From a production standpoint, the use of artificial substrates during the culture of F. paulensis post-larvae improved shrimp growth and survival. The biofilm formed on the substrates was composed of organisms that belong to the natural diet of penaeid shrimp and provided an additional source of nutrition for the post-larvae even with the provision of a high quality artificial diet.
Shrimp predation on the biofilm significantly affected the diatom community with shrimp presenting a selective consumption of centric diatoms.
Further research should focus on the possibility of reducing the content of protein and/or vitamin and mineral supplementation of artificial diets when rearing is carried out in the presence of biofilm.