Put some ‘biofloc’ in a kiddie pool and become a shrimp farmer

The Boston Globe has a nice piece about UNH research into backyard shrimp farming, as a possible addition to the local-food movement.

The shrimp can be cultivated in any larger container or tank, or even a backyard kiddie pool, at a relatively low cost. ….

The shrimp are grown in a “biofloc” solution, a mixture that looks like chocolate milk that contains bacteria, algae, and other living organisms, Chambers said. Not only does the biofloc provide the shrimp a source of food, but it is capable of “cleaning” the shrimp’s waste and turning it back into food. The shrimp can go for days without needing anything else, he added.

That’s my kind of farm animal!

You can read the whole article here. You can learn more at the NH SeaGrant page about the project.