A Study of Environmentally Friendly Recirculating Aquaculture System on Lobster Panulirus homarus Nursery

Abstract

Lobsters’ cultivation using floating net cages is associated with several obstacles, such as low survival rates, excessive production expenditures, vulnerability to unpredictable weather, and unregulated feed remnants, which pose a risk of upwelling. Land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) have been increasingly used to enhance lobster production, as they can maintain optimal water quality in the system and curtail environmental impacts. The present study aimed to identify and evaluate the types of RAS that can provide the best water quality, minimize stress hemolymph responses (Total Hemocyte Count/THC, glucose, total protein, pH), and maximize the productivity of P. homarus lobster seeds. The treatments tested in this study included RAS using a biofilter (A), RAS with a combination of biofilter and protein skimmer (B), and RAS with a combination of biofilter and microbubbles (C). The findings revealed that RAS with a combination of biofilter and microbubbles (C) was best than the other treatments, resulting in better water quality, lower stress levels, and finer lobster production performance. Treatment C exhibited lower concentrations of ammonia and higher dissolved oxygen than the other treatments. Additionally, treatment C yielded the most favorable performance in lobster production, as indicated by a survival rate of 75.67±1.15% and a Specific Growth Rate (SGR) of 1.47±0.04% per day.