Biofloc technology (BFT), a popular technology utilized in shrimp farming in foreign countries, specifically in Indonesia and Australia, is set to be employed in the grow-out culture of freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) in the Philippines for the first time.
Aquaculture has been one of the country’s primary sources of economic and sectoral growth. To further improve the industry, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) funded the project, “Effect of biofloc technology on water quality and growth performance of Macrobrachium rosenbergii and assessment of the associated bacterial communities.” It aims to adopt BFT in freshwater prawn aquaculture to understand its effect on water quality and its efficiency to help shrimp farmers in their culture system,
Based on findings, BFT stands out as a cutting-edge technology for enhancing the ecological and environmental sustainability of prawn farming. In a BFT system, there is a constant production of bacteria and other minute organisms that serve as food for the shrimp. Meanwhile, the shrimp’s organic waste that contains carbon and nitrogen are being used for the continued production of bacteria.
Project sampling led by the project team. (Image credit: Mindanao State University-Marawi Project team)
Notably, the research underscores that the characterization of the complex microbial communities within the bioflocs could offer valuable insights in understanding the role of bacteria in maintaining optimal water quality and evaluating the health of the species being cultivated.
During Phase 1 of the project, results showed that the application of BFT in the giant freshwater prawn culture system reduced the protein percentage requirement of the sampled prawns from 42% to 35% without affecting the yield, allowing the farmers to effectively adopt BFT in giant freshwater prawn farming.
Furthermore, this project highlighted a common issue in high-density shrimp farming—the buildup of dissolved nitrogen, particularly ammonium, from excess food and waste. When shrimp are exposed to high levels of ammonium, their ability to resist diseases may decrease. Significantly, the project demonstrated that by using biofloc technology and adding a carbohydrate source, the levels of these nitrogen compounds in the water and sediment were reduced.
This technology primarily aimed to increase the production efficiency of freshwater prawn farming and improve the water quality. As a pioneering and environmentally friendly innovation, BFT is expected to create cost-effective production systems, which will benefit the country’s economic and social sustainability. This enables our farmers with opportunities to advance their cultivation system, yielding substantial benefits for all.
Moving forward, the project remains committed to advancing biotechnology in the shrimp industry to allow and create more paths towards maximum and sustainable freshwater prawn production.
Stocking of the experimental animals. (Image credit: Mindanao State University-Marawi Project team)