AQUA 2024

August 26 - 30, 2024

Copenhagen, Denmark

NILE TILAPIA FARMING INTEGRATED WITH BOTTOM-FEEDER SPECIES

Ana Luíza L. Rocha; Michelle R. Santos; Laurindo A. Rodrigues; Helenice P. Barros; Marcello V. Boock; Eduardo M. Onaka; Michelle P. Vetorelli; Fernanda F. Borges; Andre Z. Boaratti; Wagner C. Valenti; Patricia Moraes-Valenti*

 

*UNESP – Aquaculture Center (CAUNESP), Access Road Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, Jaboticabal/SP/Brazil - Postcode 14884-900 – moraes.valenti@unesp.br

 



Integrated aquaculture systems can boost the final biomass and align with sustainability principles and the circular economy concepts. Thus, we investigated the integrated culture of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with curimbatá (Prochilodus lineatus), an iliophagus bottom-feeder, and giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), an omnivorous bottom-feeder. An experiment that lasted 176 days was developed at UNESP - Aquaculture Center, in Jaboticabal - SP, Brazil (21º15’22’’S; 48º18’48’’O). Twelve earthen ponds with an area of ​​~0.015 ha and a depth of 1 m were used. The experimental design was completely randomized, consisting of four treatments and three replications (ponds): MT - monoculture of tilapia (3 ind.m-2); ITC - integrated culture of tilapia (3 ind.m-2) and curimbatá (5 ind.m-2); ITP - integrated culture of tilapia (3 ind.m-2) and prawn (5 ind.m-2); ITCP - integrated culture of tilapia (3 ind.m-2), curimbatá (5 ind.m-2) and prawn (5 ind.m-2). Only tilapia was fed twice a day with an extruded commercial diet.  At harvest, all animals were counted and weighed. Final mean mass, survival, productivity, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated for all treatments (Table 1). The co-culture of Nile tilapia, curimbatá and giant river prawn did not lead to the expected increase in productivity and reduction in FCR compared to tilapia monoculture. Curimbatá, stocked at a density of 5 ind.m-2, negatively affected the development of Nile tilapia and giant river prawn. The integrated culture of Nile tilapia at a density of 3 ind.m-2 with giant river prawn at 5 ind.m-2 increased productivity and reduced FCR. Further research should be performed to define the best stocking density of each species to optimize their integrated culture.