Biofloc technology- An emerging avenue in aquatic animal healthcare and nutrition.

Abstract

Biofloc is a conglomeric aggregation of microbial communities such as phytoplank-ton, bacteria, and living and dead particulate organic matter. Biofloc technology involvesmanipulation of C/N ratio to convert toxic nitrogenous wastes into the useful microbial proteinand helps in improving water quality under a zero water exchange system. It may act as acomplete source of nutrition for aquatic organisms, along with some bioactive compounds thatwill enhance growth, survival, and defense mechanisms, and acts as a novel approach forhealth management in aquaculture by stimulating innate immune system of animals. Nutri-tionally, the floc biomass provides a complete source of nutrition as well as various bioactivecompounds that are useful for improving the overall welfare indicators of aquatic organisms.Beneficial microbial bacterial floc and its derivative compounds such as organic acids,polyhydroxy acetate and polyhydroxy butyrate, could resist the growth of other pathogens,thus serves as a natural probiotic and immunostimulant. The technology is useful in maintain-ing optimum water quality parameters under a zero water exchange system, thus preventseutrophication and effluent discharge into the surrounding environment. Moreover, the tech-nology will be useful to ensure biosecurity, as there is no water exchange except sludgeremoval. The technology is economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and socially acceptable.