| Abstract: | The objective of this study was to assess the effects of rearing density on the growth and fatty acid profile of Nereis diversicolor and on its capability to bioremediate wastewater in an integrated culture system with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). To this end, a batch of juvenile N. diversicolor (0.03 ± 0.01 mg) was assigned into four different densities (T1 = 250, T2 = 500, T3 = 1,000, T4 = 2,000, besides T0 = with no worm) in three replicates. The worm groups were fed with solid waste that was supplied from tanks containing rainbow trout (107.17 ± 13.5 g; 1.39 ± 0.18 kg/m3). During the experiment (60 days), the water temperature was 17.71 ± 0.6°C. The results revealed that SR%, SGR% and WG% of N. diversicolor in T1 were significantly higher than those of T2, T3 and T4. Both FER rate and biomass gain in T4 were significantly higher than those in the other groups. The highest removal rate of NO2‐N (73.72%), NH3‐N (65.70%), PO4‐P (59.32%), BOD5 (69.60%) and TSS (82.33%) were observed in T4. The major fatty acids presents were palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid and alpha‐linolenic acid in all worm‐treated groups, with no difference observed in the concentration of these fatty acids among them. Taken together, these findings suggest that organic wastes from rainbow trout farms could be recycled to achieve a sustainable aquaculture goal, and demonstrate that a high percentage of fatty acids in fish feed is not absorbed by rainbow trout but is done by N. diversicolor. |
