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Shrimp culture rearing systems are dynamic with numerous processes influencing system performance. This research investigated the effects of stocking density, feeding level and C:N ratio on shrimp production, water quality and microbial community composition in a biofloc shrimp rearing system, using a 3 × 3 factorial design. Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) were stocked at 27, 120, or 300 individual m−3 and fed 100, 80 or 60% of the recommended daily feed ration. For each combination of stocking density and feeding level, C:N ratios of 7.4, 12 or 16 were created by feeding a mixture of casava and rice bran besides the daily pelleted feed input to culture tanks. After 12 weeks of culture, the harvested shrimp biomass was the highest in the rearing tanks with the highest stocking density, feeding level and C:N ratio (P < 0.05), while the individual shrimp size at harvest decreased with increasing stocking density (P < 0.05). Biofloc biomass (e.g. total suspended solids TSS, volatile suspended solids VSS) and, to a lesser degree, water quality (total ammonia nitrogen TAN, NO2-N) were affected by 2 and 3-way interactions of the main tested factors. The ash, protein, fat and nitrogen free extract (NFE) content in biofloc were affected by stocking density (P < 0.05), and ash and NFE content by C:N ratio (P < 0.05). Regarding the microbial community composition in the biofloc at the highest stocking density, increasing feeding level and C:N ratio led to an increasing microbial richness and diversity (P < 0.05) as a result of nutrient input. Overall, the shrimp production and biofloc biomass were influenced in a similar way by the stocking density, feeding level and C:N ratio applied in the biofloc system. Future research should focus on how the type of carbohydrates and methods of administration affect shrimp growth and biofloc formation, and how this may promote health benefits through the microbial community manipulation.

The large-scale degradation of riparian ecotones and of the connectivity between rivers and their floodplains has resulted in a drastic decline of rheophilic fish populations in European temperate lowland rivers. Recent river restoration projects have had variable success in effectively restoring these fish populations. Knowledge on nursery habitat requirements is considered essential for effective population restoration. However, a detailed understanding of the role of habitat heterogeneity in young-of-the-year (YOY) fish population development is limited. Therefore, we carried out a synthesis of the available knowledge on nursery habitat requirements of rheophilic fish species found in European temperate lowland rivers (

The kinetics of nutrients digestion and development of chyme characteristics in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) were assessed in response to fishmeal hydrolysation and non-protein energy (NPE) sources. Four diets were formulated to contain starch or fat as NPE source, and fishmeal or hydrolysed fishmeal as protein source in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Juvenile African catfish (average weight, 63 g) were stocked in glass experimental tanks connected to a common recirculation aquaculture system and were fed restrictively for 3 weeks. Four hours after the consumption of a single meal, fish were dissected to collect chyme from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Chyme was collected from stomach, proximal- and distal intestine and analysed for dry matter (DM) content, crude protein (CP) and marker concentration. Postprandial water fluxes to the GIT and stomach evacuation were calculated using yttrium oxide (Y2O3) as an inert marker. Faecal DM and CP apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) were determined by a marker method. Results showed that fishmeal hydrolysation had no effect (P > 0.1) on the DM content in all the GIT compartments. However, replacing dietary fat by starch resulted in a higher DM content in the stomach (P < 0.01). In the proximal intestine, NPE did not influence the chyme DM content (P > 0.1) but in the distal intestine, chyme DM was higher at the “fat diets” (P < 0.01). “Starch-diets” had a larger water influx into the stomach compared to “fat diets” (P < 0.001), but also a larger water re-absorption in the distal intestine (P < 0.05). The inert marker and DM evacuation rate from the stomach was affected by NPE source (P < 0.05) and was slower in the starch-fed fish. Hydrolysation of fishmeal increased the digestibility of CP in the stomach, but this effect of hydrolysation was dependent on the energy source, indicated by the interaction effect (P < 0.05). The increase in digestibility of CP in the stomach of the diets containing hydrolysed fishmeal was larger at the “fat diets”. In the other GIT compartments, CP digestibility were similar between diets (P > 0.1). However, hydrolysation of fishmeal had no effect on faecal ADC of CP. Our results suggest that the hydrolysation of fishmeal can alter the process of digestion along the GIT. In addition, dietary macronutrient composition can alter the postprandial digestion of nutrients in the GIT without being reflected in the faecal digestibility.

The study analysed the dose–response relationship between dietary viscosity and nutrient digestibility, faecal waste characteristics in striped catfish and the long-term impacts of viscosity on performance of striped catfish. This was done in two experiments: Exp.1 lasted 29 days, in which six dietary viscosity levels were created by including different amount of guar gum (GG; 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0 g/kg) and Exp.2 lasted 60 days and assessed the long-term effects of three dietary GG levels (0, 0.5 and 3.0 g/kg) were checked. In Exp.1, digestibility of nutrients (except crude fat) decreased linearly with dietary viscosity. With increasing viscosity, removal efficiency of faeces from the water reduced linearly, whereas the total amount of faeces produced and the fraction of big-sized faecal particles (>2 mm). increased linearly. In Exp.1, viscosity did not affect performance. However, in Exp.2, the GG inclusion level of 3.0 g/kg (1.72 cP for the viscosity) affected fish performance. In conclusion, the best strategy for faecal waste management in striped catfish by dietary viscosity is to keep it as low as possible in the diet.

Fish farmers utilize the reversibility of the bioconcentration process to depurate geosmin and other off- flavour causing chemicals from their fish by placing them in clean water just before harvest. To better understand and improve this process, we investigated effects of temperature and water exchange of depuration tanks on geosmin elimination from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Fish loaded with geosmin were depurated for 144 h during which they were subjected to combinations of water exchange (stagnant water or a water exchange rate of ~1200 L/kg fish/d) and temperature (~11.5 or ~14.5 °C) treatments. Model predictions indicated enhanced depuration by water exchange, elevated temperature and interactive effects of these two factors, plus geosmin accumulation in the depuration tank water. The latter was predicted but not observed in the experiment. Furthermore the elevated temperature did not enhance geosmin elimination from Atlantic salmon, possibly because in the tanks with water exchange, temperature treatments did not cause differences in oxygen levels and thus gill ventilation rates. The water exchange significantly increased geosmin elimination from Atlantic salmon, indicating that removal of excreted geosmin from the direct environment of this fish is needed to obtain maximal geosmin elimination from the fish.

The ecological efficacy of river restoration projects may change over time, resulting in the loss of their ecological function for targeted species. The goal of this study was to evaluate the rheophilic nursery function of restored floodplain channels over time, by analysing 30 years of monitoring data from 12 restoration projects in the lower river Rhine. We hypothesised that the nursery function would change over time, caused by the combined effects of decreasing flow conditions and succession processes affecting habitat heterogeneity. We found that nursery area suitability for rheophilic fish was almost 4 times higher in two-sided connected channels than in one-sided connected channels, although the response trends of rheophilic fish were similar for both water body types. These response curves showed clear optima with channel age, for rheophilic fish abundance at 13 to 14 years post-restoration, indicating optimal nursery conditions. On the other hand, rheophilic species richness showed a steadily decreasing trend with channel age, suggesting aging channels became less suitable as nursery areas for most rheophilic fish species. The presence of permanent flow was found to be the main driving factor in explaining both rheophilic fish community trends and habitat succession in individual restored channels. We did not observe an effect of habitat heterogeneity on nursery function for rheophilic fish. To create and maintain optimal nursery conditions in restored floodplain channels of strongly anthropogenically influenced rivers such as the river Rhine, we propose a management strategy involving cyclic rejuvenation through human intervention, focusing on restoring permanent flow, with a frequency of on average every 15 years, depending on the rate of aggradation and targeted rheophilic species. We also propose a thorough investigation of the relationship between habitat heterogeneity and nursery success in floodplain channels, as a next step in the identification of suitable nursery areas for rheophilic fishes.

Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of nutrients and individual amino acids (AA) for 13 feed ingredients as affected by feeding level were determined for African catfish, a species of economic importance in Africa. Results from two trials are reported. In each trial, ADC were determined using a reference diet and test diets with yttrium oxide as indicator. Juvenile African catfish (averaging 53.9 g, trial 1; 40.4 g, trial 2) were stocked in tanks connected to a common recirculation aquaculture system. Ingredients tested included hydrolysed feather meal (HFM), fishmeal (FM), insect meal (IM), soybean meal (SBM), sunflower meal (SFM), poultry meal (PM), corn dried distillers grains with solubles (CDDGS), faba beans (FB), lupine meal (LM), pea protein (PP), guar meal (GM), canola meal (CM) and yeast meal (YM). The effect of feeding level on ADC was determined by feeding fish restrictively (80% satiation) for 5 weeks and subsequently to apparent satiation for 2 weeks. Inclusion of yeast meal at 30% resulted in low palatability. ADC of nutrients were significantly affected by feeding level (except for fat and carbohydrate), but the effect was ingredient-dependent. African catfish was able to digest protein very effectively in almost all tested ingredients with ADC values ranging from 85.6 to 105.1% across feeding periods. Several ingredients tested, including animal protein ingredients and YM had similar high ADC for dry matter as FM. However, the ADC of AA differ among ingredients, indicating a need for digestible amino acid profile data. Methionine (Met) was the first limiting essential amino acid in HFM, FB, and LM with values ranging from 5−6 g/kg, expressed as digestible Met (dMet) per unit of digestible protein (DP), compared to FM (27 g dMet/kg DP). IM had comparable and sometimes higher overall digestible essential AA values compared to FM, except for methionine and lysine. For oilseeds and legumes, SBM tended to be the best quality AA source, as it had the highest digestible essential amino acid profile. These data provide information concerning nutrient and digestible AA values, which will allow a more efficient use of alternative ingredients in African catfish diets. Formulating diets based on the digestible AA in ingredients will aid precise feed formulation, thereby minimising economic losses and reducing the environmental footprint of aquaculture production.

In this study, the effect of feeding frequency and its interaction with crystalline methionine supplementation level on performance, digestion, energy and nitrogen balances was assessed. The experiment had a 2 × 4 factorial design, testing two levels of crystalline methionine (Met) and four feeding frequencies. The two diets contained Met either just fulfilling or exceeding the Met requirement of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). African catfish with initial mean weight of 44 g were allocated to one of four feeding frequencies (six, two, one time (s) per day and two times out of three days) in a recirculation aquaculture system. Fish were fed an equal daily ration for 32 days. Performance parameters, nutrient digestibility, body composition, and nutrient balances were evaluated. Except for digestible nitrogen intake and dry matter body content, none of tested parameters was affected by the interaction between dietary Met levels and feeding frequencies. Growth, energy and nitrogen gain were unaffected by feeding frequency as well as dietary Met level. FCR was low, being 0.84 averaged over all treatments. However, feeding frequency affected feed intake and the apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of nutrients. Feeding at lowest frequency was accompanied by a lower feed consumption compared to other frequencies (P < 0.001). At higher frequency, ADC was higher for macronutrients but lower for phosphorus and magnesium. It was concluded that the asynchronous availability of AA for protein synthesis, which is often suggested to cause a sub-optimal utilization of crystalline AA, was not influenced by feeding frequency. However, feeding at a low frequency hampered daily feed intake of African catfish. Whereas, higher frequency improved nutrient digestibility, though it did not result in improved growth probably due to the higher energy required for maintenance related to physical activities at higher frequency.

This study was conducted to estimate the methionine (Met) requirement of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus). A basal diet was formulated to contain 32% crude protein, 12% lipids, and 0.44% cysteine using only protein from legume ingredients as intact protein. This diet was supplemented with graded levels of crystalline DL- methionine (0, 0.12, 0.24, 0.36, 0.48, 0.60, and 0.84%), which resulted in seven dietary methionine levels ranging from 12.2 to 36.0 g kg−1 crude protein. Triplicate groups of 40 fish (78 g) were restrictively fed one of the seven diets for six weeks. Dietary methionine level significantly affected growth rate, feed conversion ratio, retained nitrogen, methionine efficiency and body composition. All parameters were fitted to dietary digestible methionine content expressed per unit of digestible protein (dMetDP) to estimate the Met requirement using; the linear plateau model (LP), broken line model (BL), or quadratic regression model (QR). LP and BL recorded similar values for requirement estimates while QR evidently recorded a 57% higher requirement estimates across different parameters. The digestible methionine requirement of African catfish for growth (using LP) ranges between 18.7 and 21.4 g kg−1 per unit of digestible protein. This equates to a minimum dietary methionine level of 6.3 g kg−1 diet (19.2 g kg−1 Crude protein), which is lower than was has been previously reported for this species.

The addition of external carbohydrate in Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) culture has shown positive effects on water quality and shrimp performance. However, this practice requires additional skills and labor, and therefore may not be widely adopted. This research investigated the potential to combine the carbon source and the feed in one pellet in shrimp culture. The carbon source used in this experiment was corn starch. The experiment was executed in 6 indoors mesocosms tanks, with full control of the water source, temperature, and light intensity and duration. The three treatments including COM-Feed (commercial feed), COM-Feed + CHO (commercial feed with separate corn starch addition), and CHO-Feed (pelleted diet made by incorporating additional corn starch into the commercial feed) were randomly assigned to the mesocosms tanks, and run two times consecutively. Adding corn starch separately resulted in higher shrimp biomass gain and protein efficiency ratio (P < 0.05), compared to dietary corn starch addition and no corn starch addition. Carbohydrate addition caused a significant drop in inorganic nitrogen and orthophosphate concentrations in the water. The treatments had no effect on the biofloc and periphyton growth, and the proximate composition of shrimp, biofloc, and periphyton, however increased the eukaryotic microbial diversity in the bioflocs. Meanwhile, the carbohydrate addition reduced the dietary energy and carbon utilization efficiencies regardless of the carbohydrate addition methods.

Using capture fishery-derived fish oil and fishmeal in aquafeeds is unsustainable. This study mimicked semi-intensive shrimp ponds, including primary producers, in mesocosm tanks. Fatty acid mass balances were computed to distinguish between diet-based and primary production-based LC-PUFA contributions to shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) production and meat quality. Performance and body fatty acid composition were compared of shrimp fed a commercial diet containing fish oil and fishmeal (control), with a fishmeal- and fish oil-free diet (low LC-PUFA diet: LOW). Six mesocosms were each stocked with 60 juvenile shrimp and randomly assigned to the two diets. After an 8-week grow-out period, biomass production, survival and proximate body composition were similar between diets. Control shrimp contained twice as much LC-PUFA and omega-3 fatty acids than LOW shrimp. Large quantitative losses (85%) were found in both treatments of the LC-PUFA-precursors alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid (LA) that were being used as energy source by the shrimp instead for LC-PUFA synthesis. Whereas losses were also observed for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the control group, there was a gain for these components in the LOW tanks. LOW shrimp sourced at least 32% of their total EPA gain and 15% of their total DHA gain from the algal-based food web. This quantitative analysis of the fate of major dietary fatty acids strongly suggests that the pond's primary production can provide shrimp additional LC-PUFA. Finding a balance between LC-PUFA contribution through formulated feed and natural production seems possible and deserves further research.

The effect of feeding during off-flavour depuration on the elimination of geosmin from muscle tissue (fillet) and ovaries as a model for caviar was assessed in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) (mean ± SD weight of 185 ± 15.0 g). The experiment had a 2 × 4 factorial design with feeding level (starved or fed) and depuration time (24, 48, 72 and 96 h) as factors with duplicates for each of the 8 treatment combinations. Fish were normally loaded with geosmin prior to the experiment. During off-flavour depuration geosmin levels in fillet and ovary declined over time in both fed and starved tilapia. In fed tilapia geosmin declined faster from the ovaries compared to starved fish (p = 0.018). The same trend of a faster decline was observed for the muscle tissue (fillets) of fed tilapia, though only numerically (p = 0.11). Because faster geosmin elimination paralleled with high blood lipids, we do not rule out that blood lipids are involved in geosmin transport via the circulatory system and that low blood lipid levels are limiting geosmin elimination in starved fish. No difference in geosmin elimination rate was detected between ovary and muscle tissue in Nile tilapia. Off-flavour depuration time is strongly reduced when farmers adopt a practice of feeding Nile tilapia during off-flavour depuration.

In Pacific white shrimp culture, adding organic carbohydrate to the pond besides feed improves water quality and shrimp performance. While the feeding frequency has significant effects on shrimp production, how often carbohydrate should be added remains unknown. This research investigated the effects of carbohydrate addition frequency of 1, 3, and 6 times per day on Pacific white shrimp production. Tapioca powder was used as carbohydrate source to maintain an input C:N ratio of 12. The same daily ration of tapioca was applied, but divided into equal portions according to the application frequency. The shrimp performance was better in carbohydrate-added systems than in a conventional system without additional carbohydrate, but the carbon retention efficiency was lower. Splitting daily dosage of carbohydrate into more frequent additions had no significant effect on Pacific white shrimp performance, and carbon and nitrogen retentions. A carbohydrate addition frequency of once per day is recommended for good performance of Pacific white shrimp in biofloc rearing systems.

In biofloc technology carbohydrate is added to stimulate the biofloc growth, the latter helps to improve water quality, reduce the need for water exchange and may serve as natural shrimp feed. The large diversity among possible carbohydrate sources makes the selection of a suitable carbohydrate difficult. This study investigated how corn starch addition compared to molasses addition affected water quality, biofloc and periphyton proximate composition, shrimp production parameters, diurnal fluctuations and distribution of carbon and nitrogen in whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) culture system. The results showed that both corn starch and molasses addition treatments resulted in low ammonium nitrogen levels in the water. The total suspended solids and volatile suspended solids in both treatments increased over time and were not significantly different among treatments. The protein content in the dry matter of the biofloc varied from 34% to 48%, being higher in the molasses treatment. The same was observed for the protein content in the dry matter of the periphyton which ranged between 16% and 26%. The corn starch treatment resulted in significantly higher shrimp growth rate, production, average body weight, and lower FCR compared to molasses addition. Water quality was stable on a daily basis, but changed over the weeks. Carbon and nitrogen accumulations in the system were not significantly different among treatments.

Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production industry in terms of annual growth rate and has become an important contributor in supplying essential macro-and micro-nutrients for the global population. However, there is a great deal of uncertainty in its further development due to the high and increasing pressure of environmental challenges and of resource constraints. To achieve overall sustainable development of the aquaculture sector in China, the dominant producer of farmed seafood in the world, the priority is to clarify the sustainability of major aquaculture production systems (APSs) and to seek a holistic approach to improve their sustainability. Here the sustainability of ten major types of APSs in China, was evaluated comparatively by three objective and subjective methods involving eleven social, economic, environmental, and resource criteria. Accordingly, ecological intensification of aquaculture systems (ELIAS), integrating anthropogenic inputs with aquaculture ecosystem services, is proposed to improve the sustainability of these APSs. ELIAS that should be widely adopted by the multiple stakeholders provides a feasible solution to realize the goals of increasing aquaculture outputs with less negative environmental influence while saving energy at the same time.

Sole fed commercial pellets develop a nutritional anaemia. This study assessed the impact of dietary B12 and taurine on the haematocrit (Hct) and haemoglobin (Hb) level and mineral absorption in anaemic sole. Anaemic sole was fed one of four diets. Diets were equal regarding mineral, amino acid and macronutrient composition and formulated, according to a two by two factorial design: two B12 (0.34 vs. 1.9 mg kg dm⁻¹) and two taurine levels (3.5 vs. 7.6 mg kg dm⁻¹). The feeding level was restricted and equal for all diets. Hct and Hb levels in anaemic sole are influenced by dietary B12. A “high” level of B12 increases the Hct and Hb level. An increasing level of taurine suppresses the stimulating effect of the “high” level of B12. The applied B12 and taurine levels were unable to completely alleviate the anaemia in sole. Nevertheless, sole needs high dietary levels of B12 to alleviate anaemia. The impact of B12 and taurine on Hb and Hct was not related to a change in the absorption of iron. A “high” level of B12 positively affected the absorption of chromium and a high level of taurine negatively affected the absorption of cobalt in sole.

The present study assessed the effect of different feed ingredients on nutrient apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC), nitrogen/energy balance and morphology changes in the intestine of Nile tilapia; using a control diet and six test diets, in which the following six ingredients were included at 30%: hydrolysed feather meal (HFM), soybean meal (SBM), rice bran (RB), rapeseed meal (RM), sunflower meal (SFM) and dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). The proximal, middle and distal intestine was processed for quantitative histology counting the number of goblet cells (GC), and measuring the thickness of lamina propria (LP) and submucosa (SM). The study showed that the ADC of protein in raw materials were highest in SBM (92.2%), followed by SFM (90.2%), DDGS (89.2%), RM (87.8%), HFM (86.9%) and RB (84.0%). The nutrient ADCs had no correlation with intestinal morphology changes. Only the SBM diet caused noticeable changes in intestinal morphology such as an increase the thickness of SM and LP and the number of GC. The diet composition, however, altered the protein efficiency and the maintenance energy requirement. Protein retention efficiency was the lowest in fish fed HFM and the highest in RB. The highest maintenance energy requirements were observed in HFM and SBM treatments.

The impact of two dietary organic acids (OAs) on nutrient digestibility and intestinal morphology was determined in Nile tilapia under conditions of dissolved oxygen in the water: normoxia and hypoxia. Four diets designated as control (0 g/kg organic acid salt), KDF (2 g/kg potassium diformate), CAB (2 g/kg calcium butyrate) and their combination (4 g/kg of a mixture of KDF and CAB, ration 1:1) were formulated with 520 g/kg of soybean meal in order to produce soybean meal enteritis-like symptoms. The four diets were tested first under normoxic conditions (6 mg/L) for a period of 5 weeks, followed by a test period under hypoxic conditions (3 mg/L). The results showed that OAs were unable to significantly improve growth and nutrient digestibility under normoxic conditions but under hypoxic conditions, there was a significant enhancement of the growth and nutrient digestibility. Fish fed OA-supplemented diets showed improvements in the intestinal morphology under the normoxic conditions, and these effects were more pronounced under the hypoxic conditions. Experimental findings suggest that OAs can improve the nutrient digestibility and intestinal morphology under hypoxic conditions. A synergistic effect by the combination of formic and butyric acid on growth, digestibility and intestinal morphology was not found.

Nile perch (Lates niloticus), a main target for Lake Victoria's fisheries, shifts its diet from invertebrates to fish during its ontogeny. We combined stomach contents with stable isotopes to study these diet shifts in Mwanza Gulf, southern Lake Victoria. During four seasons between 2009 and 2011 we collected and analysed 6697 stomachs and 516 stable isotope samples of Nile perch. Caridina shrimp and haplochromine cichlids were the major food items in Nile perch of 5–40 cm. Based on stomach contents, the shift of dominance of Caridina towards haplochromines in the diet varied from 6.7 cm length in the southern part of the gulf, to >20 cm in the northern part, possibly related to the higher abundance of Caridina in the north. In general isotope-based and stomach-content-based estimates of Nile perch diets agreed. We observed only two discrepancies: in Nile perch >20 cm, the isotope-based estimates of the contribution of haplochromines to the diet were much lower than based on stomach contents and the contribution of juvenile Nile perch to the diet were much higher in the isotope-based estimates than in the stomach based-based estimates. This discrepancy may be explained by e.g. different timespan-coverages between isotopes and stomach contents, by movements of Nile perch between the Gulf and the rest of Lake Victoria, or by the overlapping isotopic profiles of haplochromines and juvenile Nile perch. With the recent recovery of haplochromines in Lake Victoria, Nile perch appears to rely more on this prey again, as it did in the 1980s.

There is a recognized need for mineralizing aquaculture-derived sludge in aquaponics systems in order to reduce waste production. Many recent studies of aquacultural waste treatment have focused only the production of biogas as opposed to the potential for mineralization of nutrient-rich sludge. Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors provide one possible solution for breaking down sludge into bioavailable nutrients that can subsequently be delivered to plants. As such, this study examines the mineralization performance of sequential UASB reactors that are designed with an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) and compared to standard aerobic and anaerobic batch reactors. Results of our experiments demonstrate that only chemical oxygen demand reduction is significantly different. An unexpected drop in pH of one of the three reactor systems revealed that a pH below 6 was able to significantly increase the mineralization and mobilization of nutrients. Approximately 25% of phosphorus, potassium, and calcium could also be recovered from the sludge under lower pH conditions, as compared to the mineralization performance of standard UASB reactors running at a higher pH. However, the opposite effect was observed with respect to organic sludge reduction, where diminished performance was observed in the low-pH reactor. The current study implies that anaerobic reactors operating at low pH can potentially contribute towards improved nutrient recovery in multi-loop aquaponics systems and reduction of additive agents for pH control of the hydroponic subsystem.

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are becoming important for aquaculture due to land and water supply limitations and due to their low environmental impact. Bacteria are important in RAS as their role in nutrient recycling has been the main mechanism for waste removal in these systems. Besides bacteria, the presence of microalgae can benefit the water quality through the absorption of inorganic nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate) and phosphorus from the water. However, reports on the inclusion of microalgae in RAS are very scarce. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of microalgae on water quality (total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate) and bacterial composition in a freshwater small-scale RAS. A periphytic microalga, Stigeoclonium nanum, was used in this study. A rapid fingerprint analysis, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), was used to determine the bacterial community composition in the water. The results showed that ammonia concentrations were not significantly different (p > 0.05) between RAS with microalgae (RAS+A) and RAS without microalgae (RAS-A). However, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate were significantly lower in the RAS+A than the RAS-A (p < 0.05). Pielou's evenness and Shannon diversity index of bacterial community between the treatments were not different (p > 0.05); however, the bacterial composition between the treatments was significantly different (p < 0.05).

Summary This study determined prey consumption in common sole as a function of prey size (0–0.5, 1–1.5, 2–2.5 and 4–5 g), sediment thickness (20 cm and 2 cm) and fish size (50 g, 125 g or 300 g). Prey consumption (in numbers of prey eaten per fish per day) was reduced with increasing prey size and sediment thickness, and was increased with increasing fish size (p

The technical efficiency of randomly sampled pangasius farms in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam was estimated using data envelopment analysis, and factors affecting technical and scale efficiency were examined with bootstrap truncated regression. The mean technical efficiency score assuming variable returns to scale was 0.84. The technical efficiency of downstream farmers was higher due to lower energy costs and stocking once a year. Most of the up- and midstream farms needed to pump water and stocked at least three times in 2 yr. Regression analysis showed a positive effect on technical efficiency of the farmers' education level and having experienced climate change impact through flooding or salinity intrusion in the past. Farms affected by salinity intrusion had a lower scale efficiency as they reduce stocking frequency and rate. In general, reducing fish mortality and the cost of inputs, increasing scale of operation, and being trained, using appropriate methods, in management strategies may improve technical efficiency.

The ingredients' particle size and dietary viscosity may alter digestion, performance and faecal waste management of fish. This study aimed to assess the effect of grinding screen sizes of feed ingredients and dietary viscosity on digestibility, faecal waste and performance of striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, Sauvage, 1878). The experiment had a 2 × 3 factorial-design: two feed mesh particle sizes, by grinding ingredient mixtures at two screen sizes (0.8 versus 1.0 mm); and three dietary viscosity levels, created by exchanging carboxymethylcellulose by guar gum (GG) (0, 3 and 6 g of GG/kg of diet). Six diets were assigned to 18 tanks, each connected to three faecal settling tanks. All aquaria were stocked with 20 fish (82 g per fish). After 52 experimental days, dietary viscosity negatively affected both feed digestibility and performance of striped catfish; as a result, the amount of organic matter in the culture system through faeces had increased significantly. The coarse diets significantly increased the digestibility of dry matter and carbohydrate but worsened feed conversion ratio. Increasing dietary viscosity tended to increase the viscosity and moisture content of the faeces, but significantly accelerated the faecal disintegration through the reduction of both faecal recovery and the amount of recovered faeces.

Incorporation of microalgae in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) would absorb the inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus, thus potentially contributing to water purification. Immobilization or entrapment of microalgal cells in spherical gels is a potential method to incorporate microalgae in the RAS. Filamentous microalgae are presumed to suit the immobilization technique because the gels can serve as substrates for the microalgae to attach. In the first experiment of this study, growth and nitrogen uptake of Stigeoclonium nanum, a filamentous microalga, was compared when cultured using an immobilization technique or in a normal suspension. In the second experiment, immobilized S. nanum was cultured in 4 media with different total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) concentrations. The results showed a significantly higher algal growth and TAN removal by S. nanum immobilized in alginate than for S. nanum in free suspension culture. When both TAN and NO3-N were added to the culture medium, the uptake of TAN by immobilized S. nanum was significantly more efficient than NO3-N uptake. Our results indicated that S. nanum was able to grow immobilized in a medium, exhibiting a higher growth and TAN uptake than when the algae were in free suspension. S. nanum preferred ammonium over nitrate, which is suitable for RAS that require removal of the total ammonia which is produced by fish and by organic decomposition in the system.

This study established that geosmin depuration from European eel is not affected by the water renewal rate of depuration tanks. A general fish bioaccumulation model extended with terms that account for effects of tank water renewal rate and system losses of chemicals, predicted strong effects of the water renewal rate of depuration tanks on geosmin depuration from European eel. Model predictions were validated in a depuration experiment with geosmin-loaded European eel (n = 95) with a mean (SD) individual weight of 134.4 (5.0) g and a mean (SD) lipid content of 33.7 (2.8) % (w/w). Fish were depurated for 24, 48 or 72 h at three different tank water renewal rates (0.3, 3.3 and 33 day-1). Treatments were installed by three different mean (SD) water flow rates (13.8 (1.3), 143.5 (9.2) and 1511 (80) L kg fish-1 day-1) over 30-L tanks. Eels eliminated geosmin from their bodies, but unlike the model predicted, this was independent of the water renewal rate of the depuration tanks. Although being eliminated from the fish, geosmin hardly appeared and certainly did not accumulate in the water of the depuration tanks as the model predicted. This observation may be explained by geosmin being eliminated from eel as metabolite rather than the parent compound. Geosmin elimination from eel seems not to occur according to the generally accepted passive diffusion mechanism for excretion of lipophilic chemicals, and geosmin biotransformation by the eel seems indicated. Clearly geosmin depuration from European eel cannot be enhanced by increasing water renewal rates of depuration tanks.

This study compares the effect of food type (formulated diet vs. natural food) and fish size on protein and energy utilization efficiencies for growth in common sole, Solea solea (L.). Replicate groups of common sole (mean initial body weight ± SD was 45.7 g ± 2.1 and 111.2 g ± 4.2) received the diets at five (natural feed) or four (formulated diet) feeding levels. The protein utilization efficiency for growth (kgCP) was higher (P > 0.001) in common sole fed ragworms than in common sole fed the formulated diet (respectively, 0.40 and 0.31). Likewise, the energy utilization efficiency for growth (kgGE) was higher (P = 0.001) in common sole fed ragworms than in common sole fed the formulated diet (respectively, 0.57 and 0.33). The protein maintenance requirement was not different between food types (P = 0.64) or fish size (P = 0.41) being on average 0.82 g kg−0.8 day−1. The energy maintenance requirement was not different between food type (P = 0.390) but differed between fish size (P = 0.036). The gross energy maintenance requirement of small common sole was 35 kJ g−0.8 day−1. The gross energy maintenance requirement of large common sole was 25 kJ g−0.8 day−1. In conclusion, the low growth of common sole fed formulated diets was related to reduced feed utilization.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the gas: liquid ratio (GLR) on carbon dioxide removal and heat loss across a forced-ventilated trickling filter (TF) used as bioreactor. The effect of 8 different GLRs (1.2–15.7) on carbon dioxide removal and heat loss from water passing a trickling filter were tested in random order. The TF was part of a pilot scale fresh water intensive recirculating aquaculture system and had a media bed height of 1.8 m, a diameter of 0.9 m, a specific surface area of 200 m2/m3 and was operated at a fixed hydraulic surface load of 9.42 m3/m2.h, a mean inlet water temperature of 27.0–27.5 °C, and a mean inlet pH ranging from 7.02–7.12. For each GLR, CO2 removal from water was calculated from CO2 measurements in the inlet and outlet air of the TF using an online infrared probe (developed for agriculture and greenhouses) and from 12 water measurements done once every 3 h during 2 subsequent days. The water inlet CO2 concentrations varied between 4.5–9.0 mg/L (calculated from total inorganic carbon and pH). The results showed that the CO2 removal from water to the air in a trickling filter increased from 3.1 mg/L at a GLR of 1 to 6.1 mg/L for a GLR of 15. The relationship between GLR and CO2 removal could be described as an asymptotic curve with the following equation C O 2 r e m o v a l f r o m w a t e r ( m g L ) = 6.44 - 5.82 ( 0.648 G L R ) ; (R2 = 0.91). A linear relation between total heat loss across the TF and the applied GLRs showed an average total heat loss of 33.2 kJ per cubic meter of air for all GLRs. Of the total heat loss on average 91 % was latent heat loss and 9 % sensible heat loss. This study showed that: (1) GLRs above 5 will not result in significant additional CO2 removal; (2) energy loss at a GLR of 5 is, under our experimental conditions with a mean inlet air temperature of 22.6 °C and an mean inlet air relative humidity of 66.9 %, 26.0 kJ per g CO2 removed.

This study tested the effect of two diets differing in carbohydrate to lipid (CHO:LIP) ratio (4.7 vs. 19.5 g/g) on the contribution of natural food and the total fish production in tilapia ponds. Eight ponds, each divided into three equally sized compartments, were assigned to one of the two diets, which differed in CHO:LIP ratio but had the same digestible protein to digestible energy (DP:DE) ratio (15.5 and 15.6 g/MJ). Ponds were fed equal amounts of crude protein. Three feeding levels (no, low and high) were nested in each pond in a split plot design. Average body weight of fish at stocking was 90 g, and the duration of the experiment was 42 days. Increasing the CHO:LIP ratio had no impact on tilapia production. However, the feeding level influenced both biomass gain, specific growth rate and survival. The apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) for fat and carbohydrate was influenced by dietary CHO:LIP ratio but ADC for energy was unaffected. Proximate analysis of fish body composition showed no effect of diet except for levels of ash. Diet had no effect on the organic matter composition of the faeces, and the contribution of natural food to fish nitrogen gain. Therefore, we postulate that changing the dietary non-protein energy source from lipid to carbohydrate does not have any impact on tilapia culture in semi-intensive ponds.

Dietary non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) changes the nutrient digestibility and faecal characteristics in fish. This study assessed the effect of the type of dietary NSPs on fish production and the contribution of natural food to the total fish production in semi-intensively managed tilapia ponds. Twelve ponds, each divided into three equally-sized compartments, were assigned to test the effect of the type of dietary NSPs (i.e. “PecHem-Diet”, a diet with easily fermentable NSP, vs “LigCel-Diet”, a diet with slowly fermentable NSP). Fish were restrictively fed, based on the crude protein content of the feed. Three feeding levels (“no = 0”, “low = 9 g.kg-0.8.d−1” and “high= 18 g.kg-0.8.d-1”) nested in pond were analysed in a split plot design. Initial fish biomass was 3084 g.compartment−1 and the experiment lasted 56 days. With the “LigCel-Diet” biomass gain was higher (2599 vs 2192 g.compartment−1) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was lower (1.4 vs 1.9; P < .001) than with the “PecHem-Diet”. Diet had no effect on fish survival and specific growth rate (SGR). For both diets, increasing feeding level increased (P < .001) biomass gain, fish survival, FCR and SGR. There was a significant interaction effect (P < .05) between diet and feeding level on FCR. Fish body composition was the same in both diets. With the “LigCel-Diet”, the apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) was higher (P < .001) for crude protein, fat, phosphorus and calcium and lower (P < .05) for ash compared to the other diet. Neither feeding level nor the interaction between diet and feeding level influenced the apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of any nutrient. Diet composition did not alter the organic matter (OM) composition of the faeces. δ13C and δ15N from the stable isotope analysis revealed that N gain in fish originated from both feed and natural food of the pond. Natural food abundance in the pond increased over time for both diets. Chlorophyll-a was higher in the pond fed with “LigCel-Diet”. Fish gut content and calculated N gain indicated an enhanced contribution of natural food to fish growth in ponds fed with “LigCel-Diet”. In conclusion, the type of dietary NSP determines tilapia productivity in semi-intensive managed ponds by altering food web productivity.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the individual and combined effects of oxygen concentration and diet composition on the growth, nutrient utilization and intestinal morphology of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Two recirculating aquaculture systems were used to create the difference in oxygen concentration: normoxia (6.9 mg·L− 1) and hypoxia (3.5 mg·L− 1). Two diets were formulated using a different soybean meal (SBM) content to create a contrast in the potential to affect the gut barrier function. Triplicate groups of 35 fish with initial mean body weight of 23 g were fed “Control” diet containing 20% fish meal and “Test” diet containing only plant protein source at normoxia and hypoxia for 8 weeks. Six fish per treatment were sampled for intestinal morphological analysis at the end of week 1, 4 and 8. The proximal, middle and distal intestine were processed for quantitative histology, in order to count goblet cells (GC) and eosinophilic granulocytes (EG); and to measure the thickness of lamina propria (LP) and sub-epithelial mucosa (SM). The study showed that growth was best in the “Control” diet under normoxia, while no interaction between oxygen and diet composition was found. Hypoxia reduced nutrient digestibility significantly (p < 0.05). For the “Test” diet, the decline in digestibility was larger than for “Control” diet over time. Both diet composition and oxygen level induced changes in intestinal morphology of Nile tilapia. We observed a thickening of the LP and SM caused by an increased infiltration of inflammatory cells, and an increased number of GC and EG among the enterocytes. The negative effect of increased soybean meal on intestinal morphology was enhanced at low oxygen level and aggravated in time. The SBM enteritis-like symptoms were more pronounced in the proximal than in the distal intestine of Nile tilapia.

When fish have only access to formulated feed, the optimal dietary protein to energy ratio (P:E) for tilapia ranges between 18 and 23 g.MJ−1. In pond culture, where natural foods complement administrated feed, increasing the carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratio stimulates the natural food productivity. This study assessed if lowering the dietary P:E ratio (and thus increasing the C:N ratio of the feed input in the pond) below the optimal P:E ratio affects fish productivity, food web dynamics and nitrogen balances in semi-intensively managed tilapia ponds. Twelve ponds, each divided into three equally-sized compartments, were assigned to test the effect of two diets, which differed in P:E ratio (19 vs. 14 g.MJ−1). Three feeding levels (no, “low” and “high”) were nested in each pond in a split plot design. Initial fish biomass was 1166 (±16) g.compartment−1 and the experiment lasted 60 days. Decreasing P:E ratio enhanced tilapia production and specific growth rate (P

For Nile tilapia, the energetic value of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) was compared to starch. It was assessed if carbohydrate type (NSP vs. starch) affected the energetic utilization for growth (KgDE) and the energy requirements for maintenance (DEm). Eighteen groups of fish were assigned in 2 × 3 factorial design: two diets, with either a high NSP or high starch content; and three feeding levels (low, medium or satiation). The NSP diet contained 70% of the starch diet supplemented with 30% dried distillers grains with solubles. Nutrients digestibility, nitrogen and energy balances were measured. All nutrients digestibility decreased with increasing feeding level (P < 0.001). Diet type (NSP vs. starch) affected the digestibility of all nutrients except for dry matter and fat. NSP of both diets were digested and the NSP digestibility ranged between 23% and 73%. Averaged over feeding levels, 5% and 17% of the total digestible energy originated from NSP at the starch and NSP diet, respectively. Although the digestible energy intake was similar, the contrast in type of carbohydrates between the diets resulted in lower energy retention with the NSP rich diet (P < 0.05). Despite this impact on energy retention, both DEm and kgDE were not significantly influence by diet. However, DEm was numerically higher (96 vs. 110 kJ kg-0.8 BW d-1) and kgDE was numerically lower (65% vs. 58%) at the NSP diet compared to the starch diet. In conclusion, NSP are digested by Nile tilapia. Digested NSP are less well utilized for growth, which is reflected by a lower energy retention in fish and is due to the slightly higher DEm in combination with a slightly lower kgDE. Statement of relevance: Scarcity of fishmeal and -oil combined with the fast growing aquaculture sector, result in diversification of feed ingredients in fish-feeds. Plant ingredients as protein source become more important, which also increases the dietary carbohydrate content including non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). This paper provides information on the nutritional value of NSP in tilapia. This will eventually lead to improved fish-feed formulations.

In response to increasing concerns about sustainable production, a growing number of European customers expect seafood products to be certified, e.g. by ASC certification. A possible answer to achieve environmental sustainability of Vietnamese pangasius farming is to apply recirculating aquaculture systems (RASs) at the farm. However, RAS requires relatively high initial investments and therefore its adoption depends largely on the economic feasibility in the Vietnamese farming context. The latter includes not only economic factors but also socio-demographic characteristics of the farmers.This study uses a choice experiment to measure farmers' preferences for RAS in pangasius production in Vietnam. Findings show that the probability of adopting RAS is positively associated with expected higher yields and ASC certification with a price premium, whereas it is negatively associated with the initial investment. Location of a farm is also important, i.e. farmers in saltwater intrusion areas are more likely to implement RAS compared to those in freshwater areas. Other variables significantly associated with the probability of adopting RAS are age, education, gender, and household income. The overall probability of adopting RAS was low; the main constraints for adoption of RAS were farmers' uncertainty about the performance of RAS, lack of access to finance and lack of certainty about receiving the ASC price premium. To stimulate the adoption of RAS, we recommend that policy makers target farmers with farms located in saltwater intrusion areas. We further recommend policies that link access to credit with investments in sustainability, and the establishment of pioneer RAS farms as a way to disseminate information about RAS and reduce farmers' uncertainty. Lastly, we recommend that retailers guarantee price premiums for ASC-certified pangasius. Statement of relevance Adoption of recirculating aquaculture systems is considered to be an important step to achieve compliance with sustainability certifications and disease control in pangasius farming. As a result, retailers and buyers in the EU can find pangasius products from environmentally sustainable and socially equitable production systems.

Common sole fed with commercial pellets develop anaemia and are restricted in their growth performance. The anaemia can be the result of a difference in feed intake, a nutritional deficiency, an inflammatory response to infection or combinations of these aspects. In this study, it was investigated whether feeding ragworm would alleviate the anaemia and stimulate growth. Sole were fed one of three diets: a commercial feed, a commercial feed treated with ragworm extract or chopped ragworm. By comparing groups, three hypotheses were tested: (1) feeding ragworm alleviates the anaemia and positively affectS the sole’s metabolic performance reflected in feed intake, feed efficiency and growth; (2) anaemia is alleviated by a higher feed intake when feeding ragworm and (3) anaemia is caused by an inflammatory response to infection. The sole fed with a commercial diet suffered from anaemia. Feeding sole with ragworm alleviated the anaemia as the average haematocrit level nearly doubled in these fish as compared to fish fed pellets. Investigation of the expression of genes in the liver indicated that the anaemia in sole fed pellets is a nutritional anaemia and not an anaemia due to an inflammatory response. Sole fed ragworm showed improved growth which may be a consequence of the higher haematocrit levels in these fish increasing their oxygen carrying capacity. Addition of ragworm extract to the pellets levelled the feed intake between pellets and ragworm, but did not improve the anaemic state of sole and had only a limited effect on growth

The development of shrimp farming in Vietnam has eroded the social-ecological resilience of the coastal ecosystem. Recent literature supports the idea that integrated mangrove-shrimp production systems can contribute to rebuilding this resilience in the Mekong Delta. Two experts panels, international and Vietnamese, were consulted to validate and weight drivers identified from literature that enable or constraint farmers to shift from extensive production system to integrated mangrove-shrimp system or to continue such integrated system. Though a combination of drivers is needed to enhance changes, two sets of drivers were given the highest weight. Experts considered the ecosystem function of the mangrove an enabling driver pushing farmers to plant mangrove in order to improve the pond's water quality and limit disease outbreaks. They perceived the drivers related to the current regulatory framework as constraining because these limit the financial return associated with integrated mangrove-shrimp systems. The analysis indicates that the adoption of these integrated systems requires more equitable distribution of benefits from shrimp and timber production between farmers and other stakeholder in these value chains. We recommend to develop a regulatory framework that can optimize the financial benefits of the integrated mangrove-shrimp production systems for farmers.

The effect of a high and low non-starch polysaccharide diet (HNSP and LNSP diet) and ultrasound treatment on particle size distribution and carbon bioavailability in fecal waste of rainbow trout (Oncorynchus mykiss) was studied. Feces were collected from four flow-through fish tanks, two tanks fed the HNSP diet and two the LNSP diet. The collected feces were sonicated (disintegrated) in duplicate with high-intensity (0.6 W/ml), low-frequency (f = 20 Hz) ultrasound at five different energy levels (0.6 W/ml for 0, 0.25, 1, 4, and 16 min). The particle size distribution of the treated feces samples was measured by wet sieving (1000, 500, 200, 100, 63, 36, 1.2 μm screen size) and total suspended solids (TSS) measurement. Carbon bioavailability in sonicated fecal waste samples was determined with oxygen uptake rate (OUR) tests. The results showed that: (1) feces from the HNSP diet contained significant more particulate material and bigger particles; (2) carbon bioavailability was almost three times higher in untreated LNSP feces when compared with HNSP feces; (3) almost 50% of HNSP feces could have been recovered on a microscreen of 36 μm after wet sieving, whereas it was only 10% for LNSP feces; (4) the production of small particles (1.2–36 μm), which could pass a drum filter screen and potentially accumulate in RAS, was approximately 50 g/kg feed, showing no significant differences between diets; (5) sonication increased fecal dry matter below 36 μm (p = 0.015), but it had no significant effect on the median particle size; (6) sonication increased carbon bioavailability with 7–10% for the HNSP feces (p = 0.037); (7) fecal particles withstood up to 16 min sonication at an intensity of 0.6 W/ml and a frequency of 20 Hz corresponding to specific energy input of 20,000 kJ/kg DM without major changes in particle size distribution. The results of this study indicate that the applied ultrasound treatment of fecal waste is not an effective method to increase short-term carbon bioavailability.

We examined the influence of prey density and fish size on prey consumption in common sole (Solea solea L.) foraging on buried ragworm Alitta virens (Sars) (formerly known as Nereis virens (Sars)). The tested prey densities of 0.8, 2.2, 4.3 and 6.5 individuals dm−2 were exposed to common soles of either 100 g or 300 g. At each prey density common sole foraged for 48 h. At both common sole classes studied, a positive correlation between prey consumption and prey density was observed (P P P = 0.018). Small common sole reached satiety prey consumption rates at nearly every prey density while large common sole did not reach satiation rates even at highest prey densities. The data suggest that in nature, polychaetes such as A. virens may contribute to the diet of small common sole even when they are only moderately abundant. In contrast, polychaetes may not be an ideal prey for larger common sole as indicated by the absence of satiety regardless of prey density.

Stable isotope analyses and derived population-level metrics were used to quantitatively analyse spatial and seasonal heterogeneity in the fish trophic dynamics in relation to environmental variables in Mwanza Gulf, Lake Victoria (Tanzania). The fish community in Lake Victoria, including the top predator Nile perch, is generally omnivorous with a heavy reliance on invertebrates. This is in contrast to findings based on stomach content analyses of Nile perch, which showed a stronger reliance on fish. We tested two hypotheses: (1) during the rainy seasons multiple carbon sources influence the food-web structure inside the Gulf, leading to increased carbon ranges and trophic diversity. (2) During dry periods, the food-web structure mainly relies on pelagic primary production, reducing carbon ranges and trophic diversity. Carbon sources indeed varied seasonally and spatially, affecting the fish community at the highest trophic levels. With the onset of rains, carbon sources became spatially highly differentiated with enriched δ13C values of fish in shallow water inside the Gulf and depleted δ13C values in open waters. Metrics associated with niche size correlated significantly with seasonally varying environmental variables, while δ13C ranges correlated with spatially varying environmental variables.

Price transmission in international supply chains is important to ensure that price premiums paid by consumers for environmental sustainability labels are transmitted upstream to farmers. This facilitates investment in sustainable aquaculture systems. This study analyzes the price transmission from the international retail stage to the Vietnamese farm, focusing on frozen pangasius fillets. We used monthly nominal prices at farm and export stages in Vietnam, and at wholesale and retail stages in Poland for the period from August 2010 to December 2014. Price signals at the Polish retail stage were found to transmit back to the wholesale, export, and farm stages. Moreover, price transmission from wholesale to export and from export to farm is characterized by both short- and long-run symmetries. In the short run, retailers tend to transmit only wholesale price increases to their customers and wholesalers transmit only retail price increases to exporters. A long-run relationship between retailers and wholesalers is absent, thereby reducing the ability of chain actors to respond to all market signals, including downward changes. Given the delay in price transmission in the short run, the introduction of business-to-business electronic trading or auction markets might reduce this delay along the retail, wholesale, export, and farm stages. To enhance the long-run price relationship in the wholesale-retail market, more retailers should enter the pangasius market. The transmission of price changes from Polish markets back to Vietnamese pangasius farmers is a positive signal for farmers to invest in sustainable production methods, as consumer price premiums likely flow back to the farm.

Vietnamese pangasius farming needs to produce efficiently to compete in world markets. This study investigates the input- and output-specific technical inefficiency of Vietnamese pangasius farmers. First, we used a Russell-type (input–output) directional distance function to estimate the input- and output-specific technical inefficiency. Second, we applied a bootstrap truncated regression to analyze the factors influencing these technical inefficiencies. Results show that the main challenges for enhancing the performance of Vietnamese pangasius production are inadequate use of capital assets (inefficiency of 42%) and improper methods to achieve higher fish yield (inefficiency of 30%). Input-specific technical inefficiency (pond area and feed) is negatively associated with the experience and education level of pangasius farmers. Location of the farm in a saltwater intrusion area is positively associated with the inefficiency of producing fish. Outcomes of this study are useful to identify successful strategies to minimize the use of inputs while simultaneously maximizing fish production.

We evaluated the effect of low pH and low and high total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentrations on the physiology, stress status and the growth performance of turbot in RAS. Two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, turbot (466 g) were grown at control (pH 7.5; TAN ~0.5 mg/L) or low pH and high TAN (pH 5.7; TAN ~50 mg/L) for 55 days. In Experiment 2, turbot (376 g) were grown at control (pH 7.5; TAN ~0.5 mg/L), low pH and low TAN (pH 5.7; TAN ~5 mg/L) or low pH and high TAN (pH 5.7; TAN ~50 mg/L) for 59 days. In Experiment 1, final body weight, feed intake and growth were significantly lower and FCR significantly higher in turbot exposed to low pH and high TAN. In Experiment 2, only growth was significantly lower in turbot exposed to treatment low pH and high TAN as compared to fish in the control treatment and low pH and low TAN. Osmoregulation and stress indicators measured were within normal levels. In conclusion, turbot grew equally well in a water pH of 7.5 or 5.7 provided a low TAN. In contrast, low pH combined with a high TAN impaired turbot performance. The effect of low pH on physiology, stress status and growth performance of turbot (Psetta maxima L.) cultured in recirculating aquaculture systems

Dendronereis spp. (Peters) (Nereididae) is a common polychaete in shrimp ponds built on intertidal land and is natural food for shrimp in traditionally managed ponds in Indonesia. White spot syndrome virus (WSSV), an important viral pathogen of the shrimp, can replicate in this polychaete (Desrina et al. 2013); therefore, it is a potential propagative vector for virus transmission. The major aim of this study was to determine whether WSSV can be transmitted from naturally infected Dendronereis spp. to specific pathogen-free (SPF) Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) through feeding. WSSV was detected in naturally infected Dendronereis spp. and Penaeus monodon Fabricius from a traditional shrimp pond, and the positive animals were used in the current experiment. WSSV-infected Dendronereis spp. and P. monodon in a pond had a point prevalence of 90% and 80%, respectively, as measured by PCR. WSSV was detected in the head, gills, blood and mid-body of Dendronereis spp. WSSV from naturally infected Dendronereis spp was transmitted to SPF L. vannamei and subsequently from this shrimp to new naive-SPF L. vannamei to cause transient infection. Our findings support the contention that Dendronereis spp, upon feeding, can be a source of WSSV infection of shrimp in ponds.

Whitespot syndrome virus (WSSV) has caused severe production drops in the shrimp industry. Numerous scientific manuscripts deal with WSSV epidemiology, but reports on minimizing disease outbreaks through ecological means are rare. Industry stakeholders resorted to various innovative techniques to recover from heavy economic losses. Some shrimp farmers in the Philippines claimed that 'greenwater' (GW) technology could prevent disease outbreaks due to WSSV. The efficiency of the GW technology was evaluated by comparing three ponds using the GW culture technique with three ponds not using it. WSSV was detected only in one of the GW ponds and not in the non-GW ponds. No WSSV disease outbreak occurred, and no conclusion could be reached. In GW ponds, available soil sulphur content was lower; and in water, the observed counts of luminous bacteria were lower and counts of Chlorophyceae were higher. Chlorophyceae, i.e. algae, enhanced nutrient uptake in effluent streams resulting in improved water quality in Penaeus monodon Fabricius culture ponds. This suggests that the use of the GW technique to culture P. monodon improved water quality.

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV), a rod-shaped double-stranded DNA virus, is an infectious agent causing fatal disease in shrimp farming around the globe. Within shrimp populations WSSV is transmitted very fast, however, the modes and dynamics of transmission of this virus are not well understood. In the current study the dynamics of disease transmission of WSSV were investigated in small, closed populations of Penaeus monodon and Penaeus vannamei. Pair cohabitation experiments using PCR as a readout for virus infection were used to estimate transmission parameters for WSSV in these two species. The mortality rate of contact-infected shrimp in P. monodon was higher than the rate in P. vannamei. The transmission rate parameters for WSSV were not different between the two species. The relative contribution of direct and indirect transmission rates of WSSV differed between the two species. For P. vannamei the direct contact transmission rate of WSSV was significantly lower than the indirect environmental transmission rate, but for P. monodon, the opposite was found. The reproduction ratio R0 for WSSV for these two species of shrimp was estimated to be above one: 2.07 (95%CI 1.53, 2.79) for P. monodon and 1.51 (95%CI 1.12, 2.03) for P. vannamei. The difference in R0 between the two species is due to a lower host mortality and hence a longer infectious period of WSSV in P. monodon.

Denitrification on internal carbon sources offers the advantage to control nitrate levels in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) by using the fecal carbon produced within the husbandry system. However, it is not clear to which extent fecal carbon can be utilized by the microbial community within a denitrification reactor. Especially fibers can hamper the bioavailability of carbon in fecal waste. Therefore, this study investigated the nitrogen removal capacity of a denitrification reactor using fecal waste with a high fiber content as the only carbon source in RAS. Furthermore, we investigated to which extent fibers were utilized as a carbon source within the reactor. Four identical small-scale RAS (V = 460 L) were stocked with 25 rainbow trout of ~ 110 g, and operated at a water exchange rate of ~ 200 L/kg of feed DM. Two RAS served as controls without denitrification and two RAS were upgraded with an upflow sludge blanket denitrification reactor (V = 10.5 L). During the six weeks of experiment, we determined COD (chemical oxygen demand, measure for organic carbon) and N balances for all systems and analyzed the composition of the collected solids. The denitrification reactors were able to remove 19 g N/kg of feed DM, or 48% of the metabolic nitrogen waste produced by the fish. Based on the COD balances, 44% of the supplied fecal COD was degraded in the reactor. Hemicellulose and cellulose degradability was ~ 50%, accounting for 45% to the total degraded COD. Under steady state conditions, 4.4 g of biodegradable COD needed to be oxidized to reduce 1 g of nitrogen, indicating respiratory COD losses of approximately 50%. This experiment successfully demonstrated that denitrification on internal carbon sources using a high fiber diet could remove half of the nitrogen waste produced by the fish. Although fibers limited carbon bioavailability, half of the cellulose and hemicellulose present in the fecal waste was utilized in the denitrification reactor.

This study compares growth, intake and retention efficiencies of nutrients and energy between common sole (Solea solea L.) fed ragworm (Nereis virens, Sars), blue mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) and an artificial (commercial) feed. Food types were fed to common sole (mean initial body weight: 44.9 ± 2.3 g) in excess three times a day over a 54-day-period. The growth rate in common sole fed the natural prey (8.5 g kg-0.8 d-1) was significantly higher compared to the growth rate in fish fed the artificial feed (5.1 g kg-0.8 d-1). Nutrient and energy intake was significantly lower in common sole fed the artificial feed than in fish fed natural prey. The only exception was fat intake which was higher in common sole fed the artificial feed in contrast to fish fed the natural prey. Nutrient and energy retention efficiencies were significantly lower in common sole fed the artificial feed than in fish fed the natural prey. In conclusion, the low growth in common sole fed the artificial feed was related to lower nutrient and energy intake as well as lower nutrient and energy retention efficiencies. It is suggested that reduced intake of the artificial feed might be related to the high dietary fat content of the artificial feed.

There is growing interest to understand the dietary P:E requirements for the supplemental feed used in tilapia pond culture where natural food contributes to production. In an on-farm trial, we tested the effect of lowering dietary P:E ratio on fish performance, pond nutrient utilization and economic benefit under two stocking densities and feeding levels. Forty ponds, (average size 234 ± 112 m2), were assigned to test the effect of two diets, which differed in P:E ratio (18 vs 14 g.MJ−1), two feeding levels (14 vs 18 g.kg-0.8.d−1) and two stocking densities (2 vs 3 fish.m−2). Initial fish biomass was 45(±21) vs 67(±38) g.m−2 at 2 vs 3 fish.m−2, respectively. The experiment lasted 82 days. Decreasing P:E ratio enhanced tilapia production (P < 0.05; 459 vs 399 g.m−2). Increasing stocking density of tilapia from 2 to 3 m−2 increased biomass gain 43% (P < 0.001; 354 vs 505 g.m−2). Averaged over both diets and stocking densities, growth and feed conversion ratio increased with increasing feeding level (P < 0.001). Fish survival was unaffected by diet, stocking density and feeding level. Dissolved oxygen increased with increased stocking density with low P:E diet. The opposite happened for high P:E diet (P < 0.05). Increasing the feeding level also increased the DO concentration (P < 0.001). N retention efficiency was higher with the low P:E ratio diet (P < 0.001; 71 vs 52%) and decreased with increasing feeding level (P < 0.001). The data on N gain and N balance at the pond level suggest that the food web productivity was stimulated by reducing the dietary P:E ratio. The low P:E diet increased the gross margin by 95% (P < 0.001; 2076 vs 1067 USD.ha−1) and benefit cost ratio by 22% (P < 0.05; 1.57 vs 1.29). The P:E ratio of the low P:E diet is less than the presently advised. Lowering the P:E ratio from 18 to 14 g.MJ−1 in pond feeds for tilapia will increase the economic viability of pond aquaculture.