Effects of Microalgae Enhancement on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycling and Immune Performance of Litopenaeus vannamei in Intensive Indoor Culture Systems

Abstract

This study explored the effects of three microalgae species (Chlorella vulgaris, Nannochloropsis oculata, Phaeodactylum tricornutum) on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycling, and immune performance of Litopenaeus vannamei in intensive indoor culture. A 10-week experiment was conducted with four groups (control: no microalgae; CV: C. vulgaris; NO: N. oculata; PT: P. tricornutum) in triplicate. Results showed that CV group significantly reduced total ammonia nitrogen (TAN: 0.32±0.04 mg/L), nitrite nitrogen (NO-N: 0.15±0.02 mg/L) and total phosphorus (TP: 0.28±0.03 mg/L) (P<0.05), compared to control. CV group also enhanced shrimp superoxide dismutase (SOD: 62.3±3.5 U/mg prot) and phenoloxidase (PO: 12.8±0.9 U/mg prot) activities, and increased survival rate (92.5±2.7%) and weight gain rate (312.6±15.8%). High-throughput sequencing indicated CV group enriched functional microbes (e.g., Nitrosomonas, 8.7%; Acinetobacter, 6.5%) related to N/P removal. This study provides a feasible microalgae-based strategy for sustainable intensive shrimp culture.

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