Chasimitra India Private Limited

In their own words

Economic growth and sustainability are the major driving force behind the growth of fish/ shrimp farming sector. In light of increasing disease out breaks in shrimp aquaculture and price of commercial feed, the concept of delivering high production with evolving eco- friendly technologies like Biofloc and periphyton based farming system are gaining momentum. “Biofloc” technology is changing the facet of intensive aquaculture with scope to attain high productivity with a sustainable approach. Bio-floc is an assemblage of beneficial microorganisms such as heterotrophic bacteria, algae (dinoflagellates & diatoms), fungi, ciliates, flagellates, rotifers, nematodes, metazoans & detritus. As it contains predominantly heterotrophic bacterial community over autotrophic and denitrifying bacteria, this can be controlled by maintaining high carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N). Biofloc in combination with periphyton (BPT) increases the natural production and in turn productivity. The lower/minimal water exchange facility in biofloc system also improves the pathogen exclusion in culture pond. BFT supports high density and biosecurity, maintain the water quality even in the absence of water exchange, maximum utilization of nitrogen input in the form of feed and finally results in economically viable system. Through developing dense heterotrophic bacterial community by C:N ratio manipulation, the system becomes bacterial dominated rather than algae, and maintains water quality through in situ bioremediation. As disease outbreaks and their impact on commercial shrimp farming operations during the past two decades greatly affected the operational management of shrimp farms, BFT approach promises a healthy rearing system, which is increasingly identified as one possible approach for disease prevention. In a typical brackish water pond, only 20–25% of fed protein is utilised by the fish/shrimp, rest of which goes as waste in the form of nitrogenous metabolites. Manipulation of carbon: nitrogen ratio in shrimp/fish ponds encourages the uptake of this inorganic nitrogen in to microbial protein known as biofloc. The biofloc principle combines the removal of nutrients from the water with the production of microbial biomass, which can be used by the cultured species, in situ as additional food source. The optimum C:N ratio in an aquaculture system can be maintained (C:N ratio 12-15:1) by adding different locally available cheap carbon sources and / or reducing protein percentage in feed. Under optimum C:N ratio, inorganic nitrogen is immobilized into bacterial cell while organic substrates are metabolized. As early as in the year 1976, Steve Surfling put forward the ‘microbialsoup’ concept that eventually led to the development of “bio-floc” based aqua farming. Dense heterotrophic bacterial community is developed to make the system bacterial dominated. Accumulation of these bacteria, called flocs, engulf up the nitrogenous wastes ten to hundred times more efficiently than algae, and turn them into high- protein feed. In early 1980s BFT was developed at Ifremer-COP (French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea, Oceanic Center of Pacific) with different penaeid species CHASICARE 4 including Penaeus monodon, Litopenaeus vannamei. Later, Prof. Yoram from Israel, contributed immensely for the further modification and promotion of this encouraging technology. The technique developed in Israel subsequently spread to many other countries due to its several advantages. Advantages of bio-floc based aquaculture technology • Biosecurity of the system can be maintained with Zero/minimal water exchange system • Heterotrophic bacteria can reduce toxic metabolites (NH3 -NNO2--N) • Easier management and environmental friendly approach (reduced protein requirement, fish meal usage and water/nutrient discharge), diurnal changes (pH, O2, CO2) in pond water is reduced • Doubling the protein utilization as the shrimp use proteins twice - eat feed and then harvest flocs. Enhance digestion (with enzymes and growth promoters) • Probiotic action - more diverse aerobic gut flora reducing pathogenic bacteria (Vibrios). • Role in immune response by stimulating humoral and cellularimmunity • Reduced costs (15-20% lower cost of production) including 30-50% cost savings infeed • Augmentation of natural food and improvement of FCR • Reduced sensitivity to lightfluctuation • Major advantage of growing shrimp in biofloc will not require of multiple external filtration. It reduces the start up operational expenses.

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