A new approach in intensive nursery rearing of penaeids

Abstract

The need for a nursery phase between the hatchery and the growing pond to avoid mortalities of young postlarvae, and provide a better assessment of stocked animals is general in crustacean aquaculture.

The Centre Oceanologique du Pacifique recently developed a new culture technique using strong aeration, no water exchange and no external filter or artificial substrates. The technique relies on the development of a phytoplankton and bacterial medium with both nutritive and purifying qualities. Early postlarvae (PL3) are grown for a month or less up to 0.1 g mean weight, in 10 to 100 m3 tanks, at densities of 1 to 10 individuals/ℓ. The mean daily growth rates are around 20% for Penaeus indicus, P. stylirostris and P. vannamei and only 12-15% for P. monodon. For all species tested, density has little or no influence on growth. The final survival rates are generally high.