Use of artificial substrates in the culture of Litopenaeus vannamei (Biofloc System) at different stocking densities: Effects on microbial activity, water quality and production rates

► We tested the use of artificial substrates in superintensive culture of L. vannamei with bioflocs. ► The periphyton biomass and the biological activity in the substrates were low. ► The substrates did not appear to affect water quality and were not an obvious source of food. ► The substrates reduced the relative stocking density and improved shrimp performance. ► In tanks with a larger biomass, substrates had a larger effect on shrimp production. Although the use of artificial substrates can favor shrimp culture, some studies indicate that their presence in growth tanks does not improve water quality or the performance of the animals. One objective of this study was to evaluate whether the presence of artificial substrates modifies the microbial activity and the water quality of the culture of Litopenaeus vannamei with bioflocs. The substrate effects on the shrimp performance and the relationship between these effects and the stocking density/biomass of shrimp were also evaluated. The experiment consisted of four treatments: D238: 238shrimpm−3; D238+S: 238shrimpm−3+substrates; D473: 473shrimpm−3; D473+S: 473shrimpm−3+substrates. Twelve experimental units of 850L were stocked with juvenile L. vannamei (2.6g) that were grown for 34 days. The substrates did not appear to affect water quality since the concentrations of orthophosphate, ammonia and nitrite were not significantly different in tanks with or without substrates. The periphyton biomass was low and the biological activity on the substrates was not significant, indicating that the water quality variables were mainly controlled by the microbial community associated with the suspended bioflocs. The shrimp grown in the presence of the substrate exhibited greater weight gain (D238+S=1.40±0.05 and D473+S=1.20±0.04gweek−1) than those grown without substrates (D238=0.73±0.04 and D473=0.44±0.13gweek−1). The final biomass was 314% greater in the tanks with substrates. The shrimp survival was significantly higher in the tanks with substrates (93.9±2.4%) than in the tanks without substrates (42.5±35.9%). The results indicate that the substrates served to increase the surface area of the tank and to reduce the relative stocking density, which appears to reduce the stress levels of shrimp, indicated by higher shrimp performance. In tanks with higher biomass, where the negative effects of intensification were most severe, the presence of the substrates had a positive effect on the production indices.