PROTEIN REQUIREMENT FOR INITIAL REARING PHASE OF PACIFIC WHITE SHRIMP IN A BIOFLOC SYSTEM

This study evaluated the protein requirement of Litopenaeus vannamei post-larvae during the initial rearing phase in a biofloc system. Five different diets were evaluated with increasing concentrations of crude protein: 31.28, 36.29, 41.57, 46.34, and 51.74 g 100 g-1 CP. Post-larvae (0.16 ± 0.01 g) were stocked at a density of 450 PL m-3 in 400 L tanks. Water quality parameters were maintained within the limits recommended for shrimp farming. After 38 days, a regression analysis revealed that levels of CP content (65.29 – 72.83%), EE (10.45 – 11.65%) and body N (10.45 – 11.64%) increased with increasing protein levels in the diet. A similar trend was observed in the biofloc sludge with respect to CP and N. Survival exceeded 80%, and the shrimp with diets containing 31.28 to 46.34g 100 g-1 CP presented an increase in final weight (1.52 – 2.61 g), productivity (0.69 – 1.10 Kg m-3), weight gain (1.38 – 2.44 g), and feeding efficiency (77.28 – 101.68%), whereas these indices decreased to51.74 g 100 g-1 CP. Crude protein content from 44.26 to 47.12 g 100 g-1 provided the best growth performance during the initial rearing phase of Pacific white shrimp in a biofloc system.