Biofloc based Recirculating Aquaculture Systems for the culture of Pacific White Shrimp

摘要

Since the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources'Waddell Mariculture Center (WMC), located in Bluffton, SC USA, opened its doors in 1986, it has been a leader in the development of minimal-exchange, biofloc-based shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamet)culture systems, first in ponds and more recently in greenhouse-enclosed, recirculating raceways and tanks.This approach is characterized by heavy concentrations of suspended organic matter composed of aggregations of bacteria, algae, micro-invertebrates, uneaten feed, shrimp feces, and molts. The dominant microbes populating biofloc particles can be considered as three integrated components: photo-autotrophs (algae), heterotrophs (carbon-consuming bacteria), and chemo-autotrophs (nitrifying bacteria). Larger biofloc particles eaten by the shrimp provide supplemental nutrition, recycling nutrients that would otherwise be lost.