Cultivation of western white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) using underground brackish water

We assessed the possibility of western white shrimp culture using underground brackish water in Bushehr province, Iran. In July 2008, white shrimp post larvae were stocked in 4 fiberglass tanks, each with a capacity of 3.8m2. Two tanks were filled with brackish water 35ppt in salinity and two others with underground brackish water 4ppt in salinity. Tanks were situated outdoor and aerated nonstop using a central aerator. The stocking density was 58ind/m2 and the culture period was 90 days. Shrimps were fed with commercial diet by two trays, 80 cm in diameter in each tank. Water exchange was carried out two times a week. During the culture period, the weights of 40 ind. of shrimps were measured every 15 days. At the end of culture period, mean weight of 21.34g and 18.22g, survival of 92.25% and 97.75%, mean production of 1.11 and 1.03kg/m2 and food conversion ratio of 1.20 and 1.28 were recorded for 34ppt and 5ppt salinities, respectively. Statistical analyses showed no significant difference between treatments.