Water Quality Dynamics And Their Impact On Growth Performance Of Litopenaeus Vannamei In Semi-Intensive Farms Along Southeast Coast Of India

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between water quality parameters and production performance of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeusvannamei) in semi-intensive farming systems along the southeast coast of India. Water samples were collected from four commercial farms in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh during the summer season (February-June 2024) and analyzed for physico-chemical parameters following standard methods. Water quality parameters including dissolved oxygen (4.79-4.99 mg L⁻¹), temperature (28.9-29.4°C), salinity (23.4-33.3 ppt), and pH (8.06-8.25) were maintained within optimal ranges throughout the culture period. After 90-110 days of culture at uniform stocking density (50 PL m⁻²), significant variations were observed in survival rates (68.0-97.6%), total yield (3859.6-6048.3 kg), and final average body weight (20.3-23.6 g) across farms. Correlation analysis revealed that dissolved oxygen had a strong positive association with average body weight (r = 0.87, p < 0.05), while water temperature showed a negative correlation with survival rate (r = -0.72, p < 0.05) and average daily growth (r = -0.68, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that implementation of Better Management Practices (BMPs) with particular attention to maintaining optimal water quality parameters, especially dissolved oxygen levels, and significantly enhances growth performance and production of L. vannamei in semi-intensive culture systems.