Credit: Sherif Sadek and Mohamed Sabry (ACO), Egypt
Reporting: Abdel Rahman El Gamal
The post larvae (PL) of the Indian white prawn (Penaeus indicus) upon purchasing from shrimp hatcheries are typically PL-15. Shrimp farms which have nursing facilities such as this farm receive the PL-15 shrimp for nursing in such polyethylene lined facility as shown in the photo. During a 30-day nursing period, the post larvae are offered specialized shrimp feed with a protein and fact contents of 34% and 15% respectively. The size of feed crumbles starts with 0.6 mm increasing as shrimp grows while ending with 2-mm diameter by the end of nursing period where the shrimp develops to juveniles of about 1.2 – 1.5 g average size. These juveniles will be suitable to be harvested and moved to grow-out ponds. The survival rate during the nursing period is estimated to be about 75%.
