Read this article to figure out the ways to keep on cultivating giant prawns in a pond successfully.
Macrobrachium rosenbergii or giant prawns are known as a valuable commodity among all species from freshwater prawn farming. Thanks to the popularity and high demand for consumption, many farmers try to figure out ways so that they can have a better result in cultivating giant prawns. To achieve high-quality giant prawns' harvest, read the information about the ways to cultivate giant prawns in a pond.
Consider the Size of the Pond
Consider the size of the pond with a rectangular shape when cultivating giant prawns in a pond. The purpose is to help you to draw the prawns from the end of the pond to the other sides when harvest time. Make sure you choose the pond with excellent soil and a good location to prevent periodic external flooding.
Determine the Depth of the Pond
After determining the size of the pond, you need to make a pond about 0.75m to 1.2m deep. The purposes are to keep the water temperature more stable as well as to facilitate the management of seining in the pond. Avoid the use of shallow pond as this type of pond tend to contribute the rooted aquatic plants' growth.
Construct the Banks of the Pond
The next step to do for cultivating giant prawns is to construct the pond banks. Determine the construction of the pond banks. It is needed to prevent the damage nets and inefficient seining so the water intake can get through the bottom of the pond smoothly. Besides that, the banks of the pond should be high enough to maintain the pond from flooding.
Providing Water in the Pond
After constructing the pond, you need to fill the pond with water. To produce good giant prawns, fill the pond with high-quality water. The quality of water is essential in a pond. You need to keep the levels of dissolved oxygen with aeration every day during the aquaculture period. You also need to monitor the parameters of water quality, like the hardness, temperature, alkalinity, and pH. With the maintenance of water quality, you can cultivate the giant prawns successfully.
Stocking the Giant Prawns
After you fill the pond with high-quality water, you can stock the juveniles of giant prawns. Before you move the prawns to the pond, make sure the water temperature is about 20 degrees Celsius to avoid stress. The juveniles are rather sensitive at a low temperature. You may consider stocking about 12,000 to 24,000 prawns per acre at maximum to produce higher-quality prawns.
Feeding the Giant Prawns
The next step is to feed the juvenile prawns with sufficient food. Besides obtaining nutrition from the natural organism in the pond, you can begin feeding them a pelleted feed with an ingredient of 38% protein. If you pay attention to the feed quality, the juvenile prawns will reach weight from 35 to 45g with an 85% survival chance at the end of the grow-out season.
In conclusion, cultivating giant prawns is no longer difficult. Try to follow these ways or ask the experienced prawn farmers so you can have better giant prawns production. Good luck!
Sources:
http://www.fao.org/3/y4100e/y4100e08.htm
https://freshwater-aquaculture.extension.org/prawn-freshwater/
https://thefishsite.com/articles/freshwater-prawns-pond-production-and-growout