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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Aquatic Animal Health Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #423923
Research Project: Integrated Research to Improve Aquatic Animal Health in Warmwater Aquaculture

Location: Aquatic Animal Health Research

Title: The effect of low dissolved oxygen in greenwater systems of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Author
item SAN ANDRES, CRISTHIAN - Auburn University
item ARAUJO, ADELA - Auburn University
item NGUYEN, KHANH - Auburn University
item CORBY, TRENTON - Auburn University
item RHODES, MELANIE - Auburn University
item ROY, LUKE - Auburn University
item Garcia, Julio
item DAVIS, D. - Auburn University

Submitted to: Aquaculture America
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/19/2024
Publication Date: 2/18/2024
Citation: San Andres, C.F., Araujo, A.A., Nguyen, K.Q., Corby, T.L., Rhodes, M.A., Roy, L.A., Garcia, J.C., Davis, D.A. 2024. The effect of low dissolved oxygen in greenwater systems of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Aquaculture America [ABSTRACT]. Aquaculture America 2024, San Antonio, Texas. Feb. 18-21, 2024

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Low dissolved oxygen concentrations are often considered as a factor influencing the performance of Litopenaeus vannamei in aquaculture. Different studies with dissolved oxygen as a primary limiting factor, have indicated this is a stressor factor that can influence growth, tail flip speed, immune response, metabolic rates, and gene expression, but most research has been conducted in long period of hypoxia settings using water mixed with gaseous nitrogen and sodium sulfite to preserve hypoxia level. Hence, there is a gap in our understanding of its effect in natural diurnal cycles and its impacts under natural production environments. Therefore, this study aimed to create low dissolved oxygen conditions in a green water system and its effect on survival rate, growth performance, apparent net protein retention, and metabolic enzymes in hemolymph. Additionally, tissues of gill and hepatopancreas were collected to search for inflammatory gene expression. Two trials were conducted at Claude Peteet Mariculture Center in Gulf Shores, AL. The first trial consisted of three levels of air supply (Low= 0.25, medium =0.35, high= 0.7 cubic feet per second (cfs)). It was set up with 12 tanks (750L) stocked at 35 shrimp/m2 and initial weight (1.99 ± 0.06g) maintaining an equal flow rate. The second trial consisted of two levels of aeration (Low= 0.25 and high= 0.7cfs) stocked at 30 shrimp/m2 and initial weight(4.30 ± 0.24g). Feed inputs were estimated with expected growth of 2 g week-1 for the first trial and 3 g week-1 for the second trial. Results showed that hypoxia environments were achieved in green water, constraining aeration levels (Figure 1). The levels of metabolic enzymes of the hemolymph, such as Alanine aminotransferase and Alkaline phosphatase, were not significantly different among treatments in the first trial. Moreover, low dissolved oxygen concentration happened more frequently in higher biomass conditions, resulting in an increment 9% of low dissolved oxygen occurrences in the second trial, significantly affecting survival (P=0.003) and growth (P=0.048). Therefore, growth performance is influenced by a reduction in density because of dissolved oxygen concentrations.