Evaluation of two mix-cultures of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) with red tilapia hybrid and spotted rose snapper (lutjanus guttatus) in intensive indoor brackish water tanks

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth performance and survival of the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) with red tilapia hybrid (Red Florida: Red Yumbo) and spotted rose snapper (Lutjanus guttatus), stocked at different densities in intensive brackish water mix-culture systems compared with monoculture of shrimp. The experiment, conducted in twenty-one plastic tanks (750 L) was set up to evaluate water quality, growth; production and survival of shrimp, tilapia, and snapper, for 60 days. Three replicates were assigned to seven treatments: After 30 day, initial densities were unfolded (shrimp = 50 ind m^-3, tilapia = 16 ind m^-3and red snapper = 8 ind m^-3). Feeding rate was adjusted at 5 and 10% of body weight d-1 for shrimp and fish, respectively. The shrimp-tilapia mix cultures produced the higher nitrogen and phosphorus in water concentrations. Significant lower survival values were obtained for shrimp (60.0 ± 0.6%) cultured with snapper and for tilapia (79.0 ± 3.1%) reared with shrimp. Mean final biomass for shrimp, tilapia and snapper were higher for the mix-cultures (2.04, 7.7 and 2.9 fold increase, respectively) with respect to their initial biomass. The mix culture system allowed an increase in total production with lower feed conversion ratios, thus contributing with the system sustainability.