ANNALS OF ANIMAL SCIENCE

ISSN: 2300-8733, https://sciendo.com/journal/AOAS

ACCEPTED AUTHOR VERSION OF THE MANUSCRIPT:

Aquamimicry system: a sutiable strategy for shrimp aquaculture

– a review
DOI: 10.2478/aoas-2022-0044
Mohammad Hossein Khanjani1♦, Mansour Torfi Mozanzadeh2, Geraldo Kipper Fóes3

1
Department of Fisheries Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources, University
of Jiroft, Jiroft, Kerman, Iran
2
South Iran Aquaculture Research Center, Iran Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI),
Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Ahwaz, Iran
3
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Instituto de Oceanografia, Programa de Pós-
Graduação em Aquicultura, Laboratório de Carcinocultura, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil

♦Corresponding author: [email protected]; [email protected]

Received date: 27 March 2022

Accepted date: 18 May 2022

To cite this article: (2022). Khanjani M.H., Mozanzadeh M.T., Fóes G.K. (2022).
Aquamimicry system: a sutiable strategy for shrimp aquaculture – a review, Annals of Animal
Science, DOI: 10.2478/aoas-2022-0044

This is unedited PDF of peer-reviewed and accepted manuscript. Copyediting,

typesetting, and review of the manuscript may affect the content, so this provisional
version can differ from the final version.
 Aquamimicry system: a sutiable strategy for shrimp aquaculture – a review

Mohammad Hossein Khanjani1♦, Mansour Torfi Mozanzadeh2, Geraldo Kipper Fóes3

1
Department of Fisheries Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources,

University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Kerman, Iran

2
South Iran Aquaculture Research Center, Iran Fisheries Science Research Institute

(IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO),

Ahwaz, Iran
3
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Instituto de Oceanografia, Programa

de Pós-Graduação em Aquicultura, Laboratório de Carcinocultura, Rio Grande, RS,

Brazil

♦
Corresponding author: [email protected]; [email protected]

ORCID
Mohammad Hossein Khanjani https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3891-8082

Mansour Torfi Mozanzadeh https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2011-799X

Geraldo Kipper Fóes https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2301-8169

DOI: 10.2478/aoas-2022-0044

Abstract
Shrimp culture is the most lucrative sector in aquaculture industry; however, for its sustainable
development the environment conservation should be concerned. New developed technologies
are required to achieve aquaculture to its sustainable goals. Among the different novel
sustainable technologies, the biofloc technology (BFT) and more recently the aquamimicry
system are considered as reliable methods in burgeoning development of shrimp culture. The
establishment of the BFT needs a certain carbon to nitrogen (C: N) ratio so that heterotrophic
bacteria able to utilize nitrogenous metabolites, and preserve the water quality in the standard
ranges suitable for shrimp culture. In addition, the produced floc can be used as supplementary
food for shrimp. On the other hand, the establishment of the aquamimicry system relies on
organic carbon without providing a specific C: N ratio. In this system, a synergistic relationship
between a prebiotic source, which usually consists of an oligosaccharide derived from the
fermentation of a carbon source (e.g., rice bran), and a probiotic source such as Bacillus sp.
can provide natural conditions by blooming phytoplankton and zooplankton organisms,
especially copepods. These live foods can be used as complementary foods for shrimp.
Furthermore, the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the aquamimicry system can provide
stable culture condition for growth and welfare of shrimp. Based on the findings of recent
literature, using the aquamimicry system for shrimp production is a more sustainable, eco-
friendly, and greener than the conventional systems.

Key words: aquaculture, aquamimicry, shrimp, fermentation, microbial communities,

probiotics
 Crustacean culture with an annual production of 9.4 million tons in 2018 was the third

largest productive sector among different aquaculture activities. In addition, it is the most

lucrative sectors of aquaculture with the sale value of USD 69.3 billion in 2018 (FAO, 2020).

Among various farmed crustacean species, Pacific white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei (59.2% of

total crustacean production) and Giant tiger prawn, Penaeus monodon (8.0% of total crustacean

production) comprised about 67% of the total crustacean production in 2018 (FAO, 2020).

However, the shrimp farming industry had catastrophic environmental effects on the coastal

areas, especially in countries located in the Southeast Asia (Anh et al., 2010). As shrimp culture

industry has become more intensive to meet high market demands for this luxurious protein

source, traditional farms discharge a large volumes of wastes such as uneaten feed, fertilizers,

metabolic excretions, and therapeutics among the others (Iber and Kasan, 2021). As a result of

the aquaculture intensification and indiscriminate usage of therapeutics, the water quality has

deteriorated that may exceed the environmental standards.

In order to ensure the sustainable production with environmental concerns, green and

organic technologies must be developed (Kumar et al., 2018). During the past few years,

technological innovations have been used to minimize detrimental environmental impacts,

increase biosecurity and reduce shrimp production costs. In addition, there are several

strategies to manage shrimp aquaculture waste water, and its treatment such as high rate algal

pond system, use of nanomaterials (e.g., nanoadsorbents, nanofiber membranes, polymeric

nanoadsorbents, and nanomaterial based membranes), bioaugmentation technology, solid state

thermophilic aerobic fermentation for recovery of nutrients from waste water, and in situ water

bioremediation technologies (e.g., biofloc technology, BFT) (Iber and Kasan, 2021). The BFT

and aquamimicry systems are considered as promising methods for the sustainability of shrimp

aquaculture industry (Khanjani and Sharifinia, 2020; Santhanam et al., 2020).

 In the BFT system, stimulating the proliferation of heterotrophic bacteria (HTB)

increases the absorption of inorganic nitrogen that can be achieved by adjusting the carbon to

nitrogen (C: N) ratio to 15: 1. The formation of biofloc in the BFT also provides supplementary

nutrients for growth and reduce the amount of feed used in shrimp aquaculture (Emerenciano

et al., 2012; Esparza-Leal et al., 2015; Gaona et al., 2016; Khanjani et al., 2020; Khanjani and

Sharifinia, 2021). In this context, Brito et al. (2014) reported that P. vannamei farming in the

BFT improved growth performance, and reduced total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite, and harmful

opportunistic bacteria such as Vibrio sp in the culture media. Furthermore, the BFT is a highly

productive system, with a production rate of 17.8 tons/hectare (Kumar et al., 2018). Moreover,

the rate of water exchange in the BFT is limited, effluent is minimized, and as a result, the

environmental damages are alleviated (Bauer et al., 2012; Khanjani and Sharifinia, 2022;

Khanjani et al., 2022 a). Despite its several privileges, the BFT has its own limitations including

high aeration to maintain suspended particles in the water column, high infrastructure and

installation expenditures, great energy consumption, high carbon fingerprint, and the

complicated management of total suspended solids in the system (Gaona et al., 2016; Romano,

2017).

Compared to the BFT, aquamimicry is a new shrimp farming method that can be used

to overcome these limitations by modulating the conventional methods. In recent years, several

countries have adapted this expertise in shrimp farming, including Thailand, Australia,

Bangladesh, Brazil, Brunei, China, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru,

Singapore, Sri Lanka, USA, and Vietnam (Zeng et al., 2020). Aquamimicry technique can

simulate natural condition for shrimp farming by stimulating the microbial growth, flourishing

phyto- and zooplankton populations, especially copepods, that can be used as complementary

foods and can provide in situ water quality maintenance (Romano, 2017). This technique

mimics the natural environment, creates environmental stability, and reduces the cost of
feeding (Panigrahi et al., 2019; Deepak et al., 2020; Nisar et al., 2022). The information

regarding the aquamimicry method, its benefits, or how its comparison with the BFT is scarce.

Thus, in the present review, it was tried to focus on the essence of the aquamimicry technique

mainly in the following items:

 Aquamimicry system definition,

 Differences and similarities between the BFT and aquamimicry systems,

 The advantages of aquamimicry system,

 The importance of the fermentation process in aquamimicry system,

 The application of probiotics in aquamimicry system,

 Livefoods in aquamimicry system,

 Microbial communities in aquamimicry systems,

 Shrimp farming protocol in aquamimicry system,

 Other benefits of aquamimicry aquaculture system,

 The challenges ahead and future perspective,

 Conclusion.

Aquamimicry system definition

The aquamimicry technique was established in 2013 by two longtime shrimp farmers

in Thailand namely Sutee Prasertmark and Veerasan Prayotamornkul. This method is based on

the hypothesis that the shrimp farming practices can be more sustainable by mimicking the

natural aquatic environment in the aquaculture condition. This system is a balanced and s cost-

effective approach based on the simulation of natural conditions by nourishing shrimps with

zooplanktons, and using beneficial bacteria to improve water quality (Romano, 2017; Nisar et

al., 2022). The success of this method is dependents on the use of carbon sources such as rice

bran, soybean, and wheat meals combined with the application of probiotics that pronouncedly
enhance the bloom of zooplanktons. Thus, in the presence of the live foods, especially

copepods that rich in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), minerals, trace

elements, pigments, and pool of free amino acids (e.g., taurine) may improve feed efficiency,

and enhance the shrimps’ immunocompetence (Conceição et al., 2010; Biesebeke, 2018; Butto

and Haller, 2016). In addition, in aquamimicry method, the addition of fermented carbon

sources as well as probiotics can promote water quality, and facilitate the recycling of

nitrogenous metabolites in the system (Panigrahi et al., 2019; Deepak et al., 2020; Nisar et al.,

2022). The aquamimicry technique by creating a synbiotic relation between fermented carbon

sources derivatives (e.g., oligosaccharides) and probiotics (e.g., Bacillus species), reduces the

application of therapeutics, and contributes to green aquaculture (Butto and Haller, 2016;

Biesebeke, 2018; Deepak et al., 2020; Santhanam et al., 2020; Zeng et al., 2020).

Differences and similarities between the BFT and aquamimicry systems

Aquamimicry and the BFT have some major similarities, but they also have some

differences as well. Biofloc technology and aquamimicry system both require the inclusion of

external carbon sources. Carbon sources are used as substrates for establishing the BFT and

the production of microbial protein cells (Avnimelech, 2007; Khanjani et al., 2022 a, b).

Inexpensive carbon sources are typically obtained from crops, and livestock feed products such

as molasses, glycerol, and cereals (e.g., wheat, corn, rice). For the maintenance of the BFT, the

optimal proliferation and growth of HTB, a C: N ratio near 15: 1 is needed (Emerenciano et

al., 2012; Khanjani et al., 2021 a, b, c). Heterotrophic bacteria absorb nutrients, and optimize

the formation of flocs by consuming energy derived from carbohydrate sources (Avnimelech,

1999; Asaduzzaman et al., 2008). The carbon source is used before stocking of shrimp post

larvae (PL), and during the grow out phase to maintain a high C: N ratio around 15: 1 (El-

Sayed, 2021). This technology limits water exchange to reduce the toxic effects of nitrogenous
metabolites accumulated during grow out phase by in situ water bioremediation. A plethora of

studies have shown that floc floccule which is the collection of uneaten feed, feces, detritus

and attached organisms (e.g., bacteria, filamentous cyanobacteria, protozoa, nematodes,

phytoplankton and fungi) can be used as a supplementary food source for shrimp, and thus

could spare dietary protein and reduce feed costs (Hari et al., 2004; Asaduzzaman et al., 2008;

Avnimelech, 2009; Crab et al., 2012; Khanjani and Sharifinia, 2020). In contrary, in

aquamimicry method it is not necessary to adjust the C: N ratio and its ratio is mainly depending

on the water turbidity level. In this system for enhancing the production of floc, more probiotics

can be included during the grow out phase that maintain beneficial bacterial colonies to

improve water quality (Catalani, 2020; Deepak et al., 2020; Zeng et al., 2020). In addition, in

this system by optimizing the balance between phyto- and zooplankton through the inclusion

of fermented carbon sources, the pH and dissolved oxygen fluctuations minimize that reduces

the need for using chemicals (Romano, 2017).

The main differences between the BFT and aquamimicry systems are:

1) The inclusion of a carbon source to the aquamimicry system has nothing to do with the

amount of nitrogen, but in the BFT the management of C: N ratio requires experience

and should be considered at least above 10 to stimulate the activity HTB (Khanjani and

Sharifinia, 2020, 2022; Nisar et al., 2022),

2) The role of zooplanktons in the aquamimicry system is greater than that of the BFT,

3) A fermented carbon source is required for establishing the aquamimicry system.

The advantages of aquamimicry system

The advantages of aquamimicry system in shrimp aquaculture are:

 Culture in this system is more stable than the conventional systems,

 Farmed shrimp are healthier due to the presence of bacterial secondary metabolites such as

liposaccharides, and peptidoglycans present in probiotics that provided and can boost-up

animals’ immunocompetence (Kim et al., 2014; Huynhtg et al., 2017),

 Feed conversion ratio improvement due to the abundance of zooplanktons, especially

copepods,

 Reduce the likelihood of disease outbreaks by providing more natural condition and welfare,

 It can be used for large and semi-intensive cultivation systems that can reduce feed

consumption and water exchange rates (Catalani, 2020; Deepak et al., 2020),

 Improve the overall nutrition of farmed shrimp due to the presence of live foods in the

culture media,

 Alleviate stress condition in farmed shrimp and enhance biosecurity by limiting water

exchange rate,

 It provides unfavorable condition for propagation of harmful bacterial pathogens and the

formation of black soil can be reduced,

 Using this method can increase the shrimp production yield, reduce expenditures, and

enhance profitability. The production of suspended solids and wastes in aquamimicry

system reduce the dependency to commercial feeds that decreases the amount of biological

oxygen demand, and the need for intense aeration that enhance the efficiency of energy

consumption (Romano, 2017),

 In this method, simulating culture in natural condition can trigger better growth performance

in shrimps,

 The aquamimicry system requires less technology, infrastructure and knowledge for

establishment and operation and can be implemented by aquaculture farmers with a lower

technical level.
 The importance of the fermentation process in aquamimicry system

Fermentation is a biotechnological process that improves the utilization efficiency of

lignocellulosic materials by degrading these complex compounds into simpler forms and in

turn can lead to higher nutrients bioavailability, digestion and growth rates in animals

(Suprayudi et al., 2012; Mulyasari and Setiawati, 2013; Razak et al., 2017). This microbial

process usually applies in aquaculture for increasing the nutritional value, and decreasing the

anti-nutritional factors (ANF) in alternative protein sources, and cereals for inclusion into feed

formulation (Dawood and Koshio, 2020). Cereals contain low amounts of some essential amino

acids (e.g., methionine, lysine and tryptophan), high fiber levels and ANF that cause poor

digestion and growth. The fermentation process can reduce the amount of undesirable

substances and enriches the nutritional quality of plant proteins and cereals by activity of

microbial derived enzymes in an anaerobic condition (Shi et al., 2015; Jannathulla et al., 2017;

Qiu and Davis, 2018). In this process, microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi, and yeast) use

carbohydrates as an energy source, and convert them into microbial proteins. This process

reduces the amount of fiber and ANF while increase amino acids, vitamins, minerals and

proteins in fermented products (Jannathulla et al., 2017; Qiu and Davis, 2018). It has been

confirmed that the use of probiotics with fermented grains in shrimp farming significantly

improved the digestion (Lara-Flores, 2011). Furthermore, dietary fishmeal can be partially

replaced by fermented cereals meal in shrimp feed and it has higher digestibility and more

nutritious compared to non-fermented cereals (Jannathulla et al., 2019). Among various

cereals, rice bran is an agricultural waste that is commonly used as a source of carbon and

energy in aqua feeds. This carbon material is cheaply available and can be easily obtained from

the market, contains significant amounts of nutrients, and has a relatively high fiber content

(Deepak et al., 2020). Rice bran is preferably used in fermented form, because in this form, not

only it has higher nutritional value due to higher protein content and digestibility, but also its
ANF, fat, ash, and phytic acid reduced (Flores-Miranda et al., 2014; Albuquerque, 2019;

Deepak et al., 2020). In Albuquerque (2019) study, biochemical compounds of rice bran after

fermentation process were 16.79%, 14.92%, 17.36% and 50.94% for protein, fat, ash and total

carbohydrates, respectively. Using rice bran as a fermentation medium increases the

availability of nutrients and is a fast, low cost and low risk process. Microorganisms or enzymes

can be used to facilitate the solubility of the carbon source in water. Fungi and bacteria have

been reported to be involved in the production of hydrolytic enzymes that reduce fiber and

carbohydrate contents and increase the protein solubility of carbon sources (Romano et al.,

2018). The fiber in rice bran acts as a prebiotic and it can be fermented by probiotics in the

animals’ gut to produce short chain fatty acids (Zubaidah et al., 2012). In this context, the

effects of Bacillus subtilis-fermented rice bran on water quality, performance, antioxidant

activity and immunity of L. vannamei in different salinities with zero water exchange system

were studied (Abdel-Tawwab et al., 2022). The results showed that water quality parameters

(e.g., alkalinity, total ammonia nitrogen and nitrite) were significantly improved. There was a

significant increase in the number of beneficial bacteria such as Bacillus sp. and a decrease in

pathogenic bacteria such as Vibrio sp. in the fermented rice bran based system. Furthermore,

significant improvements in antioxidants, immune biomarkers, growth and productivity of L.

vannamei were also noted in fermented rice bran based system at 35 g L-1 of salinity (Abdel-

Tawwab et al., 2022). Moreover, fermented rice bran with Bacillus and Lysinibacillus sp. has

altered the bacterial communities in hepatopancreas and improved the survival and growth

rates in L. vannamei (Liñan-Vidriales et al., 2021). Figure 1 shows how to prepare it and Figure

2 shows how to use fermented rice bran in aquamimicry system.

Figure 1

Figure 2
 The application of probiotics in aquamimicry system

The use of probiotics in modern aquaculture is increasingly rising, which in addition to

helping to preserve the guts’ microbiota (De et al., 2014) helps to promote the nutritional value

of plant feedstuffs through fermentation (Van Nguyen et al., 2018). Their use in aquaculture

systems such as the BFT and aquamimicry also improves the zootechnical process of the system

(De Melo et al., 2015). Probiotics are living microorganisms that are added to the aquaculture

environment through food or water to exert beneficial effects on the host health and its growth

performance by modulating the guts’ microflora (Balcázar et al., 2006; Merrifield et al., 2010;

Dawood et al., 2016, 2018; Vidal et al., 2018). The use of probiotics in aquaculture is a suitable

alternative to therapeutics for controlling occurrences of infectious diseases and they can

contribute to improve water quality (Liu et al., 2010; Jahangiri and Esteban, 2018; Biswas et

al., 2019; Nathanailides et al., 2021).

Probiotics produce enzymes that limit the activity of pathogenic bacteria by reducing

the gut’s pH , making it difficult for these bacteria to live at low pH (Martínez Cruz et al.,

2012). In addition, probiotics through quorum quenching mechanism can disturb quorum

sensing among opportunistic bacteria that regulates virulence factors, and formation of

biofilms, which are the critical parameters in occurrence of the infectious diseases in farmed

aquatic animals (Jayaprakashvel and Subramani, 2019). Limiting the activity of pathogenic

bacteria can provide a better environment for proliferation ofbeneficial microbes in the gut to

improve digestion, and absorption of nutrients (Lara-Flores, 2011). Spore-forming gram-

negative bacteria such as Bacillus species have been shown to be suitable probiotics for using

in aquaculture, these probiotics can be easily stored at room temperature without compromising

their biological function. Specific probiotics, including B. subtilis, produce essential vitamins

such as vitamin B1 and vitamin B12 (Ghosh et al., 2007). Therefore, these probiotics are

increasingly used to enhance growth, resistance to pathogenic microbes in farmed shrimp,

improve nutritional efficiency and feed conversion ratio, and reduce production costs (Vidal et

al., 2018). In general, the addition of probiotics to the aquamimicry system has the following

functions:

● Provides synbiotics effects along with derivatives of fermented carbon sources,

● Restricts the propagation of pathogenic bacteria through quorum quenching

mechanism,

● Stimulating shrimps’ immune system,

● Helps to in situ water bioremediation,

● Enhances survival rate of shrimp’s PL,

● Probiotics are environmental friendly and biodegradable supplements for broader

activity spectrum,

● Reduces toxic gas, total suspended solid, biological and chemical oxygen demands,

thereby increasing dissolve oxygen in situ.

Live foods in aquamimicry system

Aquamimicry technology is based on natural products, especially copepods, as feed for

stocked shrimp, which is called copefloc technology (Santhanam et al., 2020; Deepak et al.,

2020). In the aquamimicry method, copepods as the dominant species replace other

zooplankton species indicating the maturity of the system (Chakravarty et al., 2018). Copepods

are usually dominating in the aquamimicry system from the second week of cultivation

(Romano and Kumar, 2017). Copepods are crustaceans that are widely used in nature due to

their short life and small size, including food for marine animals, nutrient recycling and energy

conversion in the food chain (Radhakrishnan et al., 2019; Chakravarty et al., 2018). The use of

copepods is increasing in the aquaculture industry due to its appropriate biochemical

compositions and helping to improve survival and growth in farmed shrimp at various life
stages, including eggs, nauplius, pre-adults and adults (Drillet et al., 2011; Chakravarty et al.,

2018; Drillet et al., 2006; Abbaszadeh et al., 2022). Copepods have a higher nutritional value

than Rotifer and Artemia, and they are naturally richer in LC-PUFA including eicosapentaenic,

dicosahexanoic, and arachidonic acids, which are essential for growth and development

(Wilcox et al., 2006; Satoh et al., 2009). In addition, it has been confirmed that copepods

contain high amounts of carotenoids, free amino acids (e.g., taurine), peptides, vitamins and

minerals (e.g., selenium, iodine, copper and manganese) (Karlsen et al., 2015; Taher et al.,

2017). Furthermore, various copepods varied significantly in protein levels, ranging between

52.4% and 57.6% of dry weight, compared with Artemia franciscana (41% in newly hatched

nauplii and 34% after 24-h enrichment). Copepods’ nauplius range in size from 50 to 60 µm,

which are more suitable in size than Rotifers and Artemia for larval stages of different farmed

aquatic species with small mouth gape. Copepodites and adult stages are larger and have been

used successfully to feed larger larvae (Leu et al., 2015). In this context, Martinez-Cordova et

al. (2011) reported that the inclusion of copepods (Acartia sp., Calanus pacificus) significantly

improved growth performance and survival rate in L. vannamei during the nursery phase in a

microcosm system. In addition, Abbaszadeh et al. (2022) reported that inclusion of copepod

(Calanopia elliptica, 0.2 organisms mL-1) in a BFT nursery system remarkably improved

growth, immune parameters and enhanced feed efficiency in L. vannamei. Environmental

factors such as light, salinity, temperature and available nutrients can affect the abundance and

the diversity of phytoplankton and zooplankton species in this system (Alonso-Rodriguez and

Páes-Osuna, 2003). In the study by Catalani (2020), microorganism communities in two

systems, BFT and aquamimicry were studied during 120 days of pacific white shrimp farming.

The results showed that the amounts of cyanobacteria and flagellates in the aquamimicry

system are higher than the BFT, but the amounts of chlorophytes and diatoms were lower. At

the beginning of the farming period, the amount of rotifers and ciliates in the aquamimicry
system were higher than that of the BFT. At the end of the period, rotifers and ciliates were

absent in the aquamimicry system and flagellates were the dominant group. In this research,

cyanobacteria bloomed in the middle of the rearing period in the aquamimicry system

(Catalani, 2020). Cyanobacteria can produce toxins that adversely affect the physiology of

shrimp and ultimately lead to high mortality (Gonçalves-Soares et al., 2012). The abundance

of nutrients leads to changes in the dominant planktonic species in the rearing system, so that

increasing the level of nutrients such as phosphate leads to an increase in flagellar density. A

study by Teixeira et al. (2011) found that flagellar densities increase in systems that do not use

a carbon source. Thus, in aquamimicry system, the inclusion of fermented carbon sources along

with probiotics can balance the bloom and diversity of phyto- and zooplanktons and eventually

provide a convenient condition for maximum growth and welfare of shrimps.

Microbial communities in aquamimicry systems

The management of microbial communities in the shrimp farming system is essential

as it can prohibit the occurrence of diseases outbreaks. Aquamimicry may give us an idea of

the healthy condition of shrimp culture based on the divergence between shrimps’ gut and

environmental microflora (Zeng et al., 2020). Microbial communities in the shrimps’ gut and

its surroundings act as an essential component of the aquamimicry system and provides an

ecological model for preventing disease outbreaks during farming. However, the information

regarding microbial composition and changes in its diversity in shrimps’ gut in the

aquamimicry system is scarce. The shrimp guts’ microbial diversity can be considered as a

reliable indicator of the host health (Ren et al., 2018). It has been confirmed that the shrimps’

gut microflora, surrounding water, and sediment are similar in earthen ponds (Hou et al., 2018).

Some studies have reported that shrimp guts’ microflora have little affected by the surrounding

water, while being significantly associated with its life stage (Xiong et al., 2019, 2020). A study
by Xiong et al. (2018) showed that shrimp can obtain a variety of bacterial species from the

environment, although only a small fraction of the bacteria can successfully colonize shrimps’

gut.

In the study of Zeng et al. (2020), the composition and diversity of shrimps’ gut

microbiota and environmental microbial communities (surroundings) in the aquamimicry

system as well as the relationships between shrimp gut microbiota, water and sediments were

investigated. Their results showed that the microbial diversity of the shrimps’ gut, surrounding

water and sediment in the aquamimicry system were different. In their study, in three habitats

microbial branches were found in different percentages, including: Proteobacteria (32%),

Bacteroides (11%), Patescibacteria (9%), Plancyomycetes (8%), Firmicutes (7%), Chloroflexi

(6%), Actinobacteria (5%), Verrucomicrobia (4%), Cyanobacteria (3%), Acidobacteria (2%)

and other microbs (13%). In this system in shrimps’ gut, the abundance of some opportunistic

pathogens such as (Aeromonas, 0.5%; Phascolarctobacterium, <0.01%; Photobacterium,

0.4%) were low, while Vibrio (10.9%) and Candidatus Bacilloplasma (10.4%) were the

dominant genera (Zeng et al., 2020). The dissimilarity of microbial diversity between different

rearing systems can be a potential indicator of the health status of farmed shrimp and will be a

good practical guide for sustainable shrimp production. These findings reinforce our

understanding of the importance of microbial communities in the aquamimicry system and

provide essential information for improving health and survival in shrimp farming.

Shrimp farming protocol in aquamimicry system

In the aquamimicry system, the most suitable source of identified carbon is rice bran

which fermented by probiotics. Fermented rice bran can be made by adding water, probiotics

and hydrolyzing enzymes to rice bran powder and allowed to ferment for 24 h. Here, rice bran

acts as a prebiotic and has a synbiotic effect by adding probiotic bacteria. Fermented rice bran
can be included into aquamimicry system at the rate of 500 to 1000 kg ha-1. After a week, the

flourishing of live foods, especially copepods, is observed. Prior to shrimp PL stocking,

copepods are formed at a suitable density in the cultivation pond. Then, shrimp PL are stocked

at a density of 10 to 20 organism m-2. During the rearing period, a regular dose of fermented

rice bran (usually 1.0 ml L-1) is regularly added to the ponds daily to maintain zooplankton

blooms as well as the formation of floc floccules. The turbidity level of the water in

aquamimicry system is determines the appropriate inclusion of FRB. Feeding will then be done

with fermented soybean meal, that will reduce feed costs. Fermentation of soybean meal (SBM)

can enhance its nutritional value, and its digestibility by providing low molecular weight

peptides, elevating the bioavailability of minerals and reducing its ANF (Hong et al., 2004;

Dawood and Koshio, 2020) Moreover, fermented SBM has more protein content (about 10%)

than SBM with negligible change of its essential amino acids profile. In addition, fermented

SBM provide probiotic characteristics, and can increase efficiency of aquafeeds by elevating

trypsin and fibrinolytic enzymes activities (Dawood and Koshio, 2020).

The development of a minor biofloc in this system will be useful for reducing feed costs

(Chakravarty et al., 2018; Romano, 2017; Romano and Kumar, 2017; Deepak et al., 2020).

The stages of formation of aquamimicry system are as follows (Panigrahi et al., 2019):

Step 1: Preparing the ponds.

1. Filling the cultivation pond with filtered seawater using filter bag (~200–300 µm),

2. Add probiotics (Bacillus sp.),

3. The sediments from the bottom of the ponds are gently dragged along the bottom with

currents for a week to allow the soil to mix with the added probiotics and also to minimize

biofilm development,

4. Aquatic weeds can be removed by adding tea seed cake (20 ml L-1) along with fermented

rice bran or wheat bran (without husk), at a rate of 50-100 mg L-1 to bloom zooplankton
 population. Heavy aeration is essential for the proper mixing of nutrients and probiotics,

and reducing the negative effects of tea seed cake.

Step 2: Use the carbon source.

1. Firstly, mix rice bran and wheat bran (without husk) with water at a ratio of 1:5 to 1:10

along with probiotics and aerate the mixture for 24 h. When the bran has been completely

powdered, the entire mixture can be slowly added to the pond,

2. Secondly, add the upper layer of the mixture into the pond if crumbled. The pH of the

mixed water should be 6 to 7.

Step 3: Stocking the shrimp post larvae.

1. Shrimp post larvae (12–15) are stocked in a density of 30 to 40 m-2,

2. The amount of inclusion of fermented carbon source is depending on the turbidity of the

water (30 to 40 cm), 1.0 ml L-1 for the extensive system and 2.0 to 4.0 ml L-1 for the

intensive system,

3. Measure and analyze water quality parameters on a daily basis,

4. To minimize the growth of biofilms, gentle dragging should be done every 15 days after

stocking,

5. The addition of probiotics should be done every month during the cultivation period in

order to maintain water quality,

6. In an intensive rearing system, excess sediment must be removed to the sedimentation pond

using a central drainage system. This operation should be done two h after feeding.

Sedimentation ponds must be constantly emptied. The formation of anaerobic conditions

in these ponds leads to the occurrence and proliferation of pathogens, especially bacteria

such as Vibrio sp. (Romano, 2017; Kawahigashi, 2018),

7. The sediment pond is usually 4.0 m deep in the center and 2.0 m at the edges. In these

ponds, fish species such as milk fish and catfish can be stocked with low density, which
 not only can consume plankton and detritus, but also can provide a good source of income

for farmers. Sediments from the cultivation ponds produce worms and can be consumed by

aquatic animals,

8. Overflow from sedimentation ponds is directed to another pond, which serves as a biofilter

that can stock species such as tilapia at low densities. Water can be overflowed into the

grow out pond from here, with little nitrogenous waste,

9. Sediment ponds should be thoroughly cleaned every three years.

Step 4: After harvesting.

After the shrimp being harvested, the pond is completely cleaned of black soil, and residual

accumulated sediment, and fermented rice is added and probiotics are prepared for the next

production cycle.

Other benefits of aquamimicry aquaculture system

The protocols used to implement this system are still very diverse and depend on factors

such as access to the type of carbon source, production capacity and discharge rate of the

accumulated sediments (Catalani, 2020). During the cultivation season, probiotics are added to

the system to help maintain water quality and increase the formation of floc floccules. Fifteen

days after stocking of shrimp post larvae in the rearing system, the central drainage of the pond

floor is slowly opened to minimize biofilm formation. In addition, aquamimicry can be used

for intensive culture as well. The sedimentation pond receives water from the grow out pond

through the central drainage system. Depending on the salinity of these ponds, fish like catfish

or milkfish can be cultured. Fish churn up the detritus and the detritus cause oligochaete worms

to grow, which fish can eat. From the sedimentation pond, it goes to the biofilter pond, where

fish like tilapia can be farmed. By doing so, the amount of waste in the water is reduced, and it
can be pumped back to grow-out pond. This is the general aquamimicry method for shrimp

farming in Thailand.

In the Philippines, a successful aquamimicry project was completed. The project

emphasized the use of natural foods in shrimp ponds. Rice bran was used as a supplementary

feed in the cultivation ponds. In their study, the profitability between the conventional

aquaculture and aquamimicry system was reported to be 17% and 40%, respectively.

Shrimp farming in the aquamimicry system has been successfully used by farmers in

the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. They handle pre-stocking well and stocked 40 PL m-2, and

providing regular aeration. Supplementary feeding is provided at a low cost by using fermented

rice bran (carbon source) to produce zooplankton, suitable probiotics (5.0 to 10 ml L-1) is added

to maintain water quality and plankton density. At regular intervals, sludge deposited on the

floor of the rearing pond is removed. At the end of the cultivation period, the total production

is 5.53 tons with a survival rate of 94%, which means that the cost of production per kilogram

of shrimp in the aquamimicry system is approximately 65% less than the conventional system.

In addition, it is reported that the water quality and health of shrimp in the aquamimicry system

is better than the traditional shrimp farming. Shrimp produced in this system turn red during

cooking, probably due to the consumption of natural foods containing pigments such as

astaxanthin, amino acids and fatty acids, especially LC-PUFA, which increase their marketing

value as organic shrimp (Romano and Kumar, 2017).

The challenges ahead and future perspective

New technologies are used in aquaculture, and the challenges associated with them

become evident as time goes on. Aquamimicry system faces some challenges as well including:

● It is difficult to use this technology in indoor environment,

● New diseases and pathogens could occur,

 ● The sediment pond is relatively large (soil preparation after crop cycles) in this system.

Shrimp farming is known as an important economic activity that the use of new

technologies for its cultivation is important. Aquamimicry technique pursues the goals of

sustainable aquaculture as it leads to increased production without a significant increase in the

use of natural resources (water and land), it is also environmentally friendly and pursues a cost-

benefit ratio to support economic and social sustainability (Santhanam et al., 2020). The use of

fermented bran with probiotic in the aquamimicry system has been successful in shrimp

farming because it has improved water quality and better growth performance. Naturally, fed

shrimp in aquamimicry system may have high immunocompetence and resistance. Shrimp

produced in this system are organic and do not contain any harmful chemicals or antibiotics.

Conclusion

Aquamimicry is the intersection of aquatic biology and technology that mimics the

nature of aquatic eco-systems to develop living organisms for producing health shrimp. In some

ways, aquamimicry resembles the BFT, but there are some key differences. Firstly, the amount

of carbon added is reduced, and is no longer dependent on nitrogen input ratios. In addition,

rather than allowing a high volume of flocs to form and suspend, in aquamimicry system

sediments are removed through more intensive systems so they can be recycled by other farmed

aquatic species. In an ideal environment, the water mimics the appearance and the composition

of natural estuarine water with microalgae and zooplankton. Dissolved oxygen and pH

fluctuations are minimized when such a balance is achieved. Additionally, there is no need for

chemical manures since rice bran is a food and carbon source for zooplankton and bacteria,

respectively. The water exchange is limited in this system that provide biosecurity and the

presence of probiotics and FRB derived oligosaccharides provides synbiotics that induce

immune responses in shrimp and provide organic marine shrimp without using therapeutics.
Furthers research and practices are required to resolve challenges ahead of its establishment

and helps to progressive development of this sustainable technique in aquaculture industry.

Conflict of interests

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Received: 27 III 2022

Accepted: 18 V 2022

Figure 1. Preparation of fermented rice bran. A: start of preparation (rice bran and probiotic).

B: 24 hours after preparation. (Image: Catalani, 2020)

A B
Figure 2. A: Anaerobic fermented maintained for 24 hours in an experiment on feed

replacement. B: Application of fermented rice bran in pond during feed replacement

experiment (Image: Gonçalves, 2022)