BIO SECURITY : An essential pillar for successful (Aquaculture) Shrimp Farming

Hello everyone,

          Myself SRIHARI N C, B.F.Sc., Here we are about to discuss How does Biosecurity acts as an essential pillar for successful (Aquaculture) Shrimp Farming

BIO SECURITY : An essential pillar for successful (Aquaculture) Shrimp Farming

(I) What is Bio security:-

• In general, bio security refers to the practices which are focused over preventing the introduction and/or eliminating and/or spread of harmful organisms (e.g., virus, bacteria, pathogens, predators, etc.,)

• In aquaculture, these practices are focused over protecting livestock (culture sp.) from pests, invasive species, disease outbreak by eliminating the present threats and by excluding the available and potential threats

(II) How Bio security is implemented in shrimp farming:-

• In shrimp farming, Bio security is implemented in 3 various forms, such as 

1) Physical Security, 

2) Chemical Security and 

3) Biological Security 

to Exclude and Eliminate the potential threat to culture species.

To Exclude (shut / keep out / prevent the entry) the potential threat, Physical Security and Biological Security is implemented

Physical Security:-

* Farm fencing :- Prevent the entry of animals like cats, dogs, cattle, etc.,

* Pond / crab fencing :- Prevents the entry of crabs, snakes, turtle, etc., from drainage canals

* Bird fencing :- Prevents the entry of birds and it’s predation

* Water Filtration system :- Prevents the entry of weed and predators from source water

* Traps (pest traps) :- Prevents or catches the pests like rats, snakes, etc., from contaminating the store rooms

Biological Security:-

* SPF / SPR seeds :- stocking of Specific Pathogen Free / Specific Pathogen Resistance strain seeds are recommended to prevent the introduction of pathogen and overcome the outbreak of disease in the farm

To Eliminate (kill / remove / dispose) the potential threat, Chemical Security is implemented

Chemical Security:-

* Water Treatment :- Chlorinating the inlet water is often followed to kill the pathogen / pathogenic bacteria

* Disinfecting :- Chlorine / per-oxide / iodine are majorly used to disinfect the materials to prevent cross contamination between culture and between ponds by disposing the bacteria or pathogen

* Bleaching :- Bleaching the feeder canal / drainage canals and other water stagnation area to kill the proliferating pathogens

* Foot – dip :- Use of Potassium permanganate / Chlorine as foot – dip to prevent cross contamination

(III) Conclusion:-

• As I have already said before, Bio security in shrimp farming is aimed at protecting livestock from various threats by excluding and eliminating them at various level of practices. Many level of or many methods of bio security is followed in many farms . Among those I have explained some methods in brief. By following BMP in shrimp farming, we can exclude and eliminate the potential threat to live stocks i.e., Shrimp

For further contact,

Mr. SRIHARI N C, B.F.Sc.,

+918270776354 (WhatsApp / Call)

Sludge: An Obstacle in Shrimp Farming and Strategies to overcome the adverse effects of sludge

Hello everyone,

          Myself SRIHARI N C, B.F.Sc., Here we are about to discuss How a Sludge is an obstacles for shrimp farming and Strategies to overcome it’s adverse effects

(I) What is Sludge:

• Sludge is a semi-solid slurry substance that is produced in pond environment due to various aquaculture practices.

• Sludge is majorly composed of uneaten feed, animal fecal, dead organisms and planktons and it is rich in nutrients (Nitrogen and Sulphur)

(II) How a sludge is an obstacle to shrimp farming:

• Microorganisms are divided into 3 groups based on requirement of oxygen

i)Aerobic – Needs oxygen to survive

                                                                   ii)Anaerobic – No need of oxygen to survive

                                                                 iii)Facultative aerobic – Can survive with/without of oxygen

• Here the anaerobic microorganisms breaks the oxidised organic nutrients without utilization of oxygen and the process is called Reduction

• For example, the anaerobic microorganisms reduces Nitrate to Nitrite and Ammonia and Sulfate to Hydrogen Sulphide which are highly toxic to aquatic organisms

• The combination of anaerobic environment and high nutrient level provides an ideal environment for proliferation of microorganisms that can harmful to shrimp either directly as a pathogen or indirectly as a toxic compounds

• These pathogens and toxic compounds create a stressful environment for shrimp and results in high mortality rate, low survival rate, shunting of growth or slow growth, outbreak of disease, etc.

(III) Strategies to overcome the adverse effects of sludge

• Maintaining high Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in water column will support the non-pathogenic microbial community to survive 

• Proper feed management to prevent overfeeding

• Scrapping and removing of sludge from pond bottom between the culture

• Disinfecting the pond bottom to eliminate the potential pathogen in subsequent culture practice

• Placing the Aerators in such a way that it drifts the uneaten feed, animal fecal, dead and decaying organisms and concentrate them in a small area of the pond (probably center of the pond)

• Using of probiotics (bioremediation) that maintain the water bloom, supports the non-pathogenic microbs and breakdown the accumulated sludge aerobically

• Having the central drainage system to remove the accumulated sludge periodically

• Having Shrimp Toilet, that covers 1% to 2% pond are, from where the accumulated sludge can be removed easily using siphoning motor without disturbing the accumulated sludge

•Regular water sampling to monitor the level of toxic nutrients in water column

• Proper pond bottom soil sampling before each culture

Soil parameters	Optimum level
pH	6.0 – 7.5
Total organic Carbon	2%
Total organic Nitrogen	5 – 75 mg/100g soil
Soluble Sulphur	< 0.4%
Total phosphate	5 mg/100g soil
Redox Potential	>- 100mV

(IV) Conclusion:

• As I have said before, Sludge is an obstacles in shrimp farming and it have adverse effect on production management. Many farmers follow many strategies to overcome the effects of sludge and here I have explained some of those strategies in brief. So, by following BMP and BAP in shrimp farming and sludge management we can overcome the adverse effects of sludge.

For further contact,

Mr. SRIHARI N C, B.F.Sc.,

+918270776354 (WhatsApp / Call)