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Commercial probiotics, enzymes in Pacific white shrimp trumps fermented probiotics

A recently released study may encourage stakeholders in Indonesia to review using traditional fermented probiotic applications in intensive Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) culture system is common in Indonesia.

Results showed that, under specific conditions, application of commercial probiotics and enzymes (PEs) produced better growth performance in the animal compared to that that received traditional fermented probiotic applications.

“Multispecies PEs have potential applications in controlling Vibrio spp., maintaining proper water quality condition, and enhancing the growth of shrimp in intensive culture system,” Novriadi et al. cited in the study published on Journal of World Aquaculture Society.

The study evaluated the effectiveness of multi-species probiotics feeding with enzymes and fermentation process as the common method of applying probiotics in shrimp farm operation on the water quality, growth performance, and protein retention of shrimp L. vannamei, cultured intensively in concrete tanks.

Animal in the best performing environment initially had an application of 0.6 0.4 mg L−1. It posted higher final biomass, mean weight, and protein retention efficiency. The feed conversion ratio was lower. Other PE doses were at 0.2 and 0.4 mg L−1.

For intensive shrimp culture systems, authors recommended multi-species PEs application at 0.6 mg L−1 during the first 30 days, 0.8 mg L−1 until day 60, and 1.0 mg L−1 until harvest is encouraged to stimulate better productivity, controlling Vibrio spp., and maintaining water quality conditions in intensive culture environments.

The experiment was conducted on L. vannamei postlarvae in semi-indoor concrete tanks with a stocking density of 500 PL m2 per tank.

“Despite many variations within the treatments, biologically, the combination of PEs could enhance the nutrient utilization as shown in the protein composition (percentage) of the whole body of shrimp,” the authors said.

Shrimp in all treatments were fed with the same diet.