LAUSR

A 60‐day study comparing the growth performance; proximate composition and the digestive, immune and antioxidant enzyme activities of juvenile red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) reared using biofloc technology (the biofloc group) or a commercial diet (the control group) in zero‐water exchange indoor tanks was performed. A commercial diet was fed to both groups, and the daily feeding amount in the biofloc group was 40% less than that in the control group. Wheat bran and glucose were used in the biofloc group to ensure a C/N ratio >15 and the same feeding energy as that given to the control group. After 60 days of feeding, the final weight, weight gain and specific growth rate in the biofloc group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Furthermore, proximate composition analysis showed that the total hepatopancreatic lipid and ash contents of the biofloc group were significantly higher than those of the control group, and the intestinal and hepatopancreatic pepsin activities in crayfish in the biofloc group were higher than those in crayfish in the control group. Moreover, higher hepatopancreatic lipase and cellulase activities were observed for the biofloc group than for the control group. Biofloc technology promoted the health of the crayfish in terms of their immune and antioxidant enzyme activities. Based on the results of this study, biofloc technology is more effective than traditional commercial diets for the farming of juvenile crayfish.