CULTIVATION OF SHRIMP 

 IN ARTIFICIAL PONDS 



This project was started in December 1964 

 to determine the feasibility of culturing shrimp 

 commercially in ponds under seminatural 

 conditions. More specifically, this research 

 is designed to give information on the cost 

 of pond construction and maintenance and 

 provide data on environmental factors within 

 the pond that nnay affect growth and survival 

 rate of pond-held shrimp. 



Procedures 



A different rearing technique is being at- 

 tempted in each of the two ponds (100 ft. 

 by 50 ft. by 4 1/2 ft.). One pond (circulating- 

 water pond) has a continuous exchange of 

 water filtered through oyster shell, and the 

 shrimp are fed daily with a prepared diet. 

 In the other pond (static-water pond), we add 

 water only to compensate for evaporation loss, 

 and add commercial fertilizer to promote the 

 growth of plankton for natural food for shrinnp 

 (fig. 8). 



Stocking of the ponds with postlarval brown 

 shrimp required 4 days and was completed 

 April 1, 1965. Final production was tentatively 

 estimated at 125 lb. (pounds) of 26- to 30- 

 count shrimp per pond. Limited data on 

 mortality of reared shrimp indicated that to 

 attain this goal, an initial stocking of about 

 9,000 postlarval shrinnp would be required 

 in each pond. These postlarvae were collected 

 as they migrated into the Galveston estuarine 

 system and were "hand-picked" in an attempt 



to eliminate predators. Three wk. after stock- 

 ing, we began sampling shrimp weekly to 

 obtain information on their growth. 



Water samples have also been collected 

 periodically and analyzed for dissolved oxygen, 

 pH, nitrite, nitrate, total and inorganic phos- 

 phate, and chlorophyll. In addition, we have 

 measured salinity and temperature daily. Aver- 

 age weekly temperature and salinity values 

 obtained during the first 11 wk. of the initial 

 experiment are presented in table 2. 



Preliminary Results 



In the static-water pond a lush growth of 

 plankton was obtained during the first 3 wk. 

 after stocking. Plankton counts showed an 

 increase in numbers of flagellates and dino- 

 flagellates followed by an increase in rotifers. 

 At the end of the 3-wk. period, we tried un- 

 successfully to catch shrimp. When we drained 

 the pond, we found no shrinnp. The bottom of 

 the pond had a smelly black layer. The shrimp 

 mortality was probably caused by low oxygen 

 content, which we attribute to the lush growth 

 and death of plankton. 



This pond, after being thoroughly flushed and 

 refilled, was again stocked with about 6,000 

 postlarval brown shrimp on May 6. Water 

 fertility was not adjusted, for we felt that 

 residue from the fertilizer originally used 

 might be annple to ensure adequate plankton 

 growth. Data obtained on growth in length 

 and weight of shrinnp during the next 6 wk. 

 supported this assumption. Growth in length 

 averaged 1.5 nnm. (0.06 in.) per day, and in 

 weight 0.07 g. (0.0025 oz.) per day (fig. 9). 



Figure 8. — Ponds dredged for cultivation of shrimp. 



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