Production of Freshwater Shrimp in Ohio Laura G. Tiu, Aquaculture Specialist OSU South Centers Bob Calala Calala’s Water Haven Inc.

What are they?  Malaysian Prawns –When is a prawn a shrimp?  Life Cycle –Hatchery (Feb-Mar) – Nursery (Apr-May) – Growout (June-Sept) Nursed juveniles (60 days old)

History  1960’s Research in Hawaii  1970’s Research in Florida  1980’s Research at Mississippi State University  1990’s Research at Kentucky State University  2001 Approved for culture in Ohio  2002 First research in Ohio  2003 Latitude Study  2004 Feed Study  2005 High density  2006 One acre pond  2007 ?

Where is this happening?  Mississippi –Commodity work  Arkansas, Georgia  Tennessee, Kentucky  Illinois, Indiana  Ohio  Nebraska –tanks  Iowa –heated effluent

What do you need to know  Business planning  Permit (ODNR) –Publication 61(Q&A) –$50.00/year  Pond Construction  Production  Marketing

What to expect (Short Version)  Build pond/get permit/arrange seed/feed  Lime/fertilize  Stock Shrimp (1 st week of June)  Feed daily/test water weekly  Aerate As Needed  Worry daily, because you can’t see them  Develop marketing plan  Harvest in September

Pre-Season (January-February)  Determine Stocking Density  16,000 – 24,000/acre  20,000-30,000/acre w/substrate  Order Shrimp –You pick up or delivered –Are they graded? –Nurseries Ohio (Calala’s Water Haven) Kentucky, Mississippi, Texas  Order/Arrange Feed  Plan Aeration  Get Permit –Ohio Department of Natural Resources –$50.00/year

Liming (April-May)  Prawns are very sensitive to low and high pH  Test water and soil –You want water alkalinity > 40 mg/L –You want soil pH > 6.5 at sunrise  Use Agricultural Limestone –Add to soil before filling pond –1,000 – 10,000 lbs/surface acre Determined by soil quality $77.00

Fertilization  Pros –Stimulates natural foods –Faster growth of juveniles  Cons –May increase predators –Creates oxygen demand –Can speed growth of filamentous algae –May contain antibiotics (manure) –May raise pH $200.00

Fertilization (2 weeks before stock)  Organic fertilization: plant or animal products  Animal manure  200 pounds/acre in order to kick start things  pounds of horse (or other) manure per week for the first two weeks.  Alfalfa meal. (Soybean meal, Distillers Grains)  200 pounds/acre/week  Apply in the shallow areas to insure good mixing.  Inorganic fertilization:  liquid fertilizer (ammonium nitrate) available at most farm supply stores  spray it evenly on the pond with a backpack sprayer  gallons per acre/per week.  phosphoric acid  10 oz./acre/week.  Take extra precautions as these chemicals can cause burns on eyes and skin.

Stocking Shrimp (June 1-15)  Fill pond  Monitor pH –No more that 0.5 pH units difference  Acclimate shrimp to temperature, pH  Count shrimp –shrimp numbers often underestimated –Count three samples and extrapolate –Graded shrimp will be uniform –Ungraded shrimp will not be uniform

Pond Maintenance (June-Sept)  Aerate As Needed  Control predators (screen water) –Insects –Bullfrogs –Turtles –Birds  Monitor water quality  Feed  Keep records  Develop a marketing plan

Feeding (June-Sept)  Feed once or twice a day –If once, before sunset  Distribute feed all over pond –Especially edges  Store feed in cool dry place  Do not feed moldy feed  Hold back feed if it’s building up in pond

Feeding (June-Sept) 16,000 shrimp/acre June = 25 lbs/day July 1-15 = 30 lbs/day July = 40 lbs/day Aug 1-15 = 50 lbs/day Aug = 60 lbs/day Sept 1-15 = 60 lbs/day Sept = 50 lbs/day Total = 5000 lbs feed/acre 25,000 shrimp/acre (with substrate) June = 25 lbs/day July 1-15 = 40 lbs/day July = 50 lbs/day Aug 1-15 = 65 lbs/day Aug = 75 lbs/day Sept 1-15 = 75 lbs/day Sept = 65 lbs/day Total = 6300 lbs feed/acre

Sampling (June-Sept)  Can sample with a cast net  Can see red eyes at night with flashlight  Sometimes you will find molts

Harvesting  Time how long it takes pond to drain –Write this down!  Shrimp will follow water  Have baskets and clean aerated water  Have ice  Have scale  Keep notes (pounds, times, etc.)  Get help

Questions ?