Freshwater Shrimp Farming is Feasible
Brackishwater tiger prawn(Penaeus monodon) farming is an established industry, while giant freshwater prawn(Macrobrachium rosenbergii) farming is still in the development stage in the country.
Aside from brackishwater tiger prawn or sugpo and giant freshwater prawn or ulang which require costly hatchery facilities and feeds to produce, we have indigenous freshwater shrimps like the Macrobrachium idella that does not grow as big as the prawns but is cheaper to farm.
M. idella is a medium-sized shrimp found in many of our lakes, rivers, and dams. Due to overfishing and destruction of its habitats, however, wild populations of the shrimp have dwindled.
In Lake Bato of Camarines Sur and Albay, the M idella is harvested in commercial quantities, according to researcher Edna Agasen of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute. The species breeds in the lake throughout the year but the peak months are March and April. Fresh shrimps are sold at P40-P60 per kilo depending on size (males are bigger than the females), while the dried shrimps are priced at P60-P80 per kilo.
The first report on the maturation and breeding of M idella in captivity was made by this writer and Eunice Villanueva at the Freshwater Aquaculture Center of the Central Luzon State University (FAC-CLSU) in 1978. Maturation and breeding of the shrimp in freshwater ponds were observed. Eggbearing females placed in aquaria with well-water(less than 1ppt salinity) produce juvenile shrimps in 21-31 days.
It was clearly shown that unlike bigger prawns, M. idella can reproduce itself entirely in freshwater without the need for expensive hatchery and nursery facilities requiring saline waters.
Being a plankton-feeder, M. idella can be cultured in freshwater ponds with organic and/or inorganic fertilization, although supplemental feeds can be given to hasten its growth.
A study done at the FAC-CLSU showed that stocking of 44 adult M. idella with average weight of 10 grams in a fertilized 0.1-hectare pond produced over 2,700 young shrimps with a total weight of 16.49 kilos after nine months of culture. In another pond stocked with 200 juvenile shrimps with an average weight of 2.7 grams, more than 400 young were produced with a total weight of 4.97 kilos (including the adult shrimps) after 136days of culture. These indicated that stocking of adult shrimps can produce more young than stocking of juveniles and that the maturation of the shrimps is achieved in less than four months.
The M. idella can also be polycultured or grown together in fertilized ponds with the Nile tilapia(Oreochromis niloticus), according to a study done Luzviminda Guerrero of Aquatic Bosystems in Bay, Laguna. She found that stocking of fingerlings at two per square meter and adult shrimps at four per square meter produce the equivalent of 600 kilo per hectare of tilapia and 45 kilos per hectare of the shrimp after four months of culture.
Supplemental feeding has been found to increase freshwater shrimp production in ponds. Feeding of tilapia with an artificial feed (20 percent crude protein) in a polyculture system increased the yield of the shrimp by 28 compared with no feeding. When the shrimp was fed with dried ayungin (Therapon plumbeus) and African nightcrawler (Eudrilus eugeniae), it was found that the earthworm gave a higher total gain, lower feed conversion. and a greater production of juveniles than the fish.
Here are tips for pond operators who would like to try freshwater shrimp farming.
1. Prepare the pond properly so that no predators like catfish and goby are present.
2. Fill the pond to a water depth of at least 0.6 meter.
3. Fertilize the pond with dried chicken manure in sacks suspended in the water at 500 kilos per hectare every two weeks to promote the growth of plankton.
4. Procure your initial M idella breeders (5-10 grams) from local sources and stock at the rate of 2-4 per square meter with a sex ratio of 1-2 females per male (bigger in size with longer arms).
5. Provide brush shelters (made of bamboo or tree twigs) or allow the growth of submersed aquatic weeds like digman to serve as refuge for the shrimp when molting (shedding of shell) and increase surface area for growth of food organisms.
6. Culture it for at least four months.
Popularity: 23%
Popularity: 23%


February 13th, 2009 at 7:03 am
Im and entrepreneur who will go ahead with the idea of setting up a farm to grow Tilapia and Fresh water shrimp in my country Colombia, that happens to have a very warm clime and lots of good quality water. I need help and if possible partnership.
February 18th, 2009 at 12:20 am
thanks
April 6th, 2009 at 12:22 am
We have developed Aqua Plus Probiotics designed for brachish water and even in fishponds, fishcages.
We are now encouraging the past investors to look at the option of using Aqua Plus Probiotics for tiger prawns. Let us atart the multi billion business once again and we are willing to share our technology for free. Try to visit macabebe pampanga, now they are enjoying bountiful harvest of tiger prawns 80-95% survival rate.Very interesting. Thank you. Hope to hear from you soon guys. God Bless the industry.
April 14th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Regards
Ifeanyi Oliaku
April 18th, 2009 at 3:56 am
I contact me on my email:davaosales@bioorganicplus.com.ph and we will share to you through email the steps in making your shrimp farming successful. may agribusinessweek.com allow us to have communication. Agribusinessweek.com makes me more close to my endeavor now in practicing GREEN. Thank you and more power.
Sandy
May 28th, 2009 at 1:12 am
May 28th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
God Bless you and Agribusinessweek.com
June 10th, 2009 at 8:38 am
I just read your reply. I am in India and also research freshwater shrimp harvesting, problems in harvesting, risks, diseases, prevention, etc.
Any information you may have would be a huge help.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:51 am
I just saw all your information about shrimp farming . I am interested in starting a small fresh water shrimp farm in my country Bulgaria . Pls guide me to some company which can help me with building and developing this business . From all researching I’ve did up to now the appropriate shrimp is White Shrimp or Vannamei .
waiting for your answer.
Thank you in advance.
June 18th, 2009 at 6:19 am
I am in to cat fish farming in lagos nigeria, i am looking to go in to fresh water shrimps farming, i like to know more about it, as to what all will be needed for it and what quantity shoud i go in for thr first time
reagrds
June 21st, 2009 at 9:21 pm
August 19th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
September 6th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
It’s very informative since I have no Idea in Aquaculture of any kind & my sister is encouraging me to invest (small scale) in Freshwater Shrimp Farming.
Do know someone in Samar, Calbayog City in particular, that has Technical know-how bout this industry & supplier for hatchlings?
Thanks in advance & more power!
October 13th, 2009 at 11:48 am
October 13th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
http://www.agribusinessweek.com/freshwater-shrimp-technical-guide/
October 21st, 2009 at 12:38 am
October 24th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
October 24th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
November 19th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
December 6th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
December 6th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
January 25th, 2010 at 8:21 am
February 24th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
February 24th, 2010 at 11:09 pm
we have a quality live shrimp here in my place
April 6th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
April 9th, 2010 at 12:26 am
i’m also from cdo. am interested. pls put your cell number so we can communicate better.
thanks
remus
April 21st, 2010 at 5:34 pm
May 20th, 2010 at 8:59 am
I am planning to start a small shrimp farming business in south India , Can you send me research freshwater shrimp harvesting, problems in harvesting, risks, diseases, prevention, etc.
June 1st, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Building is on 5 acres price $1,500,000 Canadian $ each. lots of storage for shiping, rail sper, truck 2 k away.
June 1st, 2010 at 4:57 pm
June 11th, 2010 at 12:02 am
June 11th, 2010 at 12:06 am
June 14th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
I AM INTERESTED IN STARTING A SHRIMP FARM 75KMS.OUTSIDE MUMBAI MAHARASHTRA INDIA,AND I AM IN NEED OF LIVE SHRIMP (SMALL) FOR THAT PURPOSE.KINDLY SEND ME YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS,COST AND MODE OF DELIVERY AS I COULD NOT ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH YOU ON YOUR GIVEN PHONE NO.PLS.SEND ME E-MAIL ON MY E-MAIL ID.
June 26th, 2010 at 6:21 pm
July 1st, 2010 at 9:32 am
July 8th, 2010 at 4:10 am
July 29th, 2010 at 11:16 am
August 13th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
August 15th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
I am interested to buy post larvae shrimps. May I know how to contact shrimp farmers? Please advise, thank you. Please email highyieldshrimp@gmail.com
August 15th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
I am interested. Please communicate through emails. My email: highyieldshrimp@gmail.com
August 15th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
I would like to communicate with you through email. Please email to: highyieldshrimp@gmail.com
August 18th, 2010 at 2:21 am
I am Gnanamani from India,If you need any information pertaining to shrimp aquaculture( P.Monodon- Tiger shrimp,M.Rosenbergii-Fresh water prawn,P.Vannamei – White shrimp)Pls write to me.,I will try to help you with my little knowledge.,My contact- email-tgnanamani@yahoo.com and mobile no :+91 9940133421.
Wish you best
August 29th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
September 6th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
October 2nd, 2010 at 11:23 pm
October 2nd, 2010 at 11:26 pm
November 24th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Good day!
My son is writing a thesis on macrobrachium rosenbergi so we are looking for at least 1 to 2 inches big of this specie for observation for two months. Do we buy from CLSU? How much? We need at least 100 pcs.
Thank you for your attention.
Mrs. Saguil
January 29th, 2011 at 3:02 am
I like to start a fresh water farming in shrimps, lobsters, crabs, mussels, in ponds, please advise me the possibilies and advices to start a small project in srilanka
Thanks
Ashroff
February 5th, 2011 at 11:10 pm
February 7th, 2011 at 10:58 pm
for planting fruits like lychees, durians, rambutans, in srilanka
thanks
ashroff
February 21st, 2011 at 10:55 am
February 27th, 2011 at 6:34 pm
April 23rd, 2011 at 4:43 am
April 30th, 2011 at 2:58 pm
June 25th, 2011 at 6:56 am
i would like to know how feasible and likely to put up a business like shrimp framing ,, im a student and we want shrimp farming to proposed as our feasibility study,,, is freshwater farming better than salt water shrimp farming…………??? thnx
July 12th, 2011 at 8:06 am
September 3rd, 2011 at 4:22 pm
We have a ‘ready to go’ aquaculture system available for small farmers. This has been developed for lower income countries and is fully self sustained.
Financing is offered based on license fees.
Email: stevenrich@mailme123.com for more information.
October 14th, 2011 at 6:25 am
December 13th, 2011 at 10:56 am
December 27th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
January 10th, 2012 at 10:19 pm
Baka may mga kilala kayo exporter ng vannamei shrimps.
I can supply.
Contact me at my email;
email: pasayan@yahoo.com
January 30th, 2012 at 5:54 pm
February 5th, 2012 at 6:38 pm
February 13th, 2012 at 11:57 pm
February 25th, 2012 at 9:16 pm
thank you!
p.s. contact me in any way possible:
phone: 09287352746
email: anne_elf15@yahoo.com
March 8th, 2012 at 11:32 pm
March 8th, 2012 at 11:37 pm
March 9th, 2012 at 10:02 pm
March 9th, 2012 at 10:29 pm
This is Faye from Magic Lagoon. Our company is a Restaurant, Bar & Grill for 6 years at Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
I’m looking for suppliers of Live sea foods like lapu lapu, prawns, shrimp, tilapya. As much as possible within central Luzon only.
Please, kindly provide:
Price per piece
Minimum order quantity
I would appreciate your early reply in advance.
Sincerely ,
Faye Punzalan- Magic Lagoon
March 11th, 2012 at 6:39 pm
I am looking to set up/ buy existing Peaneus Monodon & Vannemai farms in and around Yanam/ Andhra Pradesh. If someone wish to sell / lease or have contacts of land or farms, please email to ganesh@ragafoods.com . I am also looking for technical consultants who can render their services in setting up aqua culture business for export purposes.
Regards
Ganesh
March 13th, 2012 at 7:12 pm
Im koomarko (Hydrotechnology Water Services) from Baguio,I wonder how feasible the shrimp farming by using small space with same water quality as same as the old ways.I’m in a water treatment field so I believe it is all about in chemistry analysis.Anyways,
What is the water quality requirement anyway and where can I buy the fingerlings?
Appreciate your feedback,thanks so much.
Regards,
Mark Omadto/09266115811
March 25th, 2012 at 10:31 pm
April 5th, 2012 at 1:07 am
We have available prawn fingerlings for sale.
Interest please contact thru eddie_s_guitche@yahoo.com.
Regards,
Eddie
April 5th, 2012 at 11:19 am
April 8th, 2012 at 1:25 am
we have the tiger prawn. our hatchery is located @panaon misamis occidental mindanao.
tnx
April 12th, 2012 at 7:16 am
thanks, i will be grateful to a quick response.
May 5th, 2012 at 10:47 am
Let me know, boomstockmanila@gmail.com
May 7th, 2012 at 11:07 am
magkano nman ang tiger prawn fingerling nyo?kasama shipping?nasa ipil zambuanga sibugay ang area ko,may fingerlings din ba kau ng putian?
May 7th, 2012 at 11:16 am
May 8th, 2012 at 3:40 am
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