Fish feeding rate affects the productive performance of whiteleg shrimp and lebranche mullet integrated culture using biofloc technology

Abstract

Aim of study: To evaluate the effects of different fish feeding rates on the growth performance, water quality, and water microbiology in the integrated culture of lebranche mullet (Mugil liza) and whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) using biofloc technology. Area of study: Southern Brazil. Material and methods: A 46-day experiment was performed to assess four feeding rates (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3% of mullet biomass) with four replicates per treatment. Shrimp were fed according to a feeding table. Eight-hundred L tanks were used for shrimp culture, while 90 L tanks were utilized for mullet culture, employing recirculation between the tanks through a submerged pump (Sarlo-Better 650 L hour-1). Main results: Water quality variables and water microbiology, evaluated through bacterial counts, were unaffected by the fish feeding rates (p>0.05). Regarding growth performance, while shrimp were unaffected (p>0.05), mullet final mean weight, biomass, daily growth coefficient, and yield significantly increased with higher fish feeding rates (p<0.05). Mullet feed conversion ratio and survival were not influenced by the feeding management (p>0.05). Furthermore, linear regression models for the overall system productivity showed a positive correlation with the fish feeding rate. As the fish feeding rate increased, the yield of the integrated culture system also increased (p<0.05). Research highlights: These findings emphasize the importance of considering appropriate feeding rates to maximize the productivity and overall performance of integrated aquaculture systems using biofloc technology.