Research Article

Supplementation of biofloc in carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Communis) culture as a potential tool of resource management in aquaculture

¹ Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fishery Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata 700094, West Bengal, India
² Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Guru Angad dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana 141004, Punjab, India

^* Corresponding author: skdaswbuafs@gmail.com

Handling Editor: Joel Aubin

Received: 30 September 2020
Accepted: 15 July 2021

Abstract

Supplementation of biofloc in rearing of common carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Communis (0.84 ± 0.003 g) was tested in replacing costly feed and environmental amelioration. Neem (Azadirachta indica) leave extract in biofloc media has beenknown to be beneficial in controlling pathogenic Vibrio sp. in brackish water shrimp. Two studies were conducted for 120 days in outdoor experimental cisterns with reduction of feed from 50% to 100%, with two biofloc media; without (Experiment 1; E1) and with neem extract (Experiment 2; E2). The experimental groups were: biofloc with feeding at 6% body weight (T1E1 and T1E2), biofloc with feeding at 3% body weight (T2E1 and T2E2), biofloc without feeding (T3E1 and T3E2), feeding at 6% body weight (C1) and only biofloc (C2E1 and C2E2). Absolute weight gain in T2E1 (9.96 g) was 8.23% and in T2E2 (9.56 g) was 4.39% higher than C1 (9.14). In spite of 5.04% and 13.98% higher growth respectively in T1E1 (10.50 g) and T1E2 (11.66 g) than C1 (9.97 g), BFT could not compensate the total withdrawal of feed (T3E1 and T3E2) and resulted in 22.22% to 33.33% mortality in T3E2 and T3E1 respectively. Under identical feeding regime, FCR was improved by 52.57% to 53.76% in T2E1 (1.84) and 48.71% to 51.23% in T2E2 (1.99) compared to T1E1 (3.98) and T1E2 (4.08). Absolute weight gain in T2E1 was 8.97 times and in T2E2 was 4.63 times higher than C1. In spite of 18.54% and 7.26% higher growth respectively in T1E1 and T1E2 than C1, BFT could not compensate the total withdrawal of feed (T3E1 and T3E2) and resulted in 22.22% to 33.33% mortality in T3E2 and T3E1 respectively. Under identical feeding regime, FCR was improved by 52.57% to 53.76% in T2E1 and 48.71% to 51.23% in T2E2 compared to T1E1 and T1E2 respectively. Increased N: P ratio of water and soil in E2 favoured fish growth. Neem leave extract in biofloc media should be judicious as it may cause nitrification inhibition.