差(43%)、DGE-IGE协方差(24%)和IGE方差(33%)组成,占表型方差的24%,是传统动物模型获得的遗传力的2倍多(11%)。由DGE-IGE协方差估计出收获体质量的DGEIGE相关系数为0.32±0.45,属中度正相关,表明由于养殖密度较低,...     

Genetic differences between sexes for morphometric traits of GIFT tilapia

The study was carried out to verify the genetic differences in the morphometric traits between male and female tilapia GIFT under the selection for weight gain. The data set used contained information of 6650 animals of the third (2198), fourth (1720) and fifth (2732) generations of GIFT in Brazil, in addition to the 8590 animals, of the first five generations, included in the relationship matrix. The morphometric traits used were standard length (SL: 19.8 ± 1.7), body depth (BD: 7.6 ± 0.76), body width (BW: 3.5 ± 0.54), body area (BA: 151.3 ± 27.6) and body volume (BV: 536.7 ± 143.5). Bicharacter analyses were performed considering the same morphometric measure evaluated for each sex as different traits to estimate the (co)variance components. The heritability and environmental common effects of the larval and fry phases for each trait of each sex were estimated. Genetic correlations between males and females for the same body trait were estimated. The larval effect was higher for females (SL = 0.1; BD = 0.07; BW = 0.05; BA = 0.09; BV = 0.09) than for males (SL = 0.04; BD = 0.03, BW = 0.01, BA = 0.04; BV = 0.03), while the fry effect was similar between the sexes. The heritability of males (SL = 0.25; BD = 0.3; BW = 0.33; BA = 0.31; BV = 0.35) was, in general, higher than those present in females (SL = 0.19; BD = 0.2, BW = 0.18, BA = 0.2; BV = 0.2), and the genetic correlations between males and females were below 0.5 (SL = 0.5; BD = 0.39, BW = 0.42, BA = 0.45; BV = 0.43). Thus, it can be seen that the males respond differently to the females in terms of body shape, of the selection for weight gain.     

Growth parameters of whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and red seaweed Gracilaria corticata in integrated culturing method under zero water exchange system

Growth parameters of whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and red seaweed Gracilaria corticata were measured using integrated culturing method under zero‐water exchange system in a 45‐day period. A 2 × 3 factorial design was used with two levels of shrimp stocking densities and three levels of seaweed weight densities. G. corticata was cultured on a net tied to a round polyethylene frame. Culture tanks were filled with 750‐L filtered seawater. A 40‐W compact fluorescent lamp was hung over each tank to provide adequate and sufficient light for seaweed growth. Growth parameters of shrimp and seaweed such as specific growth rate (SGR), weight gained (WG) and average daily growth (ADG) were computed based on the initial and final weight of shrimp and seaweed. The maximum and minimum SGR of L. vannamei (1.97 and 1.69%/day) were observed in treatment S₁A₃ (25 shrimp/m² and 400 g seaweed/m²) and S₂A₁ (50 shrimp/m² without seaweed) respectively. The best survival rate (94.67 ± 1.33%), WG (129.9 ± 2.9%) and feed conversion ratio (1.67 ± 0.04) were also observed in treatment S₁A₃. The SGR of G.corticata in the treatment S₁A₃ (1.97 ± 0.00%/day) was significantly higher, compared to others. Strong positive correlations were obtained between the density of G. corticata and the growth parameters of L. vannamei. The red seaweed G. corticata could boost the growth parameters, survival rate and total production of L. vannamei under zero‐water exchange system.