FRESHWATER PRAWNS

Macrobrachium rosenbergii AND

AQUAPONICS SYSTEMS: AN
EXPERIENCE OF ONE FARM
Josh Reitsma Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
Ed Osmun E&T Farms

E&T Farms
Aquaponics farm in West Barnstable, MA
Production of fish
Production of greens

Outdoor farm production

Honey production and pollination services
Blueberry production

Small scale agriculture of other crops

Current Aquaponics Systems

Aquaculture systems
6 - 6000 gallon rectangular
raceways
Drum filters
Bio-wheel nitrification
Upwelling pumps
Active aeration
Mainly koi for seasonal pond
stocking market

Plant production
Greenhouse section
Temperature/humidity
controls
Receive fish culture water
through air lift pumps
Hydroponic culture trays
Mainly salad and microgreens
production for high end
restaurants locally

Why prawns?

Small scale tilapia market stinks

Very good market interest and potential value
Grow in freshwater (after larval phase)
Seed/post larvae available from hatcheries
Not a problem from state regulatory
perspective

Project
E&T farms received a mini-grant to explore
freshwater prawn production from the South
Eastern Massachusetts Aquaculture Center
(SEMAC) funded though MA DAR
Obtained permits to get prawn post larvae
Attempt grow out in existing fish production
tank of an aquaponics system
Evaluate local market acceptance and value

Post-larvae/Juveniles
Juveniles received from hatchery
5000, received June 20, 2011
At size of ~10mm

Stocked in a nursery tank for acclimation and

observation on initial arrival

Fed twice daily teaspoon to 3 tablespoons

Held in nursery system for 26 days
No added surface area in nursery tank
About doubled in size when transferred to big tank
system for growout (1+)

Grow Out System

Empty Tank

Tank Stocked

Grow Out
Added surface area for
prawns to hold on
Difficult to observe and feed
Added pipes for molting
refuge

Diet/Feeding
Fed an available Aquamax
starter diet to start
Switched to Zeigler trout feed
halfway through smaller
pellet

Fed 2 times daily throughout

grow out
Shell meal was added to
ensure calcium carbonate
content for shell development
- chitin

Water Quality

No problems noticed prawns or plants

Temperature: 75-83 F, 24-28C
pH kept at 7 initially, gradually increased to 7.5

No effect on plants was a worry before trying prawns

Used sodium bicarbonate and then calcium carbonate
shell material to boost alkalinity and hold pH up

Alkalinity raised with sodium bicarbonate

Nutrient load provided similar plant production that of
fish

Growth
After 5 months (~1 nursery, 4 grow out)
size range 0.25-1.1 oz. (7-31 g)

Final size (after roughly a full year)

Total length 103.4 mm (ranging 85-139 mm)
Mean weight was 29.42 g (14 - 90)
Biggest prawns close to 100g

Survival 140 of 5000 2.8%

Lots of variation within stock

Challenges

Low survival!!! assumed losses to cannibalism

Variation in size/growth
Territorial behavior was seen
Grow out time a bit longer than expected

Flavor and Marketability

Very good flavor!
Market was interested
Few available sold quickly

$5-9 per lb. whole fresh weight wholesale

Local interest from:
Individuals
Restaurants

No local shrimp available

As of yet!!!

Future Directions
Very poor survival was disappointing
Considering ways to improve this
Also considering other species of shrimp
White shrimp (L. vannemei) capable of growing in
lower salinities

Any suggestions or success/failure stories for a

shrimp/prawn aquaponics system?
open to ideas or hearing other experiences

Thank You
Contact Information:
Ed Osmun
E&T Farms
85 Lombard Ave
West Barnstable, MA 02668
Ed@eandtfarmsinc.com
508-362-8370

Josh Reitsma
Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
Woods Hole Sea Grant
PO Box 367
Barnstable, MA 02630
jreitsma@barnstablecounty.org
508-375-6950