Physical and chemical characteristics of sediments in catfish, freshwater prawn and carp ponds in Thailand

Sediment samples were collected from 42 catfish (Clarias hybrid) ponds, 40 freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) ponds and 18 carp (Puntius spp.) ponds in Thailand. Regression analysis revealed that pond age (1–30 years) was not a major factor influencing the physical and chemical composition of pond sediments. Sediment depth, F+S horizon thickness and bulk density of S horizon were greater (P<0.05) in carp ponds than in catfish and prawn ponds. This occurred because sediment was removed from catfish and prawn ponds more frequently than from carp ponds. Total carbon, organic carbon and total nitrogen concentrations were greater (P<0.05) in carp ponds than prawn and catfish ponds. Few ponds had sediment organic carbon concentrations above 3%, and carbon:nitrogen ratio values did not differ (P>0.05) among ponds for the three species. Total phosphorus and other sediment phosphorus fractions increased in the order prawn ponds, carp ponds and catfish ponds. Sediment sulphur concentrations also increased in the same order. There were no differences in major or minor nutrient concentrations in sediment that would influence aquacultural production. Although there were significant correlations (P<0.05) between various sediment quality variables, no single variable or group of variables would be useful in estimating sediment quality. Pond bottom management practices used by producers in Thailand included drying of pond bottoms between crops, liming, tilling and periodic sediment removal. These practices have maintained relatively good bottom quality. They should be continued in Thailand and adopted in other places.     

Sediment Quality in Arkansas Bait Minnow Ponds

Sediment cores were collected from 7-yr-old, 20- to 25-yr-old, and 30- to 35-yr-old ponds at a bait minnow farm at Lonoke, Arkansas, USA. Average depths of soft sediment (S and M horizons) were 8 cm in young ponds, 12 em in intermediate-age ponds, and 26 cm in old ponds. Organic carbon concentrations in sediment were low to moderate (1–2%) and carbon to nitrogen ratios were wide (20–50). Phosphorus and sulfur concentrations increased as ponds aged. Most of the phosphorus (78.9%) was in organic form, but sulfur was primarily inorganic in form (presumably iron sulfide). There appears to be two major problems associated with sediment accumulation over time. Deep, soft sediment interferes with pond management and especially with harvest. High phosphorus concentration in old sediment may contribute to dense phytoplankton blooms by supplying phosphorus to the water. Sodium nitrate treatment did not increase the rate of sediment organic matter decomposition in laboratory trials and would not be expected to enhance the degradation of sediment organic matter in ponds. The best method for improving the condition of bottoms in older bait minnow ponds probably is to remove the sediment.     

The effects of sediment redox potential and stocking density on Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei production performance and white spot syndrome virus resistance

Redox potential represents the intensity of anaerobic condition in the pond sediment, which may affect the dominant microbial transformations of substances, the toxins production, mineral solubility, as well as the water quality in the sediment–water interface inhabited by the shrimp. This study evaluates the effect of sediment redox potential in conjunction with stocking density on shrimp production performance, immune response and resistance against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection. A completely randomized two factors experimental design was applied with three different sediment redox potential, i.e. ?65, ?108 and ?06 mV, and two shrimp densities, i.e. low (60 shrimp m^?2) and high (120 shrimp m^?2). Shrimp juveniles with an initial mean body weight of 5.32 ± 0.22 g were maintained in semi‐outdoor fibre tanks (270 L in capacity) for 35 days of experimental periods. At the bottom of each tank, 5‐cm deep soil substrate with different redox potential was added according to the treatments. The survival and biomass production were significantly reduced at ?206 mV sediment redox potential, regardless of stocking density. Highly negative sediment redox potential (?206 mV) and higher stocking density significantly reduced total haemocyte counts and phenoloxydase activity, and shrimp resistance to WSSV infection. We recommend to maintain the redox potential of pond sediment at a level of more than ?206 mV.     

Accumulation, organic carbon and dry matter concentration of sediment in commercial channel catfish ponds

Sediment depth and organic carbon (OC) concentration were measured in sediment cores (n=675) collected from 45 commercial channel catfish ponds in northwest Mississippi from April to September in 1998 and 1999. Ponds had been in continuous catfish production from 14 days to 21 years. Sediment depth ranged from 1 to 95 cm and was heterogeneously distributed within ponds: least in the shallow end (26.3 cm) and greatest in deeper areas (33.7 cm). Mean sediment depth increased with pond age, although the rate of sediment accumulation was greatest in the first year (12.5 cm per year). Organic carbon concentration varied slightly within ponds ranging from 0.76 to 3.43% of dry matter (DM). Mean organic carbon concentration in the upper 2 cm of sediment (1.77%) was significantly greater than in the deeper sediment layer (1.55%). Mean dry matter content in the upper 2 cm of sediment averaged 24.2% of total wet weight. Mean dry matter for the lower sediment fraction was 37.8% of total wet weight. Despite large inputs of organic matter from feed and primary production, sediment organic carbon concentrations did not increase with pond age.     

The Anglesey lakes,Wales, UK — Changes in trophic status of three standing waters as inferred from diatom transfer functions and their implications for conservation

1. A diatom-phosphorus (P) transfer function was applied to fossil diatom assemblages in sediment cores from three Anglesey lakes of conservation importance, in order to reconstruct quantitatively the recent history of total P (TP) concentrations for each lake. The results indicate that all three lakes have been eutrophic throughout the period represented by the cores. 2. The model suggests that Llyn Coron and Llyn Dinam experienced gradual increases in TP concentration (core base to 20 cm), followed by marked, rapid increases from the time represented by a sediment depth of 20 cm (early 1970s for Llyn Coron), most probably associated with agricultural intensification. 3. A recent decline in TP concentration at Llyn Coron and Llyn Dinam, associated with reductions in external P loading, is indicated by the model, although current levels are still considerably higher than those estimated for the base of the cores (Dinam: current=112 μg L⁻¹; base=65 μg L⁻¹, and Coron: current=156 μg L⁻¹; base=70 μg L⁻¹). 4. No clear changes in diatom-inferred TP concentration were observed for Llyn Penrhyn over the 70 year period represented by the core. However, the reconstruction for this lake is inaccurate because: (a) the sediment record appears to be disturbed, and (b) unlike Llyn Coron and Llyn Dinam, diatom preservation and modern analogues are poor, and the present TP concentration (>1 mg L⁻¹) is beyond the TP range of the model. 5. Continued control of the external TP loads from agricultural sources is essential to prevent further increases in lake TP concentrations at Llyn Coron and Llyn Dinam. Given the problems with the Llyn Penrhyn data, it is not possible to draw any firm conclusions regarding future site management. However, the impact of the recent installation of a phosphate stripping plant at the local sewage works should be monitored, to identify whether a reduction in external P loading results in a decrease in epilimnetic TP concentrations, and in turn whether this causes changes to the biological community structure of the lake.     

Influence of sediment phosphorus on utilization efficiency of phosphate fertilizer: a mesocosm study

Influence of initial sediment phosphorus content of the pond sediment on P dose efficiency was examined in a laboratory experiment using four types of sediments collected from ponds located along a nutrient gradient in a sewage‐fed fish farm. Each sediment type (500 g) was dispensed in a glass jar with water and treated with single super phosphate (SSP) treatment at 1.25, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mg L^?1 in triplicate. Determination of orthophosphate (OP) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) in water and available and total P in sediment showed increased response in relation to dose and time. At a given dose, the rate of increase for all species of phosphate in sediment or water was maximum in the case of local pond (LP) soil followed by stocking pond (SP), facultative pond (FP) and anaerobic pond (AP) soil, suggesting that utililization of phosphate fertilizer was much better under oligotrophic conditions than under eutrophic states. The SSP‐induced OP peak at 10 mg L^?1 in LP sediment was similar to that of 5.0 mg L^?1 in AP sediment containing 59% enhanced initial phosphate, implying that fertilizer application can be profitably reduced by 18% in the former without limiting the OP level in the water phase. It is concluded that dosage selection of phosphorus fertilizer in aquaculture ponds should be based on an evaluation of the initial P status of the system.     

Contribution of microorganisms to the biofilm nutritional quality: protein and lipid contents

The nutritional quality of biofilm, a microbial community associated to an organic matrix, was evaluated in artificial substrate (polyethylene screen) in net cages during 30 days in the Patos Lagoon estuary, Southern Brazil. During this period, samples of biofilm were collected each 5 days for analysis of chlorophyll a, microorganisms abundance, dry weight, protein and lipid contents. During the study, chlorophyll a varied from 0.38 to 2.75 μg cm^?2; dry weight between 7.16 and 17.63 mg cm^?2; protein content from 0.43 to 1.76 mg cm^?2 and lipid concentration between 1.21 and 4.23 mg cm^?2. The variation of lipid in the biofilm was closely related to the abundance of free heterotrophic bacteria (34.25–56.54 × 10⁶ cells cm^?2), filamentous cyanobacteria (7.5–15.9 × 10⁶ filaments cm^?2), flagellates (6.92–12.89 × 10⁶ cells cm^?2) and mainly nematodes (29–1,414 organisms cm^?2), while protein content varied similarly to the abundance of unicellular centric diatoms (52.10–179.81 × 10³ cells cm^?2), and nematodes. This information will allow a better management of food supply to raised aquatic organism with the utilization of natural productivity in the culture systems, with considerable decrease in production costs.     

高产鱼池中异养细菌的初步研究

对无锡市效区“河埒渔业一队”典型高产鱼池中异养细菌种类、数量及群落组成的分析测定,它表明在1984年3月至10月试验期间,试验鱼池水体中总细菌数和异养细菌数分别在1.30×10~5～15.90×10~5个/ml和1.56×10~4～14.50×10~4个/ml。鱼池淤泥中总细菌数和异常细菌数分别在1.20×10~6～68.0×10~5个/克和1.94×10~5～19.90×10~5个/克。同时经分析得知,试验鱼池中细菌数量的波动与鱼池水温等理化因子各有不同的相关关系。试验鱼池水体中共分离出11个属的异养细菌,其中优势菌为氮单胞菌属(Azomonas)等具固氮能力的菌属;淤泥中共分离出8个属的异养细菌,其中优势菌为芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)等革兰氏阳性菌属。假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)的细菌普遍存在于鱼池的水体及淤泥中。试验表明,高产鱼池中的细菌数量变化有一定规律性,细菌数量及异养细菌的群落组成与鱼池的鱼产量有一定的关系。     

Effects of Two Densities of Caged Monosex Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, on Water Quality, Phytoplankton Populations, and Production When Polycultured with Macrobrachium rosenbergii in Temperate Ponds

The effects of different densities of caged Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, on water quality, phytoplankton populations, prawn, and total pond production were evaluated in freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, production ponds. The experiment consisted of three treatments with three 0.04‐ha replicates each. All ponds were stocked with graded, nursed juvenile prawn (0.9 ± 0.6 g) at 69,000/ha. Control (CTL) ponds contained only prawns. Low‐density polyculture (LDP) ponds also contained two cages (1 m³; 100 fish/cage) of monosex male tilapia (115.6 ± 22 g), and high‐density polyculture (HDP) ponds had four cages. Total culture period was 106 d for tilapia and 114 d for prawn. Overall mean afternoon pH level was significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) in polyculture ponds than in CTL ponds but did not differ (P > 0.05) between LDP and HDP. Phytoplankton biovolume was reduced in polyculture treatments. Tilapia in the LDP treatment had significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) harvest weights than in the HDP treatment. Prawn weights were higher (P ≤ 0.05) in polyculture than prawn monoculture. These data indicate that a caged tilapia/freshwater prawn polyculture system may provide pH control while maximizing pond resources in temperate areas.     

Diurnal feeding pattern and gut content of milkfish Chanos chanos (Forsskål, 1775) cultured semi‐intensively during the wet and dry season in brackish ponds in the Philippines

To improve feeding management and reduce feed cost in semi‐intensive grow‐out culture of milkfish (Chanos chanos, Forsskål 1775) in brackish ponds, the relative shares of natural food (NF) and supplemental feed (SF) ingested by the fish were microscopically quantified from their completely dissected digestive tracts sampled during 24‐h cycles in wet (June–September) and dry (December–April) seasons. Particles from rice husk, indigestible to milkfish, were used as internal markers to quantify supplemental feed. Significantly (P<0.05) more NF than SF (1.4±0.2 vs. 0.4±0.1 g kg^?0.8) and SF than NF (1.4±0.8 vs. 0.6±0.3 g kg^?0.8) were found during the first month of the wet and the first 3 months of the dry season respectively. Diurnal feeding patterns on SF were significantly higher at morning hours during the dry compared with the wet season. The feeding pattern of milkfish is likely to be affected by the different weather and pond conditions in both seasons. Developing a season‐specific pond fertilization management to enhance NF availability in semi‐intensive milkfish culture can help to improve the economical and ecological performance of milkfish culture.     

Beneficial co‐culture of jellyfish Rhopilema esculenta (Kishinouye) and sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka): implications for pelagic‐benthic coupling

This study investigated monthly changes of sedimentation and sediment properties in three different culture systems (ponds) – i.e. jellyfish Rhopilema esculenta monoculture (J), sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus and jellyfish co‐culture (SJ) and sea cucumber monoculture (S) – to verify the feasibility of co‐culturing jellyfish and sea cucumbers. Results showed that jellyfish culture accelerated the settling velocity of total particulate matter (TPM). Average TPM settling velocities in the SJ (75.6 g m^?2 day^?1) and J (71.1 g m^?2 day^?1) ponds were significantly higher than that in the S pond (21.7 g m^?2 day^?1) from June to September during the jellyfish culture period. Average settling velocities of organic matter (OM), total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in the SJ pond increased significantly by 3.0, 2.9, 3.3 and 3.8 times, respectively, compared with those in the S pond. Sediment contents of OM, TOC, TN and TP in the SJ and J ponds were significantly higher than those in the S pond during the jellyfish culture season. The specific growth rate of sea cucumbers feeding on SJ sediment was significantly higher than that of those feeding on S sediment. Co‐culturing sea cucumbers with jellyfish may help alleviate benthic nutrient loading due to the jellyfish and provide a secondary cash crop.     

鱼蚌混养对池塘水质、藻相结构及三角帆蚌生长的影响

2012年4月26日—2012年12月12日通过在鲢鳙鱼养殖池塘中放养不同密度的三角帆蚌,研究不同三角帆蚌放养比例对鲢鳙鱼养殖池塘中水质、藻相结构及三角帆蚌生长的影响。实验中,鲢鳙放养比例统一为3∶7,总密度为1.5尾/m3。三角帆蚌放养密度则设置4个水平,分别为单养鲢鳙鱼池塘(0只/m3),低密度三角帆蚌混养池塘(0.8只/m3),中密度三角帆蚌混养池塘(1.0只/m3)和高密度三角帆蚌混养池塘(1.2只/m3)。结果显示,混养三角帆蚌池塘的水化指标(TP、PO4-P、NH3-N、NO2-N和NO3-N)均显著低于单养鱼池塘。中密度三角帆蚌混养池塘除NH3-N和化学需氧量(COD)与低密度三角帆蚌混养池塘无显著差异外,其他各项水化指标均显著低于其他3个池塘,并且极显著低于单养鲢鳙鱼池塘。单养鲢鳙鱼池塘藻类平均密度均极显著高于鱼蚌混养池塘,其中在鱼蚌混养池塘中浮游植物密度与三角帆蚌密度成负相关关系。单养鲢鳙鱼池塘的浮游植物生物量均极显著低于中、高密度鱼蚌混养池塘,并且显著低于低密度混养池塘。浮游植物生物量与三角帆蚌密度成正相关关系,鱼蚌池塘中绿藻和裸藻的生物量在养殖过程中上升显著。低、中密度三角帆蚌混养池塘三角帆蚌存活率均显著高于高密度三角帆蚌混养池塘;低密度混养池塘中蚌湿重、壳长及壳宽相对增长率均为最大,显著高于中、高密度三角帆蚌混养池塘。研究表明,养鱼池塘混养三角帆蚌不仅能改善养殖池塘的水质,还能控制藻类数量,促使绿藻和裸藻等大型藻类的生长,提高养殖水体浮游植物的生物量总量,最终还能有效提高三角帆蚌的存活率及生长率。从改善水质,藻相结构,蚌成活率及生长等指标角度考虑,在鲢鳙鱼养殖池塘中,三角帆蚌最佳放养密度为1.0只/m3。     

Effects of stocking density of Labeo rohita on survival, growth and production in cages

Labeo rohita (139.92 ± 0.76 mm/24.33 ± 0.45 g) was reared for 92 days in floating square cages (10 m² area, 1.5 m height) in a pond (2 ha) at six stocking densities (5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 fish m^?2) each with 3 replicates. Fish were fed daily once in the morning with rice polish and groundnut oil cake (1:1) in dough form at 3 % of the total body weight. Survival ranged from 96 to 100 % in different stocking densities. Final average body weight, average body weight gain, mean daily body weight gain and SGR decreased (P < 0.05) with increasing stocking density. Conversely, final biomass, biomass gain and FCR increased (P < 0.05) with increasing stocking density. The highest growth rate of fish could be achieved up to 60 days at 5 fish m^?2 and 92 days at other densities. The reduced growth rate at 10–25 fish m^?2 for 60 days of culture indicated that stress is related to size and density of the fish, suggesting that utmost care is required to reduce the stress at high densities. Maximum production and profit was observed at the highest stocking density. Non-lethal levels of water and soil qualities at different sites (cage premises, and 20 and 200 m away from cage area) suggested that cage aquaculture could be done safely covering 0.9 % of pond area. Production of advanced fingerlings in cages was found a viable alternative to their culture in pond.     

Enhancing productivity of Labeo victorianus ponds using maize flour as a carbohydrate source

This study investigated the effects of manipulating carbon–nitrogen (C/N) ratio and fish stocking density on pond productivity: total heterotrophic bacteria counts, plankton biovolume and benthic macro‐invertebrates. Labeo victorianus juveniles were reared for 72 days in 18 hapas suspended in six ponds measuring 150 m² at densities of 10, 15 and 25 fish m^?2. Fish in hapas received a locally formulated and prepared feed containing 295 g kg^?1 crude protein, and ponds were treated with a C/N ratio of either 10 or 20. All treatments were carried out in triplicate. Increasing C/N ratio from 10 to 20 increased phytoplankton by 13% and zooplankton biovolume by 25% in the water column (P < 0.001). Total benthic macro‐invertebrates biovolumes were also 30% higher (P < 0.05) with a C/N ratio of 20 compared to 10. Total heterotrophic bacteria counts increased both in water and sediment by 29% while net yield increased by 15% from 1534 (C/N 10) to 1821 (C/N 20) kg ha^?1 72 day^?1. C/N ratio of 20 and a stocking density of 25 fish m^?2 led to the highest yield, survival, production and net benefits. It is suggested that polyculture may lead to better utilization of pond communities to further improve pond productivity.     

Pond Bottom Management at Commercial Shrimp Farms in Chantaburi Province,Thailand

Most shrimp farmers in Chantaburi Province, Thailand, use water jets to dislodge sediment from empty pond bottoms, and wastewater is held for sedimentation before discharge into natural waters. Other pond bottom management practices used by a few farmers are sediment excavation, leave sediment but till entire pond bottom, and no mechanical treatment. All four methods of pond bottom treatment are followed by sun drying for 30 d. Soil organic carbon concentration in ponds following dry‐out seldom exceeded 2%. Although shrimp production in 24 ponds supplied by the same source of water was negatively correlated with increasing soil organic carbon concentration (r = ?0.582), this observation does not confirm a causative relationship. Moreover, in trials conducted at Burapha University, Chantaburi Campus, bottom soil organic matter concentration following dry‐out differed little irrespective of treatment method. Lower soil moisture concentration revealed that dry‐out was more complete with sediment removal than without, but better dry‐out resulted in lower soil pH. Removal of sediment by excavation or flushing is expensive, and natural dry‐out combined with liming and occasional sediment removal should be investigated as a less expensive and more environment‐friendly alternative to removing sediment after each crop.     

对虾养殖池沉积环境中TOC_TP_TN和pH垂直分布

１９９５年冬季,测定了青岛地区四个池龄１０年以上的对虾养殖池不同层次沉积物中有机碳（ＴＯＣ）、总氮（ＴＮ）、总磷（ＴＰ）和ｐＨ并研究了其垂直分布。结果表明,沉积物中的ＴＯＣ和ＴＮ污染较底层严重,泥质虾池表层污染较泥沙质更严重。沉积物中ＴＰ为输出过程而导致缺乏,ＴＰ的受扰动层与ＴＯＣ和ＴＮ的污染层基本一致。沉积物的ｐＨ无规律性变化。     

Optimizing Koi Carp,Cyprinus carpio var. Koi (Linnaeus, 1758), Stocking Density and Nutrient Recycling With Spinach in an Aquaponic System

Fish waste water nutrient recycling in an aquaponic system was studied under different stocking densities of Koi Carp, Cyprinus carpio var. koi, along with spinach, Beta vulgaris var. bengalensis. Fish growth performance, plant growth, nutrient dynamics, and nutrient removal and their dependence on different stocking densities, namely 1.4, 2.1, and 2.8, were observed, of the different combinations, fish stocked at 1.4 kg/m³ had the best growth. Percent nutrient removal (NO₃–N, PO₄–P, and K) was significantly higher at 1.4 kg/m³. Thus, 1.4 kg/m³ stocking density can be suggested as optimum for Koi Carp production in spinach aquaponic systems.     

Use of artificial hides to increase the stocking density and production of estuary grouper, Epinephelus salmoides Maxwell,reared in floating net cages

The relative growth and production of estuary grouper, Epinephelus salmoides, in response to seven combinations of hiding space and stocking density were studied in floating net cages. Used car tyres were suspended in the net cages to provide hiding space for the fish. The seven combinations of hiding space and stocking density were as follows:

Provision of hiding space in the net cages was found to permit an increase in the stocking density from the optimal rate of 60 fish/m³ (without artificial hides) to 156 fish/m³. The net production was found to increase from 8.5 kg/m³ to 19.5 kg/m³ after 3 months. Growth in terms of weight gain per fish, survival rate and food conversion ratio at stocking rates below 156 fish/m³ with hiding space between 116 and 222 cm³/fish was comparable to that observed at the optimal stocking density without hiding space (60 fish/m³). The growth of fish stocked at 180–204 fish/m³ with hiding space of 272–289 cm³/fish, respectively, was found to be significantly depressed. Thus, with the provision of hiding space of 251 cm³/fish, the stocking density could be increased to as high as 156 fish/m³ and the production of fish could be increased by 230% over that at the usual optimal stocking rate of 60 fish/m³ without artificial hides.     

Bacteria in shrimp pond sediments: their role in mineralizing nutrients and some suggested sampling strategies

Strategies for sampling sediment bacteria were examined in intensive shrimp. Penaeus monodon (Fabririus), ponds in tropical Australia. Stratified sampling of bacteria at the end of the production season showed that the pond centre, containing flocculated sludge, had significantly higher bacterial counts (15.5 × 10⁹ g-¹ dw) than the pond periphery (8.1 × 10⁹g^?1 dw), where the action of aerators had swept the pond floor. The variation in bacterial counts between these two zones within a pond was higher than that between sites within each zone or between ponds. Therefore, sampling effort should be focused within these zones; for example, sampling two ponds at six locations within each of the two zones resulted in a coefficient of variation of ± 5%. Bacterial numbers in the sediment were highly correlated with sediment grain size, probably because eroded soil particles and organic waste both accumulated in the centre of the pond. Despite high inputs of organic matter added to the ponds, principally as pelleted feeds, the mean bacterial numbers and nutrient concentrations (i.e. organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) in the sediment were similar to those found in mangrove sediments. This suggests that bacteria are rapidly remineralizing particulates into soluble compounds. Bacterial numbers were highly correlated with organic carbon and total kjeldahl nitrogen in the sediment, suggesting that these were limiting factors to bacterial growth.     

Shrimp Yields and Economic Potential of Intensive Round Pond Systems

Three intensive growout trials using Penaeus vunnumei were conducted in round ponds in Hawaii in 1987. A 337 m² experimental pond was stocked at 100 shrimp/m² for two trials; a 2,000 m² commercial prototype pond was stocked at 75/m² for one trial. In the experimental pond trials, shrimp survival averaged 88 ± 10% (SE) and feed conversion averaged 2.2 ± 0.2. Growth averaged 1.5 ± 0.3 g/week, yielding 18.2 ± 1.7 gram shrimp in 80 ± 5.5 days. Combined production in the experimental trials was 32,272 kg/ha in 174 days (from stocking of trial 1 to harvest of trial 2). Comparing these results to 1986 results (Wyban and Sweeney 1988), it was concluded that shrimp growth is not affected and production is doubled by increasing stocking density from 45/m² to 100/m². Pooling data from 1986 and 1987, a significant linear regression was obtained when weekly growth of shrimp above four grams individual size was regressed on mean weekly pond temperature: growth = 0.37 * temperature - 8.44, (r²= 0.41; P < 0.01). Multiple regression to examine effects of shrimp size, pond biomass, and shrimp age on the temperature-growth relationship was not significant. In the commercial prototype pond trial, survival was 67% and feed conversion was 2.0. Growth averaged 1.4 g/week, yielding 18.1 gram shrimp in 88 days. Production was 9,120 kg/ha. Individual shrimp size distribution at harvest in the commercial pond was similar to experimental pond results, indicating that shrimp growth in the two systems was comparable. Financial characteristics of a hypothetical 24 pond shrimp farm using these results were determined using an electronic spreadsheet model (hung and Rowland 1987). Feed costs were 40% of total operating costs while postlarvae and labor were 14% and 16% of total operating costs, respectively. Breakeven price (BEP) was far more sensitive to changes in revenuedetermining inputs such as survival and growth than to comparable changes in costdetermining inputs such as feed and postlarvae costs. Together these results suggest that commercial scale round pond production mimics experimental scale production and that round pond technology has commercial potential.