Utilization of rice byproducts as carbon sources in high-density culture of the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of rice byproducts on water quality, microbial community, and growth performance of L. vannamei juveniles. Shrimp of 0.98±0.10 g body weight (BW) were reared in 49 tanks of 1.5 m3 under 127 animals m−2 for 77 days. Rice bran, rice grits, and rice hulls were mixed into five different fertilizers varying their fiber content (90, 110, 150, 200, and 250 g kg−1) and compared against sugarcane molasses (MO) and unfertilized tanks (UNF). Rice byproducts and MO were applied in water three times a week at a fixed rate of 4.5 g m−3. Water salinity, pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen reached 43±2 g L−1, 8.03±0.32, 30.2±0.90 °C, and 5.03±0.53 mg L−1, respectively. Settleable solids (SS) were higher in tanks fertilized with rice byproducts (from 2.5±1.0 to 3.1±1.1 mL L−1) and MO (3.4±1.0 mL L−1). Total ammonia nitrogen (0.19±0.09 mg L−1), nitrite (5.97±2.04 mg L−1), and nitrate (1.29±0.48 mg L−1) were kept low without any significant differences among treatments. The concentration of heterotrophic bacteria and fungi was significantly higher in rice byproducts compared with MO. Water fertilization had no effect on final shrimp survival (85.5±9.5%), weekly growth (0.72±0.11 g), and feed conversion ratio (1.59±0.10). Tanks treated with rice byproducts, except with 90 g kg−1 fiber, resulted in a higher final shrimp BW (from 9.04±1.56 to 9.52±1.89 g) compared with MO (8.75±2.14 g) and UNF (7.74±1.48 g). Gained yield and feed intake were significantly higher for tanks treated with rice byproducts than with UNF. A mix of rice byproducts can be equally or more effective as carbon sources to shrimp culture than MO.