A single farmed fish species assimilates about 20% of the nutrients in the supplied diet. This study evaluated if the culture of complementary ecological-function species can recover nutrients dispersed into water and transform them into high-valued biomass. A completely randomized experiment was designed with three treatments and four replications of each production system: monoculture of lambari (Astyanax lacustris); integrated aquaculture of lambari and Amazon river prawn (Macrobrachium amazonicum); and integrated aquaculture of lambari, Amazon river prawn, and curimbatá (Prochilodus lineatus). Fingerlings of lambari (0.8 ± 0.8 g) were stocked in twelve earthen-ponds (0.015 ha) at the density of 50 fish m⁻². Eight ponds were stocked with juveniles of Amazon river prawn (1.1 ± 0.2 g) at the density of 25 prawn m⁻². Four of these eight ponds were stocked with curimbatá fingerlings (0.2 ± 0.1 g) at a density of 13 fish m⁻². Only lambari was fed twice a day with an extruded commercial diet. The experiment lasted 60 days when lambari attained commercial size. The inclusion of prawn increased the total species yield from 1.8 to 2.4 t ha⁻¹ cycle⁻¹ and reduced the feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 2.5 to 1.8. The inclusion of prawn and curimbatá increased the total yield to 3.2 t ha⁻¹ cycle⁻¹ and reduced the FCR to 1.4. Therefore, the integrated culture of lambari, prawn, and curimbatá improves the use of space, water, feed, and benthic species to recover the large quantity of nutrients accumulated in the bottom of lambari pond production, converting them into high-nutritional and monetary-valued biomass.

Protected areas have been used worldwide to conserve natural resources. Nevertheless, economic activities to provide income for communities living within and surrounded by conservation areas remain an issue. This study aimed to assess the sustainability of a Deuterodon iguape hatchery, situated within an Atlantic Rainforest Park, to leverage grow-out farming of this small native fish, affording income and food security for local families. We have used a set of indicators of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The initial investment is about US$ 40,000, which should see a return in ~2 years. The internal rate of return is close to 50%, including the externality costs, which is attractive for both public and private investors. The hatchery generated few direct jobs, but the workforce can be recruited from the community, and the hatchery can enable the establishment of several small grow-out farms, leveraging the development of indirect jobs and self-employment. The system had a low environmental impact, showing a minor release of pollutants, a low risk for biodiversity, and absorption of 18 g of CO₂ equivalent per thousand post-larvae produced, contributing to the struggle against climate change. Therefore, the D. iguape hatchery demonstrates the potential of combining biodiversity conservation and income generation, meeting the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030.

A single farmed fish species assimilates about 20% of the nutrients in the supplied diet. This study evaluated if the culture of complementary ecological-function species can recover nutrients dispersed into the water and transform them into high-valued biomass. A completely randomized experiment was designed with three treatments and four replications of each production system: monoculture of lambari (Astyanax lacustris); integrated aquaculture of lambari and Amazon river prawn (Macrobrachium amazonicum); and integrated aquaculture of lambari, Amazon river prawn, and curimbatá (Prochilodus lineatus). Fingerlings of lambari (0.8 ± 0.8 g) were stocked in twelve earthen-ponds (0.015 ha) at the density of 50 fish m-2. Eight ponds, were stocked with juveniles of Amazon river prawn (1.1 ± 0.2 g) at the density of 25 prawn m−2. Four of these eight ponds were stocked with curimbatá fingerlings (0.2 ± 0.1 g) at a density of 13 fish m-². Only lambari was fed twice a day with an extruded commercial diet. The experiment lasted 60 days when lambari attained commercial size. The inclusion of prawn increased the total species yield from 1.8 to 2.4 t ha-1 cycle-1 and reduced the feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 2.5 to 1.8. The inclusion of prawn and curimbatá increased the total yield to 3.2 t ha-1 cycle-1 and reduced the FCR to 1.4. Therefore, the integrated culture of lambari, prawn, and curimbatá improves the use of space, water, feed, and benthic species can recover the large quantity of nutrients accumulated in the bottom of lambari pond production, converting them into high-nutritional and monetary-valued biomass.