Factors affecting maturation and spawning of Penaeus esculentus in the laboratory

Abstract only.Adult tiger prawns Penaeus esculentus were held in laboratory tanks under varying conditions of tank size, density, temperature and photoperiod for assessment of ovarian maturation and spawning. Both eyestalk ablated and intact females were studied. Maturation and spawning of intact females was favored by conditions of warm temperature (26°C) and long days (14.5 hr), whereas ovary maturation did not occur at lower temperature (20°C) and short days (12 hr). Tank size was a critical factor with intact females as maturation and spawning required a large tank (4 m2). Spawning did not occur in small tanks (1 m2) despite ideal temperature and photoperiod conditions. Unilaterally ablated females matured and spawned under both short day-cold temperature conditions and in small tanks, but the success rate was greater under long day-warm temperature conditions in large tanks. Intact females required 40-60 days before onset of ovary maturation, whereas ablated females showed maturation to ovary stage III approximately 20 days after ablation. Mating success was severely limited under small tank conditions but occurred normally in the large tanks

Commercial grow‐out performance and cost‐benefit analysis for farm production of the brown tiger shrimp Penaeus esculentus.

The brown tiger shrimp Penaeus esculentus is a valuable Australian shrimp species which has aquaculture potential as an alternative species for commercial culture. Commercial grow-out of P. esculentus demonstrated that this species can be grown to a marketable size in a period well within the conventional grow-out season for Australian shrimp farms. A bioeconomic model was developed to quantify the economic feasibility of commercial production of P. esculentus relative to the more commonly farmed species Penaeus monodon. The cost-benefit analysis supports the potential of P. esculentus to be grown with similar profitability to P. monodon, although farm trials of P. monodon production resulted in a higher profit per ha. A scenario analysis was used to identify the critical values of several parameters that would make P. esculentus as profitable as P. monodon. Importantly, the inherently slower growth rate of P. esculentus compared to P. monodon is compensated for by the better prices received by P. esculentus. A 5% increase in growth for P. esculentus would generate equal profitability. This growth improvement could be achieved through selective breeding or further development of a specific P. esculentus diet The outcome of this analysis confirms the potential for P. esculentus to be cost-effectively grown as an additional species by Australian shrimp farmers

The effects of temperature on the growth, survival and biomass of different families of juvenile Penaeus japonicus Bate

Variation in the growth, survival and change in total biomass (termed biomass increase) of different families of juvenile Penaeus japonicus was investigated over a range of temperatures in controlled laboratory experiments. In the first experiment, the effects of temperature on six families of juveniles were examined over a broad range of temperatures (24 to 30 degreesC). In the second experiment, the effects of temperature on six more families of juveniles were examined over a narrower range of temperatures (27.5 to 31.2 degreesC). Over the broad temperature range, mean growth and biomass increase were highest at 27 degreesC and mean survival was highest at 24 degreesC. Mean growth was lowest at 24 degreesC, whilst survival and biomass increase were lowest at 30 degreesC. However, there was a significant interaction between family and temperature, with some families tolerating a broader range of temperatures than others. As a result, the ranking of families in relation to growth, survival and biomass increase changed at each temperature. This effect was more pronounced for survival than for growth. Over the narrower range, temperature significantly affected growth, survival and biomass increase, but there was no significant interaction between family and temperature. Growth, survival and biomass increase were significantly lower at 31.2 than at 27.5 and 29.2 degreesC. These results suggest that if grow-out conditions for P. japonicus vary by more than a few degrees, interactions between family and temperature could affect the efficiency of selection. The results also suggest that the family x temperature interaction may have a more pronounced effect on survival than on growth. Crown Copyright (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

The effects of density on the growth and survival of different families of juvenile Penaeus japonicus Bate

Variations in the growth and survival of six families of juvenile (initial mean weight = 4.16 g) Penaeus japonicus were examined at two densities (48 and 144 individuals m(-2)) in a controlled laboratory experiment. Survival was very high throughout the experiment (95.4%), but differed significantly between densities and rearing tanks. Family, sex and family x density interaction did not significantly affect survival. Mean specific growth rate (SGR) of the shrimp was 18% faster at the low density (1.93 +/- 0.05% day(-1)) than at high density (1.64 +/- 0.03% day(-1)). However, there was a small but significant interaction between family and density indicating that growth of the families was not consistent at both densities. The inconsistent growth of the families across the two densities resulted in a change in the relative performance (ranking) of families at each density. Sex, rearing tank and rearing cage also affected growth of the shrimp. Mean SGR of the females (1.79 +/- 0.03% day(-1)) was 5% faster than males (1.70 +/- 0.03% day(-1)) when averaged across both densities. Shrimp grew significantly faster in rearing tank 3 than rearing tank 1 or 2 at both densities. Results of the present study suggest that family x density interaction could affect the efficiency of selection for growth if shrimp stocks produced from shrimp breeding programs are to be grown across a wide range of densities. Crown Copyright (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Reproductive dynamics of endeavour prawns, Metapenaeus endeavouri and M-ensis, in Albatross Bay, Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia

The spawning patterns of two penaeid prawns, Metapenaeus endeavouri (Schmitt) and M. ensis (De Haan), were examined from data collected at 45 stations between March 1986 and March 1992. An index of population fecundity based on the abundance, proportion and fecundity of sexually mature females was used as a measure of spawning output of the prawn stock. The population fecundity index for M. ensis was higher than that for M. endeavouri. The monthly population fecundity index for M. endeavouri varied markedly among years, while that for M. ensis was consistent among years. Spawning of M. endeavouri occurred year-round, while that of M. ensis was concentrated mainly in spring (September to November). For M. endeavouri, a minor spawning, derived from a relatively small number of summer spawners, occurred in the 20 to 30 m offshore waters in summer. In early summer (after May), the major spawning group consisted of large females from the winter-spawning cohort, and the spawning area shifted to depths of 30 to 60 m. In winter (July), the major spawning, derived from the winter-spawning cohort, occurred at depths of 20 to 40 m. For M. ensis, the major spawning, derived from the spring-spawning cohort, was observed in depths 40 m) by May and July, respectively, and return to shallow waters