Nursery-Rearing Trials of Giant Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, in Earthen Ponds

Nursery-rearing trials of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii were carried out in five newly-excavated earthen ponds of 400 m2 each wit stocking densities ranging from 16 to 28/m2. The prawns were fed daily with pelleted feed (30% crude protein) at 10% body weight. The juvenile prawns reached an average weight of 0.655 - 1.290 g after 46-50 days of rearing. The individual daily weight increments varied from 12.8 to 23.6 mg in different trials. Per cent survival in different ponds ranged from 52.80 to 85.20 with an average of 68.79.