Why plant based proteins are not majorly used in feeds in aquaculture?

Hello everyone:

         Today we will see about the antinutritional factors of plant based proteins which is used in aquaculture.... 

Why feed cost is high? 

     Mainly due to presence of high protein and different manufacturing processes. 

 Where the proteins comes from? 

     Mostly animal based ingredients. Very minor only plant based ingredients. 

Why plant based proteins are not majorly used? 

     The main reason is the presence of antinutritional factors in plant based meal. 

    Another reason is the fatty acid profile and some minor nutrient profile which is not properly found in plant based meal compared to animal based ingredients. 

Note : But in some fish species, majorly they using plant based proteins. Take for an example of herbivore species... They mostly prefer plant based meal for the growth. 

Which plant based meal we mostly using? 

       All are heard about soyabean meal in fish or shrimp feed. Which is used in combination with fish meal in feeds. It is mostly used plant based ingredients. 

Now all are focusing about finding the substitute for fish meal. Antinutritional factors have many disadvantages in direct using. . 

Antinutritional factors:

       Antinutritional factors are mostly found in plant based ingredients. It gives many adverse effects to the body. It affects metabolism and energy absorption. Majorly it affects the inner organ in fish and shrimps. Soyabean also have antinutritional factors such as Trypsin inhibitors. 

How they cause toxic effect to animal? 

         If we take raw soyabean meal , it has antinutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitors, phytic acid. 

        Trypsin inhibitors cause severe damage to inner body parts especially pancreas in fish. 

The main function of trypsin in body is breakdown of proteins. If trypsin inhibitors present means, then it affects the protein digestibility of an organism. 

     This trypsin inhibitors is present in the soyabean meal. 

How to remove this from Ingredients? 

     Whatever toxins present in the ingredients, it all are mostly heat labile one. It is destructed by heating at certain minutes. But it must need certain degree celsius for certain minutes. If more heat means, then affect other nutritional profiles. 

    By this method of heating in certain time are not majorly changes the other nutritional composition of an ingredients. 

    By doing many treatments like this, then it will increase the cost of production. 

Phytic acid: 

     It is a another major component present in the plant based ingredients which have high protein value.

Why it is present in plants? 

     It is an important nutrient. Mostly present in legumes. This phytic acid present in the form of phosphorus. When these seeds fall and germinates in soil, that time the phosphorus released and give nutrient to the growth. 

How phytic acid affect growth in aquatic organism? 

        It majorly prevents the absorption of important minerals in the body. If you takes these types of ingredients majorly, then it results in minerals deficiency. It combines with the trace minerals and not leads to absorption in body. 

Solution : External addition of phytase enzyme in feed to neutralize the effect of phytic acid. Small concentrations of phytic acid will not affect the organism. 

There are thousands of plant based ingredients available. But the main problem is the presence antinutritive factors in most of legumes. 

        Some of ingredients must be heated or soaked for fermentation for the better intake of fish. This heat and fermentation will eliminate the toxins present in the ingredients. During fermentation, toxins reduced by enzymatic changes. 

  Whatever protein present, we can't fully substitute for the fish meal in aquaculture feed. The another problem is the commercialization of new ingredients in large amount. Anyway, Hope for good. 

                  Thank you🙏. 

What we thought is different in white muscle formation in vannamei.

Hello everyone:

      Today we will see about formation of white muscle in shrimp. 

In general..... 

     If we saw , white muscle in shrimp means, we say it is due to minerals deficiency. But my pond have optimum minerals range, then what is the reason? 

   In around the world, several diseases like IMNV ( Infectious myonecrosis virus) and Penaeid white tail disease ( by noda virus) are identified. 

What I do if I saw white muscle? 

     First you must know about different reasons for white muscle. It may be due to.. 

           - Minerals deficiency. 

           - It may be due to minerals imbalances in your pond. 

           - It may be due to sudden change or increase of temperature and salinity of your pond. 

      When the temperature rise, then you can saw small patches of white muscle in your shrimp. It is due to coagulation. 

Other than this.... If your shrimp gets white muscle in severely , you have to check all parameters. Then clearly observe for presence of any lesions in the body. 

         In case of any pathogenic infections, it creates some cell death and causes haemocytic infiltrations. By this, we can surely tells it may be due to pathogen... 

Regarding infectious myonecrosis virus and Penaeid white tail disease have similarly same signs. But the causative agent is different. These two are noticed in foreign countries. 

    In many local farms, shrimp gets tested for both virus, but results shows negative. But signs are similar. Another advantage is, it doesn't causes mortality. The previously seen virus have some signs of lesions, presence of Cytoplasmic inclusion bodies.. It affect first the sarcomeric structure of the shrimp. It coagulate muscles.... 

Thing to remember.. 

        I have optimum minerals profile, I have maintained optimum DO levels, I maintained optimum minerals ratio, these have no problems. When the temperature get increases, then the sign shows like this. 

   In case of white muscle diseases , it shows less mortality only. Maintaining good water quality leads to good culture... 

What I do if I saw red colour shrimp in pond? 

       Many persons seen this. This red colour is due to Chromatopores in shrimp. If your shrimp gets dissolved oxygen problem , then it goes under stress. It causes red colour in legs. you put your shrimp in normal water and observe the colour. If the colour changes then we can tell it is due to stress. 

      If the colour not changes , then it may be due to any presence of pathogen. Immediately check animal vibrio conditions. 

# Try to maintain your pond dissolved oxygen levels at more than 4 ppm. 

# Try to optimize the feed. 

# Try to control all water quality parameters at optimum levels. 

     Many diseases sign starts with red colouration of shrimp body. For more info.. Contact me..  Thank you🙏 . 

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Why the effect of nitrifiers is more on substrates?.

Hello everyone:

       Today we will see about nitrifiers. 

In our culture pond, we give any nitrifiers? 

All are studied that Nitrosomonas and nitrobacter is involved in nitrification. 

But the truth in our pond is fully different... 

      These Nitrosomonas and nitrobacters are chemolithotrophic bacterias. But, we uses mostly heterotrophic bacteria for effective nitrification in our pond. 

1. The important thing is proliferation time. Nitrifiers takes more time upto several hours for proliferation in water. But heterotrophic bacteria needs minimal time. 

2. These heterotrophic bacterias have the ability for forming spores. So, it remains active in the shrimp pond at several intervals. 

      But, nitrifiers are not able to form spores. 

3. The important thing in nitrifiers is, they can complete the nitrification at super fast only in the presence of excess of ammonia. So only  the nitrifiers only used in the waste water treatment plants, and present in the biofilters. It requires excess ammonia. 

4. These nitrifiers can produce extracellular polymeric substance, a slime like substances which leads to sticking on any substrates. So only I already told, effect of nitrification is faster in periphyton like biofilms. 

      Due to that substances, these nitrifiers forms biofilm and attached to some substrates and effectively doing nitrification. It also requires oxygen and sunlight for effective process. 

Constraints..... 

        Many constraints present in shrimp pond, while using the nitrifiers. They requires optimum temperature for the growth, they requires optimum pH, they requires high nutrient.... 

Important thing is.... They are mostly halophilic in nature.. We doing vannamei in low saline water. So salinity also causes impact on growth and proliferation of nitrifiers. 

* When the pH goes excess of 8.4 then it's growth affected. Likewise Temperature also.. 

Many commercial products are available. But they must be used at only certain extreme conditions. After application, it takes some more times for starting the process.....  Many facts present about nitrifiers... For more info... Contact me... 

                  Thank you. 

Is periphyton based shrimp farming helps to reduce turbidity?

Hello everyone:

                   Today we will see one of the interesting topic about periphyton. Did you heard the word periphyton? Had you seen that? 

    Yes, it is present in your pond. It is a group of organism like algae, planktons, some of autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms, protozoa, fungi.... 

What is the problem? 

             I think, nowadays most of the shrimp ponds facing the turbidity problem. It may be due to aging of ponds or due to improper strengthening. Anyway sometimes it is unavaoidable. We are using continues aeration in shrimp ponds. 

    We have to strengthen our pond dikes at regular interval to prevent the erosion. 

            We know that, shrimp mostly prefers microinvertebrates, zooplanktons. Periphyton community also a very good food source. The species composition in this colony may varies from place, nutrient availability, selection of cultured species etc.. 

          The periphyton grows well in a submerged substrates. Many natural substrates based farming going on. On that, bamboo is mostly preferred natural substrate for periphyton. The bamboo is splitted and submerged in water, after that periphyton community attached on substrates and grows. 

Is it working? 

           In many researches found that, periphyton based finfish farming working very good. There are different genera of planktons present in the periphyton community. In carp and tilapia farming, we can increase the production rate by periphyton farming. But we have to use fertilizer to maintain the growth of periphyton. 

Nutrients requirements. 

          Nitrogen and phosphorus are the important nutrients which is required for the growth of periphyton mass. They can easily traps nutrients from the water. They traps suspended solids in water. 

          Combination of supplementaion feed and substrates based periphyton with finfish shows 30-50% of increased production than normal. 

Come to vannamei.... 

       It is a important species which is cultured all over the world. Turbidity is the main problem. If we increase the depth of water than we have to increase the aeration and especially in summer there is chance for formation of stratification layer in water. 

        In certain researches, periphyton food gives better strength to the animal and increases the survival rate and increases the growth. 

       If we placed substrates in the pond, then it will be a good place for Nitrifiers. Comparing to the normal conditions, Nitrifiers works effectively on substrates. It purify the water at the extend. We are using high protein feed, so nitrogen formation also high. So it forms good nutrients source for periphyton. 

Prevents cannibalism:

       In periphyton based culture, it serves natural food to the shrimps and also provides shelter for shrimp which prevents cannibalism of animal. 

      In average turbid ponds, periphyton can effectively traps solid and purifies the water. In some researches, there is an increases production of vannamei in substrates based periphyton farming with supplement feeding. These all indicates there is better scope present in that culture. 

    And also we can reduce the probiotic use in aquaculture ponds., with the help of periphyton... 

   If we optimize and standardize this technique, then it is good for the increased production on turbid ponds. 

Why nitrifiers acts very active in presence of substrates? Will see in next blog. 

Follow my page for more info. Join in my Facebook group. Link in contact page.. 

For more info contact me.... Thank you🙏. 

Loose shell syndrome in vannamei...

Hello everyone: 

         Today we will see about loose shell syndrome in vannamei...

 Due to increased production, adaptation of various technology, high stocking density, improper management leads to origin of new disease in shrimp farming industry.

   

What is it?

          Before that, you must be clear about moulting cycle of shrimp. 

          In this syndrome, there is gap present between muscle and shell and also shells looks like paper in structure. If you touch the exoskeleton, it is very soft. Muscles also so soft.

       Sometimes after moulting, the shrimp get hardens it's shell. This happened within few hours. At stage of after moulting, the body looks so soft. So don't confused with that.

       The affected shrimp shows reduced growth rate. The affected shrimp lost its weight...

What is the main reason?

          We can't tell the correct reason for this occurance. But we can tell certain situations can cause this type of syndrome. The first and foremost thing is water quality...

                         Improper water quality

                      Improper selection of feed

              Some of nutritional deficiency in feed

                           Harmful pathogens

                      Improper pond preparation

             Presence of fouling organism in pond

                Improper application of minerals

These are the some of the reason for the occurance of this disease. Minerals requirements also very important.

Affected shrimp :

              Affected shrimp shows fouling of protozoans on pleopods and gills. The gills get heavily damaged and shows brown in colour and presence of fouling organism. It denotes improper pond bottom management.

              Vibrio present in all the conditions. If your shrimp got stressed then vibrio found. In this situation also vibrio found.

              The shells of shrimp is very thin and paper like structure. It is not got attached to the muscle. There is a gap between shell and muscle. It is due to the muscular dystrophy. The hepatopancreas get shrunken.

              The hepatopancreas get affected, so the cells present in the hepatopancreas get inflammated and leads to destruction of cells. Due to this , the shrimp can't get digest and store the nutrients in the body. So the affected animal looks always empty gut and weight also reduced.

                 This syndrome will affect the survival of the shrimp. Some of toxic diatoms species also majorly observed in the affected pond. 

   

These are the some of the sign this syndrome. We have to properly prepare the aged ponds. Proper use of probiotics will leads to better bottom management. Try to maintain optimum dissolved oxygen level in your pond.

       Nowadays, many persons facing some of the issues in aged ponds. Turbidity also occurs. How to prevent this Turbidity in loose soils.

1. How to strengthen the soil before stocking.

2. What are things to do for this type of soils.

3. Is periphyton based farming can help for this system?

4. Effect of nitrifiers in substrates based farming.

      The answer for these questions will be posted on next blog... For more info .  Contact me...

                       Thank you 😊.