Effects of supplemental LED lighting on water quality and Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) performance in intensive recirculating systems

Indoor shrimp production systems allow production of fresh shrimp year-round near specific markets. However, there is typically little to no natural light available, and it is unclear whether artificial lighting may benefit systems. This study examined the effects of supplemental light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, designed for plant growth, on shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) production, water quality, and nutritional dynamics in intensive indoor shrimp systems. Four 1-m(3) round tanks with settling chambers and external biofilters were assigned to one of three treatments. One treatment received 24 h of lighting per day (Full Light, FL), another had 12 h of lighting (Partial Light, PL), and the third treatment had no supplemental lighting provided (No Extra Light, NL). All tanks were stocked with 250 shrimp with an average initial weight of 1.2 g and were harvested after 84 days. Shrimp FCR was significantly lower and total biomass was significantly higher in the FL treatment compared with PL and NL treatments. Growth rate and final individual weight were significantly greater in FL and PL treatments, and survival was significantly higher in the FL treatment than the PL treatment. Turbidity, suspended solids, and nitrate concentration were significantly lower in the FL treatment versus PL and NL treatments. Shrimp in the FL and PL treatments contained significantly higher concentrations of n-6 fatty acids and lower docosahexaenoic acid than NL shrimp. The results of this study indicate that supplemental lighting in intensive indoor shrimp systems can improve shrimp production and have effects on biofloc and shrimp nutritional characteristics.