Production of Tiger Shrimp (Penaeus monodon) in Potassium Supplemented Inland Saline Sub-Surface Water

Abstract

Potassium deficient inland saline (10 g L⁻¹ salinity) well water was supplemented with muriate of potash to achieve 50% (57 mg L⁻¹) and 100% (114 mg L⁻¹) of seawater potassium concentration and used for the production of tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon). Total mortality was observed in non-supplemented water within 6 days compared to 88.0% survival in K⁺100% and 85.3% survival in K⁺50% up to 60 days. P. monodon were subsequently cultured for 110 days in two identical 0.25-ha ponds supplied with water of 10 g L⁻¹ and supplemented with the potassium equivalent of 35% of seawater. Survival and production were 55.8% to 64.25% and 157.70 kg (630.8 kg ha⁻¹) to 172.75 kg (691 kg ha⁻¹), respectively.

KEYWORDS:

• Inland saline water
• potassium supplementation
• tiger shrimp
• survival
• growth
• production

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work was carried out under the Niche Area of Excellence Project of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. The authors are thankful to Dr. Dilip Kumar, Director, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai, for providing facilities for carrying out this work. We also record our sincere thanks to Dr. S. C. Mukherjee, Joint Director, for constant encouragement.