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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #307614
Title: Organic carbon and dissolved oxygen budgets for a commerical-size, in-pond raceway system

Author
item Brown, Travis
item BOYD, CLAUDE - Auburn University
item CHAPPELL, JESSEE - Auburn University

Submitted to: Journal of the World Aquaculture Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/27/2015
Publication Date: 10/3/2015
Citation: Brown, T.W., Boyd, C.E., Chappell, J.A. 2015. Organic carbon and dissolved oxygen budgets for a commerical-size, in-pond raceway system. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society. 46(5):539-548.

Interpretive Summary: This study demonstrated that Ictalurid catfish were successfully cultured in an in-pond raceway system with co-cultured species, Paddlefish and Nile Tilapia. The primary species, catfish, were stocked directly into the raceways while the secondary species, Paddlefish and tilapia, were stocked into the open pond area known as the waste-treatment lagoon. The secondary species were used as a water quality management tool. Paddlefish and Tilapia recycled nutrients in wastes that would normally be only partially assimilated by the pond ecosystem thereby lessening the nutrient load and creating another harvestable product. This favors more efficient utilization of feed through recycling of wastes to filter-feeding species. Optimization of stocking rates for all species and length of the culture period would enhance nutrient utilization, minimize environmental impacts of effluents, maximize efficiency, and increase profit potential. Development of integrated, intensive pond-based culture systems may likely be the key to future success for the U.S. catfish farming industry.

Technical Abstract: Intensive production of Ictalurid catfish in the United States has increased over the past several years and a better understanding of the amount of organic carbon (OC) and dissolved oxygen (DO) in these culture environments is needed. Budgets for OC and DO were estimated over a production season (March-November) for an In-pond raceway system for Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, and hybrid catfish, I. punctatus × I. furcatus, with co-culture of Paddlefish, Polyodon spathula, and Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Production of each kilogram of live catfish required 1.5 kg of feed and released into the water 0.70 kg of OC and led to the synthesis of an additional 3.36 kg of OC by photosynthesis. Consequently, production of 1 kg of live catfish resulted in 4.06 kg OC and harvest of catfish accounted for only 29.5% of OC applied in feed. Removal of OC increased to 34.3% with the additional harvest of Paddlefish and Tilapia. OC was consumed in respiration, and some OC accumulated in sediment. Total respiration within the system exceeded the DO produced by photosynthesis while diffusion and mechanical aeration aided in maintaining suitable DO levels for fish production.