Integrated multitrophic aquaculture improves the production performance of Amazonian fishes in nursery phase

Abstract

Integrated Aquaculture (IA) is a promising production model for the Amazon region, which involves the compatibility and complementarity of fish species, with better use of space and the use of artificial and natural food. This study aimed to evaluate the production of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum, initial weight 2.22 ± 0.51 g), matrinxã (Brycon amazonicum, initial weight 2.54 ± 0.81 g) and curimbatá (Prochilodus sp., initial weight 1.64 ± 0.53 g) in integrated and monoculture systems. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design for 16 weeks. We stocked 120 fish per pond (46.62 m²) in the following treatments:1) Mono-T, 100 % tambaqui; 2) Mono-M, 100 % matrinxã; 3) Mono-C, 100 % curimbatá; 4) IA-TC, 70 % tambaqui and 30 % curimbatá; 5) IA -MC, 70 % matrinxã and 30 % curimbatá; 6) IA -TM, 50 % tambaqui and 50 % matrinxã; and 7) IA -TMC, 40 % matrinxã, 40 % tambaqui and 20 % curimbatá. The water quality, the production performance of the species and the system were evaluated. The IA systems (IA-TC, IA-MC and IA-TMC) with curimbatá showed higher dissolved oxygen values (> 5 mg.L⁻¹), lower ammonia peaks (<4 mg.L⁻¹), higher turbidity (>15 NTU) and lower nitrite values (<0.04 mg.L⁻¹). The matrinxã had greater growth (Final weight 253.63 ± 27.58 g) when raised in integrated with tambaqui and curimbatá (IA-TMC) (P < 0.05). Tambaqui monoculture presented the best feed conversions (0.80 ± 0.11, P < 0.05). In general, the IA system allowed a higher production performance of tambaqui, matrinxã and curimbatá when compared to the monoculture system (P < 0.05), but the tambaqui monoculture had the best productive performance in the evaluated systems (P < 0.05).