Stress in shrimp can be overcome by reducing feed and applying probiotics. Aside from that, water quality monitoring is crucial to ensure that shrimp can thrive in ideal conditions, minimizing the risk of stress.
What are the detailed ways of overcoming stress in shrimp? Also, what are the causes and signs of stress in shrimp? Discover more in this article.
Overcoming Stress in Shrimp
Stress in shrimp causes the shrimp to be more susceptible to diseases, underlining the need for farmers to promptly prevent or overcome it. The main goal is ensuring that shrimp can thrive in ideal conditions, grow well, and avoid stress. Here are the ways to overcome stress in shrimp:
1. Paying attention to feeding
Feeding should be done by considering shrimp needs and age. Overfeeding or underfeeding may lead to stress in shrimp. Conduct checks on feeding trays to identify whether the amount of feed given matches the shrimp’s needs. If there are a lot of remaining feed in the tray, reduce the amount of feed by 20%. If there is still a lot of remaining feed during the next check, reduce the feed by 50%.
2. Maintaining water quality
Water quality in the pond should always be maintained, keeping the parameters at an ideal range for shrimp. Intensive or semi-intensive farming systems, which are hugely popular in Indonesia, can potentially cause poor water quality. Monitor water quality regularly and make necessary adjustments to keep the pond water a comfortable environment for shrimp. Siphon and replace the water regularly to improve its quality.
3. Adjusting stocking density with pond capacity
Stocking density should be adjusted with pond capacity. Stocking too much shrimp fry when the pond area is insufficient can cause stress, as the shrimp need to compete with one another in getting food and space to move. As shrimp grow bigger, the pond’s capacity will also decrease, thus partial harvest may be needed to maintain pond capacity.
4. Giving probiotics and additional supplements
Administering probiotics and other supplements can increase shrimp’s immunity, making them more resistant to diseases. By doing so, you can optimize the nutrition that shrimp get and prevent them from being stressed throughout the cultivation process.
Causes of Stress in Shrimp
Stress in shrimp can be caused by environmental conditions, whether they are of physical, chemical, or biological aspects.
1. Physical conditions
Some important physical parameters in the shrimp's living environment include temperature, pH, salinity, and dissolved oxygen (DO). Stress primarily occurs if these parameters change suddenly, for example, due to weather conditions.
Read more: Four Important Physical Parameters of Water Quality in Shrimp Farms
2. Chemical conditions
The chemical conditions of the environment can also cause stress in shrimp, particularly if the mineral content and concentration of organic matter are too high. Thus, monitoring these chemical parameters are essential in ensuring that their levels do not exceed the upper limits.
3. Biological conditions
Shrimp are also influenced by other organisms living in their environment, such as phytoplankton. An excessively high population of phytoplankton in shrimp ponds due to excessive nutrients can cause the phenomenon of blue-green algae (BGA) bloom, which produces toxic compounds. .
Signs of Stress in Shrimp
Shrimp that are stressed due to the environmental factors mentioned above may have the following characteristics:
- Shrimp appear weak and their bodies look pale
- When checking the feeding tray, shrimp do not jump aggressively
- Feeding tray data shows a lot of leftover feed in one day or the feed is finished in the morning, but there are a lot of remaining feed left in the afternoon and evening
- Shrimp's appetite decreases, indicated by a reduction in previously active feeding behavior
- Shrimp swim in circles and speed around
- Shrimp growth noticeably slows down
Identifying Stress in Shrimp by Recording Feeding Tray Data
Although stress in shrimp can be observed through various signs, checking the feeding tray accompanied by regular data recording of shrimp growth will help farmers identify stress conditions more quickly and accurately.
Checking the feeding tray is crucial to ensure the shrimp's condition and optimal feeding. For example, a farmer named Mr. Jali found his feeding tray data and ABW data in the JALA App as follows:
The feeding tray data shows plenty of feed remaining during different checking times. With complete records as shown above, Mr. Jali can identify that his shrimp often do not finish their feed, indicating that they are stressed. Mr. Jali can then take the necessary measures, such as applying probiotics and adjusting water quality.
Conclusion
Shrimp can become stressed due to environmental conditions that are physically, chemically, or biologically suboptimal. Stress in shrimp can be overcome by:
- Paying attention to feeding
- Maintaining water quality
- Adjusting stocking density with pond capacity
- Giving probiotics and additional supplements
Additionally, regularly checking feeding trays can help farmers identify the possibilities of stress in their shrimp, helping them make quicker adjustments.
To record data from feeding tray checks more easily and monitor various other cultivation parameters, farmers can use JALA App. JALA App is an application that is #HeretoHelp farmers record, monitor, and analyze cultivation conditions and make better decisions for their shrimp farm. Register now at app.jala.tech and download the mobile version from Google Play Store or App Store!
