Strategies for Sustainable Shrimp Aquaculture: Chapter 3 - The use of natural food in aquaculture

Formulated feeds and feeding activities represent up to 50%–75% of the operative costs in aquaculture because of the high costs of essential ingredients, including fish meal, fish oil, and plant-based supplements. These formulations mostly and successfully substituted natural food, but the high demand and overexploitation on fisheries to obtain ingredients have led to an approach on the verge of unsustainability. Reconsidering the use of natural food in the different stages of fish and crustacean development emerges as an alternative that helps reduce operating costs. This chapter discusses the potential use of microorganisms (bacteria, microalgae, and zooplankton).