Biofloc in Aquaculture

by Dr. Janice A. Ragaza

Biofloc-based aquaculture systems use very low amounts of water and recycle nutrients
between microbes and cultured animals. The most common commercial application is in
greenwater biofloc (GWB) systems, most of which are used for tilapia and shrimp (Hargreaves
2013). In these systems, nutrients must be added in feeds for the culture animals which, with
adequate light, leads to a dense algal community in the water column. Algae produce
exopolymeric substances that encourage the formation of flocculated (biofloc) particles
(Avnimelech 2015). Biofloc particles typically consist of microbes, algae, zooplankton,
protozoans, uneaten feed particles, and other particulate matter, and in GWB systems range in
size from about 50 to 200 microns (Browdy et al. 2012; Hargreaves 2013). Algae in GWB
systems are responsible for converting otherwise toxic ammonia excreted by the culture animals
into proteins, thereby removing ammonia and recycling the nitrogen into a nutritious product. The
algae in GWB systems produce oxygen and consume CO2 in the presence of light, thus benefiting
water quality and animal health.
The largest recurring cost in most aquaculture operations is feed. Biofloc material that is
removed from the water column through filtration has been shown to be a suitable replacement
for fishmeal in aquatic animal diets (Bauer et al. 2012; Kuhn et al. 2010).

References:
Avnimelech Y. 2015. Biofloc Technology – A Practical Guide Book, 3rd Edition. The World
Aquaculture Society, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
Bauer W, Prentice-Hernandez C, Tesser MB, Wasielesky W, Poersch LHS. 2012.
Substitution of fishmeal with microbial floc meal and soy protein concentrate in diets for the
pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Aquaculture 342-343: 112-116.
Browdy CL, Ray AJ, Leffler JW, Avnimelech Y. 2012. Biofloc-based aquaculture systems.
In: Tidwell, J.H. (Ed.), Aquaculture Production Technologies. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK, pp.
278-307.
Hargreaves JA. 2013. Biofloc production systems for aquaculture. Southern Regional
Aquaculture Center Fact Sheet, Publication Number 4503, 11 pp.
Kuhn DD, Lawrence AL, Boardman GD, Patnaik S, Marsh L, Flick GJ. 2010. Evaluation
of two types of bioflocs derived from biological treatment of fish effluent as feed ingredients for
Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. Aquaculture 303: 28-33.