Effects of pond preparation and feeding rate on production of Penaeus monodon Fabricius, water quality, bacteria and benthos in model farming ponds

Fibreglass pools with sediment were used as model farming ponds to investigate the interactive effects of pond preparation and feeding rate on prawn production, water quality, bacterial dynamics, abundance of benthos and prawn feeding behaviour. Pools were either fertilised 1 month (prepared) or 2 days (unprepared) prior to stocking and either ‘high’ or ‘low’ feeding rates were used. The ‘high’ rate was 5.0% (range 4–8%) wet prawn biomass/day and was similar to that recommended for commercial farms. The ‘low’ rate was 2.5% (range 2–4%) wet prawn biomass/day. Juvenile Penaeus monodon (2.0–7.5 g) were stocked at 15 prawns/m² and were cultured for 71 days. With the exception of one prepared, high feeding-rate pool where mass mortality (> 80%) of prawns occurred following an interruption to aeration, prawn survival was high (> 86%) and was unaffected by preparation, feeding rate or their interaction. Pond preparation improved growth and biomass gain by about 20%. Growth was 4% higher with the higher feeding rate but biomass gain was not affected and, as food conversion ratio was much worse, use of the lower feeding rate offers considerable scope to reduce production costs, especially during cooler periods. There was no interaction in relation to growth between pond preparation and feeding rate. Meiofauna were more abundant, and prawns grew faster, in prepared pools than unprepared pools at the start of the experiment. However, changes in bacterial dynamics or meiofauna abundance over time did not explain reductions in prawn growth over time. In general, water quality was reduced in pools receiving the high feeding rate compared with low feeding rate pools. Other interactive effects of pond preparation and feeding rate on water quality, bacteria, benthos and prawn feeding behaviour are discussed.     

Performance evaluation of rice–fish integration system in rainfed medium land ecosystem

This study was carried out for three successive years during 1999–2001 to evaluate growth and yield performance of fish, prawn and paddy under rice–fish integration system in rainfed medium land ecosystem. Irrespective of stocking density, faster growth rate was recorded for Catla catla followed by Cyprinus carpio, Cirrhinus mrigala, Labeo rohita and Macrobrachium rosenbergii. C. carpio and C. mrigala performed better growth rate against that of L. rohita probably due to the fact that being bottom dwellers, C. carpio and C. mrigala are more tolerant to fluctuation of oxygen concentration. Productivity of fish and prawn was, however, higher (p<0.05) in refuges with 10-cm weir height plots, irrespective of stocking density, while overall yield performance was good at stocking density of 25,000 ha⁻¹. It was observed that, even with supplemental feeding, with increase in stocking density, biomass yield increased up to an optimum and then decreased. An average minimum and maximum yield of 906.6–1282.3 kg ha⁻¹ of fish and prawn has been achieved, which was much higher than the earlier recorded productivity in a season under rice–fish integration system. Highest grain yield was recorded at 15-cm weir height plot (3629 kg ha⁻¹), probably contributed by higher number of panicles per square meter (235.5) and number of filled grains per panicle (121.7). Percentage increase in rice yield under rice–fish integration system was 7.9–8.6% against control, where paddy was cultivated without integration of fish and prawn probably due to better aeration of water, greater tillering effect and additional supply of fertilizer in form of leftover feed and fish excreta. Irrespective of stocking density, the overall rice equivalent yield (REY) of the system was high (4.22–4.55 tons ha⁻¹) at 12.5-cm weir height plots-cum-refuge, without using any pesticide, herbicide, etc.     

Effects of Stocking Density and Monosex Culture of Freshwater Prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii on Growth and Production in Concrete Tanks in Saudi Arabia

Abstract This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of stocking density and monosex culture on growth, survival, yield and feed conversion ratio of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii in concrete tanks. Juvenile prawns with an average weight of 1.8 g were stocked into triplicate tanks at densities of 5, 10, 15 and 20 prawns/m², grown for 168 d and fed a 34% tilapia diet. Stocking density had significant effect on prawns. Final mean body weight decreased with the increasing density, being highest at 5 prawns/m² (29.6 9). and lowest at 20 prawns/m² (17.4 g). Total yield increased from 135 g/m² (1,350 kg/ha) at a density of 5 prawns/m² to 261 g/m² (2,610 kg/ha) at density 15/m^z to 245 g/m² (2,450 kg/ha) at 20/m^z. Feed conversion ratios were high and ranged from 3.7 (5 prawns/m²) to 5.6 (20 prawns/m²).
In monosex culture of freshwater prawns stocked in triplicate tanks at a density of 5 prawns/m² for 112 d, the all-male population had the best growth performance and feed conversion ratio, followed by the mixed-sex and all-female populations. The all-male population had 99% marketable prawns (>20 g) with an average yield of 159 g/m² (1,590 kg/ha); the mixed-sex population had 90% marketable prawns and the yield was 135 g/m^z (1,350 kg/ha); and the all-female population had 75% marketable prawns with an average yield of 108 g/m² (1,080 kgha).     

Growth of the prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii in asbestos asphalt ponds in hard water and on a low protein diet

Freshwater prawns Macrobrachium rosenbergii were grown for 158 days in four 25 m² ponds, two with earth bottoms and two with asbestos asphalt bottoms, in water with a total hardness of 1000 ppm and on a diet with a 14% protein content. Production was in the range of 660–1270 kg/ha with 97% of final biomass in marketable size prawns of 17–70 g. The results were comparable with other temperate region studies and suggested that water high in calcium but low in carbonates may not inhibit growth in M. rosenbergii.     

Production of Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and Freshwater Prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii Stocked at Different Densities in Polyculture Systems in Brazil

Abstract.— The effect of stocking prawns Macrobrachium rosenbergii at increasing densities in ponds with Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus reared at low density was evaluated. Twelve 0.01-ha earthen ponds were stocked with 1 tilapia/m² and 0, 2, 4, or 6 postlarvae prawn/m². Three replicates were randomly assigned to each prawn density. Postlarval prawns were stocked a week prior to tilapia juveniles and both were harvested 175 d after the beginning of the experiment. Tilapia final average weight, survival, production, and food conversion rates did not differ significantly among treatments ( P > 0.05); the averages were 531 g, 67%. 3,673 kg/ha, and 1.91, respectively. Prawn survival rates did not differ for the three stocking densities (mean 90%). However, final weight and production were significantly different ( P < 0.05) as follows: 34.0, 23.0, and 14.7 g and 639, 909, and 818 kg/ha, respectively for 2. 4, and 6 prawns/m² densities. Stocking densities up to 6 prawn/m² did not affect tilapia production and required neither additional feeding nor significant changes in management. The polyculture system allowed an increase in total production with the same amount of supplied feed, thus improving the system sustainability.     

Overwintering tilapia, Oreochromis spilurus (Günther), fingerlings using warm underground sea water

Abstract.
The study was conducted to develop guidelines for high-density overwintering of tilapia in tanks using warm underground sea water. Seawater-acclimated fish of 20 g were stocked in 36 tanks at 250, 500 and 750/m³. Water flow was regulated at 0.1 and 0.2 l/kg fish/min. Fish were fed at the rates of 0.75% and 1.0% of biomass per day.
After 135 culture days, the mean individual weight gain and specific growth rate decreased, whereas feed conversion increased significantly ( P <0.0001) with the increase in stocking density. The condition factor at 500 and 750 fish/m³ was significantly lower ( P <0.0005) than at 250 fish/m³. However, stocking density had no significant effect on the survival rate. Significantly better specific growth rate, condition factor and feed conversion were observed at a water flow rate of 0.2 l/kg fish/min than at 01 l/kg fish/min. Significantly higher mean individual weight gain, specific growth rate, and survival rate were observed at 1.0%/day than at the 0.75%/day feeding rate. The findings indicate that the optimum stocking density for overwintering tilapia in tanks using warm underground sea water is 750 fish/m³ with a water flow rate of 0.1 l/kg fish/min and a feeding rate of 0.75%/day.     

Effect of dietary vitamin C supplementation on the oxygen consumption, ammonia-N excretion and Na/K ATPase of Macrobrachium nipponense exposed to ambient ammonia

The 96-h LC₅₀ of ammonia-N and the effects of dietary vitamin C on oxygen consumption, ammonia-N excretion and Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity of Macrobrachium nipponense exposed to ambient ammonia were investigated. The results showed that the 96-h LC₅₀ of ammonia-N was 36.6 mg l⁻¹ for the freshwater prawn, M. nipponense, at pH 8.0. When prawns were exposed to high ambient ammonia-N concentrations, the oxygen consumption rate increased and ammonia excretion decreased. Dietary vitamin C supplementation led to higher oxygen consumption and lower ammonia excretion. Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity increased with increased ambient ammonia-N exposure in the range of 0–18.3 mg l⁻¹, and then was reduced at ambient ammonia-N 36.6 mg l⁻¹. Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activities of prawns fed a vitamin C-supplemented diet were significantly lower than those of prawns fed a diet which was not supplemented with vitamin C.     

Nutrient budgets in tanks with different stocking densities of hybrid tilapia

Nitrogen and phosphorus budgets were estimated in 12 indoor fiberglass tanks stocked with hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus×O. aureus) at densities of 1 kg, 5 kg, 10 kg and 15 kg/m³ and reared for 14 days. Each density was replicated three times, and the experiment was repeated five times. The water in each tank was changed daily. Fish were fed a 34% protein tilapia feed to satiation twice daily. Feed consumption rate significantly decreased (P<0.05) with increasing density, but the FCR did not vary significantly (P>0.05) among the treatments. The production of one kilogram of fish required 2.0–2.2 kg of feed in different stocking density treatments, while 87.1–95.6 g nitrogen and 12.6–13.8 g phosphorus were released into the water, as metabolic waste. Of the feed input, 21.4% of the nitrogen and 18.8% of the phosphorus were incorporated in the fish harvested.     

Assessment of cholesterol requirements in the prawn, Penaeus japonicus

Two feeding experiments were conducted to assess the quantitative cholesterol requirement of the juvenile prawn, Penaeus japonicus . The prawns were fed casein-based (experiment 1) and casein- or crab protein-based (experiment 2) diets with or without supplemental cholesterol. The daily increases in quantities of body cholesterol (mg kg⁻¹ prawn day⁻¹) at maximum growth and dietary cholesterol intake over a 40-day feeding period were determined. Prawns fed 5 g kg⁻¹ supplemental cholesterol, regardless of protein sources, gave the highest weight gain. Body retention efficiencies of dietary cholesterol (cholesterol retained × 100/cholesterol intake) vary among prawns fed 5 g kg⁻¹ supplemental cholesterol (diets 3, 5 and 7) but dietary cholesterol requirements expressed as mg kg⁻¹ body weight (BW) day⁻¹ were not significantly different (180 to 200 mg kg⁻¹ BW day⁻¹). Based on dietary cholesterol requirement, the optimum dietary cholesterol levels for the juvenile prawns were estimated in relation to feeding levels. When feeding levels were 3%, 5% and 7% of body weight, optimum dietary cholesterol levels were 5.0 to 6.0, 3.6 to 4.0, and 2.6 to 2.9 g kg⁻¹ of dry diet, respectively. The present study showed the advantages of determining daily cholesterol requirement (mg kg⁻¹ BW day⁻¹) at maximum growth through a factorial method in determining optimum dietary cholesterol levels in P. japonicus .     

Polyculture of Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Notemigonus crysoleucas

A polyculture study was conducted in southwest Louisiana comparing production of Malaysian prawns, Macrobrachium rosenbergii , in monoculture and polyculture with Golden shiners, Notemigonus crysoleucas .
This test revealed stocking of shiners at 24.7/m² with prawns at 4.4/m² resulted in increased total pond production over monoculture of prawns at 4.4/m² with equal prawn yields in both systems and little increase in labor. Feeding rates were based on prawn biomass. Food conversion ratios ranged from 0.5 to 1.0 in polyculture and 0.9 to 1.1 in monoculture when total production was considered. Prawn production averaged 640 kg/ha in polyculture and 629 kg/ha in monoculture. Mean size of prawns was 19 g in polyculture and 20 g in monoculture. The polyculture of shiners with prawns added an average of 307 kg/ha of the bait fish to pond production.
Shiners did not compete seriously with prawns when stocked at these rates. This practice could result in added revenues to producers culturing these species together.     

Growth, Survival, Yield, and Size Distributions of Freshwater Prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus in Polyculture and Monoculture Systems in Puerto Rico

Abstract.— Tilapia and freshwater prawn production in Puerto Rico for monoculture and polyculture systems were compared. The experiment consisted of three treatments with three replicates each. The stocking rates for the prawn monoculture, fish monoculture and polyculture treatments were respectively: 7 prawns/m², 1 tilapia/M², and 7 prawns with 1 tilapia/ m². The mean stocking size for tilapia and prawn were respectively, 7–8 g and 1–1.3 g. After 145 d of culture, yields and mean weight of tilapia in monoculture and polyculture system were not significantly different. Total yields were 2,942 and 2,769 kg/ha, respectively. Mean weights were 348 g in monoculture and 331 g in polyculture. Yields and mean weight of prawns in monoculture and polyculture were significantly different. Total yields were 1,367 and 951 kg/ha, respectively. Mean weights were 55 g in monoculture and 31 g in polyculture. Total yield in polyculture was 3,720 kg/ha showing an increase over the production separately obtained in prawn and fish monoculture.     

杂交青虾“太湖1号”苗种在池塘养殖中的适宜放养密度

以饲料系数、养殖产量、成虾规格、体长与体质量特定生长率作为判据,水质状况作为参考,以杂交青虾"太湖1号"为实验对象,在放养密度为60、105、150、195、240尾/m35个梯度下进行为期100 d的养殖试验,研究杂交青虾"太湖1号"苗种在池塘养殖中的适宜放养密度。结果显示,150尾/m3组的饲料系数显著低于195尾/m3和240尾/m3组(P<0.05),而养殖产量及成虾规格显著高于其它各组(P<0.05)。在高于150尾/m3的高密度组中,虽然产量也显著高于低密度组(P<0.05),但成虾规格较小。养殖期间各养殖水体的水质均能满足养殖虾的生长需求;高温季节除了高密度组的亚硝态氮盐指标稍有升高以外,水体pH、DO、NH4+-N等指标基本保持一致。将放养密度分别与饲料系数、增重率、体长与体质量特定生长率等指标之间进行二次回归曲线方程拟合,计算出杂交青虾"太湖1号"的适宜放养密度为117～150尾/m3。     

Marine shrimp aquaculture: a novel waste treatment system

Ecuadorian Penaeus vannamei were cultured in dirt ponds (each of approximately 163 m²) at four different stocking densities, i.e. 5 shrimp m⁻², 10 shrimp m⁻², 15 shrimp m⁻² and 20 shrimp m⁻². Experiments were carried out over three different periods during the year. Each experiment lasted for 11–14 weeks. No commercial feed was given to the shrimp. The only input to the ponds was about 30 kg of cattle manure per pond per week. Chemical composition of the cattle manure was analyzed. Water quality parameters such as temperature, pH, DO and turbidity were recorded twice daily for each experiment; nutrients (nitrite, nitrate, ammonium and phosphate), water ATP, sediment ATP, H₂S and chlorophyll were measured twice weekly for each experiment. Shrimp were sampled either weekly or bi-weekly for body weight measurements.

The results showed a negative correlation between stocking density and growth. Weekly growth ranged from 0·44 to 1·58 g week⁻¹. Survival was over 50% in all treatments and averaged at 70·8%. Under these stocking densities, shrimp production ranged from 4·4 to 18·8 kg ha⁻¹ day⁻¹. The stocking density of 15 shrimps m⁻² provides better production than the other stocking densities.

Water quality data did not relate to any shrimp growth. Water nutrient levels in pond discharge water were less than or equal to the nutrients in the incoming water in spite of the weekly addition of cattle manure and did not increase with the addition of cattle manure. No coliform bacteria were detected in any pond water samples through the study period. This indicates digestion of cattle manure in marine shrimp ponds would not pollute the environment with high concentrations of dissolved nutrients.

Thus, a marine shrimp pond can be considered a dissolved nutrient marine treatment plant converting unwanted cattle manure (1841 kg cattle manure ha⁻¹ week⁻¹ in this study) into a valuable commodity — shrimp.     

New techniques for the assessment and optimal management of growth and standing crop variation in the cultured freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii

The current ‘traditional’ prawn pond management system really does not ‘manage’, but rather accommodates prawn production characteristics and was instituted with a minimum knowledge of prawn biology and husbandry. As such, the traditional system is not optimal because it does not rely on a strong empirical knowledge base. Prawn culture has succeeded up until now because Macrobrachium rosenbergii is easily cultured and will give 500–1000 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ without much effort. This is sufficient in many areas of the world but not in others where economic conditions have break-even production requirements of nearly 1 tonne greater than this. The traditional system relying on selective harvesting with large seine nets is seriously inefficient which not only leads to lost revenue but under-manages pond growth since unculled large animals suppress the growth of unculled smaller ones. The degree to which this occurs was not known to the designers of the traditional system who had no way of knowing (as we do now from our research results) the extremely large compensatory growth capability of small prawns in the absence of large ones. The traditional system also does not manage sexual dimorphic growth because no technology exists which can be used to create monosex broods or manipulate the sex ratio in ponds. Accurate production models are not available because traditional ponds are rarely sampled and/or rarely drained. This, along with inefficient harvests, results in a co-mingling of cohort stocking classes. It is impossible to get accurate survival and growth data because of this and because it is so time consuming to sample commercial ponds and process the data on a regular basis. This paper describes four new engineering and ‘bioengineering’ techniques which are under development and can overcome all the drawbacks of the traditional system: (1) surgical sex reversal to create monosex broods; (2) genetic tagging of stocking and resident cohorts to assess survival and growth; (3) size grading and 100% efficient harvesting using pond draining and a machine grader-harvester; and (4) a semi-automated computer assisted prawn sample data management system which uses sonic digitization of prawn sample data.     

Production of Florida red tilapia in seawater pools: Nursery rearing with chicken manure and growout with prepared feed

Florida red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) were reared in 23 m³ seawater (37 ppt) pools. Monosex males (1.3 g mean weight) were stocked at a density of 25 fish/m³ and reared to fingerling size (>10 g) in pools receiving either chicken manure applied at a rate of 105 kg/ha day⁻¹ or pelletized feed (30% protein) administered ad libitum. Following the nursery period, fingerlings in fed pools were reared through adult, marketable sizes.

After 20 days of nursery rearing, mean fish weights (5.7–9.6 g) and survival (77.5–98.6%) in manured pools ranged from less than to greater than values in fed pools (7.9–9.4 g and 95.5–98.2%). By day 33, while mean weights (11.3±0.4 g) and survival (84.5±5.2%) in manured pools were significantly less than those in fed pools (18.0±0.6 g and 95.9±1.4%), fingerling-size fish were obtained from manured pools at an overall productivity of 55 kg/ha day⁻¹.

After 170 days in fed pools, mean fish weight was 467±9 g, survival was 89.7±0.9%, and food conversion was 1.6±0.2. Daily weight gain achieved a maximum of 4.4 g day before a rapid decline in water temperature from 28–29°C to 24–25°C caused a loss of fish appetite and evidence of disease.

The results suggest that while nursery rearing of Florida red tilapia in seawater pools fertilized with chicken manure is feasible, considerable variability in fish performance among pools can be expected, despite identical management methods. In pools receiving prepared feed, high growth rates and survival through adult, marketable sizes suggests a potential for commercial production of Florida red tilapia in seawater.     

Performance and operation of a rotating biological contactor in a tilapia recirculating aquaculture system

This paper describes the performance characteristics of an industrial-scale air-driven rotating biological contactor (RBC) installed in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) rearing tilapia at 28 °C. This three-staged RBC system was configured with stages 1 and 2 possessing approximately the same total surface area and stage 3 having approximately 25% smaller. The total surface area provided by the RBC equaled 13,380 m². Ammonia removal efficiency averaged 31.5% per pass for all systems examined, which equated to an average (± standard deviation) total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) areal removal rate of 0.43 ± 0.16 g/m²/day. First-order ammonia removal rate (K₁) constants for stages 1–3 were 2.4, 1.5, and 3.0 h⁻¹, respectively. The nitrite first-order rate constants (K₂) were higher, averaging 16.2 h⁻¹ for stage 1, 7.7 h⁻¹ for stage 2, and 9.0 h⁻¹ stage 3. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels decreased an averaged 6.6% per pass across the RBC. Concurrently, increasing influent DOC concentrations decreased ammonia removal efficiency. With respect to dissolved gas conditioning, the RBC system reduced carbon dioxide concentrations approximately 39% as the water flowed through the vessel. The cumulative feed burden – describes the mass of food delivered to the system per unit volume of freshwater added to the system daily – ranged between 5.5 and 7.3 kg feed/m³ of freshwater; however, there was no detectable relationship between the feed loading rate and ammonia oxidation performance.     

Preliminary study on the production of the tilapia, Oreochromis spilurus (Günther), cultured in seawater cages

Abstract. A preliminary study was conducted to assess the performance of the tilapia, Oreochromis spilurus (Günther), cultured in seawater cages at different stocking densities during the nursing and rearing phases. The stocking densities tested were 200, 400 and 600 fish/m³ during the nursing phase and 100, 200, and 300 fish/m³ during the rearing phase.
In both growth phases, no significant differences (P>0.05) were observed among the different stocking densities on the mean individual final weight, daily growth rate, feed conversion ratio and survival rate. Yields in cages stocked with 400 and 600 fish/m³ during the nursing phase, however, were significantly (P<0.05) higher compared with cages stocked with 200 fish/m³. No significant differences (P>0.05) were observed between 400 and 600 fish/m³. A density of 600/m³ is therefore considered to be optimum for the nursing phase.
Yields of cages during the rearing phase increased significantly (P<0.01) with the increase in stocking density. After grading the fish, however, no significant differences (P>0.05) were observed when only fish bigger than 150g were considered. The occurrence of exophthalmia (cataract) was observed in two of the four replicates at the highest stocking density (300 fish/m³) during the rearing stage. Therefore, a stocking density of 200 fish/m³ is considered optimum for the rearing phase.     

Preliminary investigations on husbandry, nutrition and growth of glass eels and elvers, Anguilla anguilla L.

Abstract. Some effects of husbandry and feeding on growth of glass eels and elvers of the European eel. Anguilla anguilla L., were investigated. In the first 7 months after arrival the recorded mortality amounted to 34% of the initial population. due to escapes and possibly cannibalism the observed survival after 7 months was only 21% of the initial population.
Mean growth rate of the whole population was 7.1 g day⁻¹ kg^−0.8. Growth proved to be highly variable. Growth rate was clearly affected by feeding level but not by initial stocking density.
Maximum growth rate was approximately 8g day, ¹ kg^−0.8 with feed conversions of 1.7–2.0. An optimal feeding level of 7.5g day¹ kg^−0.8 resulted in feed conversions of 1.3–1.6.     

Effects of Stocking Density on Nursery Production and Economics of the Freshwater Prawn,Macrobrachium rosenbergii

ABSTRACT

In temperate regions, post-larvae freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, are grown to more advanced sizes in tanks prior to pond stocking. This intermediate stage of culture is referred to as the nursery period. Little research has been conducted on different management practices on juvenile prawn growth and survival during this 30-60 day period. Survival during the nursery stage has been highly variable and may be related to the cannibalistic behavior of juvenile freshwater prawn when cultured at high densities in the nursery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of stocking density, relative to the provision of artificial substrate (number of prawns/m² of substrate), on growth, survival, and economic variables for freshwater prawn juveniles during nursery production. Post-larvae (0.01%0.00 g, n = 300) were stocked into nine 1900 L tanks, each provided with 20.5 m² of artificial substrate in the form of horizontal layers of black plastic mesh (10 mm) spaced 5 cm apart. Tanks were randomly assigned one of three prawn densities (215, 430, or 860 post-larvae/m² of substrate), which equated to 2.3,4.6 and 9.2 prawn/L, respectively. Juvenile prawn were fed a commercial trout diet (42% protein) at a percentage of body weight according to a feed rate table. Water quality was maintained using a flow rate of 8 L/min in each tank from a reservoir pond. Temperature was maintained at approximately 28°C using heat pumps. After 56 days there was no significant difference (P >0.05) in average weight of juvenile prawn stocked at the three densities (0 = 0.58%0.12 g, n = 9). Survival was significantly lower (P <0.05) for prawn stocked at 860 m² (62%) than in those stocked at 430/m² (78%) and 215/m² (94%), which were not statistically different (P >0.05). Even with reduced survival, the highest stocking density produced the greatest number of nursed juveniles based on both tank volume (5.5/l) and surface area (530/m²), at the lowest average cost.     

A Comparison of Two Feeding Technologies in Freshwater Prawns,Macrobrachium rosenbergii,Raised at High Biomass Densities in Temperate Ponds

ABSTRACT

Recent developments in prawn production technologies (i.e., added substrate, increased stocking densities, size grading, and increased feed rates) have increased production rates from 900-1,000 kg/ha to over 2,500 kg/ha. While prawn can receive substantial nutritional benefit from natural foods at the lower biomass densities, at higher production rates prawn are likely to be more dependent on prepared diets. To ensure that maximum production is being achieved by these new production technologies, production rates must not be nutritionally constrained. This study was conducted to compare the current recommended technology of phase feeding of different quality feedstuffs to prawns of different sizes with the feeding of a high-quality penaeid diet throughout the production season. Two treatments were evaluated: Treatment 1 was phase feeding (current technology-control) where prawns were fed unpelleted distillers' grains with solubles (DDGS) for the first four weeks, then a 28%-protein prawn diet for weeks 5-12, and finally a 40%-protein penaeid diet for weeks 13-16. In Treatment 2, prawn were fed the 40%-protein penaeid diet throughout the entire production period. Feeding rates in both treatments were based upon a feeding table. Three 0.04 ha ponds were used for each treatment. All ponds were stocked at 59,280 juveniles/ha and were provided with artificial substrate in the form of a polyethylene “safety fence” oriented vertically to increase available surface area by 50%. After 106 culture days, no significant differences (P >0.05) were observed between treatments in terms of yield, average individual weight, food conversion ratio (FCR), or survival, which averaged 2,575 kg/ha, 46 g, 2.3, and 94%, respectively, overall. Due to the higher cost of the penaeid diet (US$0.84/kg), feeding costs for the penaeid diet treatment (Treatment 2) were 38% higher than those for Treatment 1. No benefit to using higher protein diets during the first 12 weeks of prawn pond production was observed.