Effect of dietary supplementation of biofloc on growth performance and digestive enzyme activities in Penaeus monodon

Abstract

A 60-day indoor growth trial was conducted to study the effect of dietary supplementation of biofloc on growth performance and digestive enzyme activities in Penaeus monodon juveniles. Biofloc developed in indoor fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) tanks (1000L) was used as dietary supplement for P. monodon (2.90±0.10g) reared in 1000L FRP tanks. Graded level of dried biofloc was included in shrimp basal diets; 0 (B0, control), 4 (B4), 8 (B8) and 12% (B12). The dried biofloc contained 24.30±0.28% protein. Fatty acid profile of biofloc revealed palmitic acid (46.54%), cis-Vaccenic acid (15.37%), linoleic acid (10.67%) and oleic acid (9.19%) as major fatty acids. There were 16.9 and 13.9% significantly higher (p<0.01) final body weights in B8 and B4 respectively compared with control, B0. Similarly, significantly better (p<0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR), 1.84±0.09 and protein efficiency ratio (PER), 3.48±0.17 was noticed in B4 compared to control (FCR 2.29±0.11 and PER 2.80±0.13). At the end of the feeding trial, B4 recorded 57.6, 45.5, 61 and 78.6% significant increases (p<0.01) in hepatopancreas digestive enzyme activities for amylase, cellulase, lipase and protease respectively compared with control. However, treatment with 12% level of biofloc inclusion (B12) did not differ significantly (p>0.05) for most of the growth performance parameters and digestive enzyme activities compared with control. The present study elucidates the suitability of biofloc as a dietary supplement at 4% level in shrimp feed for enhancing growth and digestive enzyme activities in tiger shrimp juvenile.