Polyculture of White shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) and sea cucumber (Holothuria inornata) in a biofloc system

The aim of our study was to optimize the implementation of biofloc technology system (BFT) by proposing a polyculture that integrates sea cucumber (Holothuria inornata) into shrimp (Penaeus vannamei)culture. We evaluated the polyculture ofP. vannameiandH. inornata(UR-SSC) in the same culture unit. In addition, both species were cultured in separate units with recirculation (R-S and R-SC) at a density of 500 shrimps/m(3)and 12 kg/m(3)of sea cucumbers in 100-L tanks. Cultures with recirculation were subsequently evaluated in 300-L tanks forP. vannamei(500 shrimps/m(3)) and in 100-L tanks forH. inornata(4.5 kg/m(3)). The results of the first experiment in the UR-SSC polyculture revealed a survival rate of 80% (FCR 0.6) for shrimp and 40% for sea cucumbers. Survival rate for these species submitted to recirculation was 92% (FCR 0.80) for shrimp and 75% for sea cucumbers. In the second experiment, the shrimp in R-S and R-SC revealed a survival rate of 98% (0.69 FCR) and 93% (0.71 FCR), while the sea cucumber exhibited 100% survival rate. The production yield for shrimp in R-S and R-SC was 98% (0.69 FCR) and 93% (0.71 FCR) of survival rate, and 100% for sea cucumbers. Our results indicate thatP. vannameipresents a satisfactory productive yield when grown under a recirculating polyculture system withH. inornata. Additionally, the survival of sea cucumbers remains unaffected under this culture system.