Sustainable aquaculture should be environmentally benign, profitable, ecologically efficient, product diversified and societally beneficial. Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture, an old concept with new knowledge, appears to be an eco-innovative solution to achieve these objectives. The design of feeds for fish and shrimp is crucial in these systems because fish feed is the main input of nutrients for both animals and plants. The project aims to evaluate the effect of incorporating the low trophic-level organisms such as black soldier fly, biofloc and microalgae as ingredients in aquafeed on the nutrient utilization efficiency and the growth performance of the co-cultivated species. The experimental feed was tested at the laboratory scale in both aquaponics and marine integrated multi-trophic Aquaculture systems. The fish were cultured in a biofloc system and under different salinity levels (5,10, 15, 20, 25, 30 PSU). Fish diets, fish feeding rate and feeding schedules were designed to provide nutrients for both fish and plants. Dissolved oxygen, pH and temperature were monitored daily. Total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite and alcalinity, were monitored weekly. The results showed that the zootechnical performances of the co-cultivated species varied depending on the salinity levels used, the type of feed provided and the feeding time.
Keywords—integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, biofloc, nutritional requirements, low trophic-level organisms, black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), spirulina. plant