Effects of artificial brackish water for white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) culture in recirculation system

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of artificial brackish water on growth and survival rate of white leg shrimp cultured in recurculating aquaculture system (RAS). The experiment was carried out with 15 ppt natural and artificial brackish water. Artificial brackish water was prepared by dissolving sea salt and chemicals with tap water. The experiment consists three treatments as: (1) natural brackish water (diluted from brine water and tap water); (2) a mixture of 50% natural brackish water and 50% artificial brackish water; (3) artificial brackish water. Each treatment was arranged in quadruplicate. The RAS included 4 culture tanks (0.5m3/tank of volume), a settling tank (0.2m3) and a biofilter tank (0.5m3). The juvenile of white leg shrimp (initial size was 0.44–0.47 g/ind) were stocked at 200 ind/m3 and reared for 70 days. During the experimental period, water quality parameters (nitrite, TAN, alkalinity, Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+) were measured. The results showed that the mean weight of shrimp among treatments was ranged from 15.39–16.99 g/ind, in which highest weight was recorded in treatment 1 (16.99±0.43 g/in), and it was significantly different to the others (p<0.05). However, the survival rate in treatment 1 was the lowest (70.8±3.3%), and statistically different to treatment 2 (81.0±6.9%) and treatment 3 (87.8±5.7%). The shrimp production in all treatments was from 2.4 to 2.7 kg/m3 and no significant difference in production was observed. The present study demonstrated that artificial brackish water is applicable for white leg shrimp culture in RAS systems.