Effect of Intensification on Grow Out of the Amazon River Prawn, Macrobrachium amazonicum

Abstract

The effects of intensification on growth, survival, productivity, population structure, and distribution of harvested biomass in individual size classes of Macrobrachium amazonicum in semi‐intensive culture were evaluated. Postlarvae (0.01 g) were stocked in 12 ponds at densities of 10, 20, 40, and 80/m2 (three replicates per treatment) and raised for 5.5 mo. Average individual weight significantly decreased and productivity significantly increased as stocking density increased (P < 0.001), while survival was not affected (P > 0.05). Prawn mean weight at harvest ranged from 3.6 (80/m2) to 7.0 g (10/m2). Average survival ranged from 65.5% (40/m2) to 72.8% (20/m2), while productivity ranged from 508 (10/m2) to 2051 kg/ha (80/m2). Harvested biomass showed a clear bimodal distribution in individual size classes indicating the occurrence of heterogeneous growth, which may affect management and market strategies. Harvested biomass of prawns weighing more than 7 g (the best market size) increases for stocking densities up to 40/m2 and stabilizes between 40 and 80/m2. Growth reduction was associated with a decreasing frequency and average weight of green claw 1 and green claw 2 male morphotypes and adult females as density increased. Thus, the distribution of male morphotypes and sexually mature females are affected by density‐dependent factors. Results suggest that prawn density plays an important role on M. amazonicum grow‐out phase, as has been demonstrated for other species of the genus Macrobrachium. M. amazonicum tolerates grow‐out intensification and may be raised in both semi‐intensive and intensive systems stocked at very high densities yielding high productivity.

The budget of nitrogen in the grow‐out of the Amazon river prawn ( Macrobrachium amazonicum Heller) and tambaqui ( Colossoma macropomum Cuvier) farmed in monoculture and in integrated multitrophic aquaculture systems

“…Water replacement varied between a maximum of 91.3% for the PM treatment and a minimum of 84.2% for the IMTA. The temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and other water quality ranges of the present study were similar to those observed for the monocultures of Amazon river prawn (Moraes‐Valenti & Valenti, ; Preto, Kimpara, Moraes‐Valenti, Rosa, & Valenti, ) and tambaqui (Ferrari, Lucas, & Gaspar, ; Gomes et al, ; Cunha & Santos, ) in earthen grow‐out ponds. Thus, the use of recycled culture water is shown as technically feasible for the monocultures and integrated cultures of these two species.…”

Population structure and relative growth of the Amazon shrimp Macrobrachium amazonicum (Heller, 1862) (Decapoda: Palaemonidae) on two islands in the fluvial-estuarine plain of the Brazilian Amazon

“…This great environmental plasticity of the species has been related to intraspecific differences ranging from morphological characteristics (Porto, 2004) to genetic variations (Peixoto, 2002;Pileggi and Mantelatto, 2010;Vergamini et al, 2011) which might reflect specific conditions of survival, development, reproduction, focused on artificial environments (Coelho et al, 1982;Lobão et al, 1996;Moraes-Riodades and Valenti, 2002;Moraes-Valenti and Valenti, 2007;Marques et al, 2012). Relative growth in natural populations are poorly known (Flexa et al, 2005;Silva et al, 2007;Bentes et al, 2011;Freire et al, 2012) and the available data are not yet sufficient for a satisfactory comprehension of the plasticity of the species in relation to environmental changes in the many Amazon ecosystems (Maciel and Valenti, 2009).…”

From lecithotrophy to planktotrophy: ontogeny of larval feeding in the Amazon River prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum

“…In contrast to Palaemonetes spp., many of the > 200 extant species of Macrobrachium grow to large body sizes and are therefore economically valuable targets for regional fisheries and aquaculture (New & Valenti 2000, Wickins & Lee 2002, Nwosu et al 2007). Among these species, the Amazon River prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum (Heller 1862) has remained relatively unknown, although its potential for aquaculture and fisheries is highly rated (Kutty et al 2000, Moraes-Valenti & Valenti 2007. It is widely distributed along the northern and northeastern coasts of South America (Holthuis 1952, Rodríguez 1982, Montoya 2003, and fully limnic inland populations live in the Amazon and Orinoco River basins (Walker 1992, Odinetz Collart & Rabelo 1996, as well as in the upper Parana and Paraguay systems (Pettovello 1996, Bialetzki et al 1997, Magalhães 2000, Hayd & Nakagaki 2002.…”