The study suggested the need for simple, inexpensive, reliable and effective methods for aquaculture professionals to accelerate the establishment of nitrifying bacteria in their zero-exchange nursery systems prior to tank stocking.
The Fritz Industries’ product proved effective at accelerating the development of nitrifying bacteria and limiting the accumulation of ammonia and nitrite to toxic concentrations.
According to the study, completed by researchers at A&M’s AgriLife Research Mariculture Lab at its Corpus Christi campus, adding Fritz-Zyme TurboStart to closed culture systems “greatly accelerated AOB (ammonia oxidizing bacteria) and NOB (nitrite-oxidizing bacteria) establishment” and “demonstrated a viable system for establishing nitrifying bacteria, which can then be transferred to larger closed culture systems used for super-intensive shrimp culture.”
“We are very pleased to have been part of this Texas A&M research project,” said Mike Noce, sales manager, Fritz Industries Specialty Division.
“It proves to be a very valuable tool for the aquaculture industry as it decreases start-up time while preventing loss and increasing production. This particular study focused on shrimp but the product has proven effective for the farming of tilapia, salmon, trout and other species.”
Fritz-Zyme TurboStart was developed by Fritz Industries, a Mesquite, Texas-based company that delivers high performance biotech and chemical solutions to companies worldwide. In addition to the aquaculture industry, Fritz Industries Specialty Division offers chemical and biological products used by zoos, public aquariums and home aquarium hobbyists.
“In addition to its benefits to aquaculture professionals, we also appreciate the results from an environmental perspective,” said Noce.
“The advancement of aquaculture is important to keep up with the demand presented by the ever growing human population. Fritz-Zyme TurboStart can help reduce the industry’s current reliability on the unsustainable resources of our oceans and lakes.”
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, aquaculture is probably the fastest growing food-producing sector and now accounts for nearly 50 percent of the world’s fish that is used for food.
Harvests of wild sources of fish, crustaceans and other aquatic species cannot keep up with the demand presented by the growing human population. Trying to match demand through commercial fishing would eventually result in overfishing and the loss of those species entirely. Therefore, while aquaculture is required to meet the human demand, it also relieves the strain on wild species to allow them to continue to be a significant food source.
“It is a known fact that shrimp exposed to high ammonia and nitrite concentrations “experience stress and significant mortality rates. The high concentrations in systems operated with no water exchange occur due to the extended period of time required for nitrifying bacteria in general and especially the nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) to become established in the system naturally. Such nitrite spikes are commonly observed in closed intensive shrimp production systems as culture water matures,” said David I. Prangnell, Ph.D., one of the four researchers who completed the study. “This trial has demonstrated a viable system for establishing Fritz-Zyme nitrifying bacteria, which can then be transferred to larger closed culture systems used for super-intensive shrimp culture.”
The study results will be published in a future edition of The Practical.
“In addition to aquaculture, Fritz Industries develops and manufactures products for industries including wastewater, agriculture and oilfield. Because of this, the Aquatics division has access to people, equipment, research and infrastructure that many of Fritz’s competitors do not have. Our products are produced in an FDA-approved facility and Fritz recently acquired ISO quality certification,” added Noce.
