Effect of different carbon sources on the cultivation of northern river shrimp Cryphiops caementarius in a biofloc system

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different carbon sources on the water quality, microorganisms, proximal composition, floc size, and growth performance of Cryphiops caementarius in the biofloc system. Each treatment, carbon sources (molasses and chancaca), and control were randomly assigned in triplicate. Shrimp with an initial body weight of 24.28 ± 0.44 g were stocked in 9 rectangular fiberglass tanks with a water volume of 150 L for 142 days. They were fed a commercial diet containing 48.5% crude protein at a rate of 5% of their body weight. A C/N ratio of 15 was maintained across all treatments. Water quality parameters remained within suitable concentration ranges for C. caementarius throughout the study. Overall, the results indicated that both molasses and chancaca can be used as carbon sources for the control of nitrogenous compounds without affecting production indices. However, these carbon sources may have a significant effect on the composition of the microbial community and the size and composition of the biofloc, suggesting that the choice of carbon source used in biofloc technology (BFT) plays a significant role. BFT appears to be an effective tool for freshwater shrimp producers due to its water efficiency, particularly in arid regions.