Food consumption, moulting and survival of Penaeus semisulcatus during over-wintering

Abstract

Over‐wintering of Penaeus semisulcatus (20.61 g) at three different temperatures (14, 18 and 22°C) was carried out in a greenhouse in three different closed recirculating systems. Temperature significantly influenced specific growth rate (SGR) and moulting interval (MI) (P<0.05). The SGR was 15‐fold higher and the MI was 2.7‐fold shorter at 22°C in comparison with 14°C. The relationship between SGR and temperature (T) was: Y=−0.053+0.070T (R2=0.97). Shrimps over‐wintered at 14°C consumed almost three times less food (0.43% body weight) than those at 22°C (1.28%) (P<0.05). A positive relationship (FR=0.426T–0.020, R2=0.99) was observed between feeding rate (FR) and temperature. The survival rate achieved at 14, 18 and 22°C over the experimental period of 70 days was 87%, 67% and 73% respectively. Our data indicate that it is possible to over‐winter this shrimp species in the sub‐tropical regions by maintaining water temperature at around 14°C and 39 ppt salinity, in which little energy expenditure is needed, and the shrimp can survive and consume minimum amount of feed.

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“…Over-wintered shrimps having mean initial weight of 3.8 g stocked into Pond B in 1 st of June 2003 reached to about 22 g in only 2 months (in early August). This should obviously give flexibility and increase profitability of shrimp farms and may even provide a chance to produce two crops in one season with an average marketable size of about 20 g. P. semisulcatus consume very low amount of food at temperatures between 14 and 18ºC and exhibit almost zero growth during the over-wintering period in closed systems in greenhouse (Kir, 2004;Kumlu and Kır, 2005). Extremely rapid growth displayed in the present study in Pond B during the first 30-days by the over-wintered shrimps is thought to be due to compensatory growth, which is a response to restore original growth trajectory.…”

“…To achieve this, spawning, larval and nursery culture has to be carried out in greenhouses during winter months (Sturmer and Lawrence, 1988) until water temperature of grow-out ponds is warm enough for fast growth. Another strategy could utilize geothermal waters where available (Appelbaum et al, 2002) or to over-winter post-larvae (PLs) throughout the cold season at the cheapest possible cost (Kumlu and Kır, 2005) and then stock them into grow-out ponds in the next warm season .…”

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“…. As a result, studies on shrimp culture under Mediterranean climatic conditions have been directed towards intensification and indoor RAS culture techniques to better control water parameters particularly temperature to increase yield per water volume and to regularly supply market with fresh products throughout the year (Kumlu & Kır, 2005;Kumlu et al, 2010a;Kumlu, Kumlu, & Turkmen, 2010b;Kumlu, Türkmen, Kumlu, & Eroldoğan, 2011).…”

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“…This species can be readily reproduced in captivity, has wide tolerance to environmental parameters, better utilizes low-protein containing diets, and grows fast compared to other penaeid shrimp species (Wyban, 2007). It is well known that shrimp growth is fast during the warm season (25-34C) between May and October (5-6 months) in the Mediterranean region Kumlu and Kır, 2005). If this species is to be cultured sucessfuly in the subtropical regions of Turkey, its reproduction has to be fully controlled and its seed production must be shifted towards winter or early-spring in the year.…”