Could anyone please help me with figuring out the best prawn and/or shrimp species to use for aquaponics? Fish wise, so far, I’m considering Tilapia and/or catfish (hopefully both) so I’m looking for edible freshwater prawns and/or shrimp that thrive in the same water parameters as them. (I would like to have them in the bottom of the fish tanks and the deep-water culture tanks.) So far, I’ve discovered Macrobrachium rosenbergii (Giant River Prawn) which, although aggressive, thrive in a pH of 7.0 - 8.5 and a temperature of 84 - 88 deg. Fahrenheit, but I’d like to know if there are other good options I should consider. Thank you!
3 Likes
I would be interested in something like this too. Preferably a species that doesn’t need brackish water to survive, although for me something comfortable below 75°F (24°C) would be preferable.
Giant river prawn eat lettuce roots. They should be kept in a decoupled tank with lots of structure to give each prawn 2 square feet. This tank needs to be highly aerated and can receive some fish feces (Back wash daily from a screening filter). Giant river prawn will eat each other when they shed their exoskeleton.
2 Likes
I agree with Hana that you’ll want to keep the prawns in their own tank (coupled or decoupled) because the fish and prawns might not get along and the prawns will want a LOT of hiding places whereas the fish do not need the hiding places.
I was reading a Cefas paper (from the seventies!) which discussed M. rosenbergii, but then went on to mention Penaeus aztecus and Penaeus monodon as other promising candidates for warm water culture too, so perhaps they’re worth looking into.
The paper is available here: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.cefas.co.uk/publications/lableaflets/lableaflet27.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiI69Cs0-KGAxUwQEEAHTzSCjgQFnoECCEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw023i3ZDbGt4Ivrg9nP6jH-
I get the impression the information is very out of date though, and most of it is about marine/brackish cold water species.
In the Netherlands we have a small species of prawn (Palaemon varians , synoniem Palaemonetes varians ). This species can be used as fresh free for the fish. It also cleans the system.
I’m trying to get small fresh water prawns in my system. I have a very small setup. Therefore I’m interesed in small prawn.
Maybe I will catch some in a lake and try to get them in our system.
All prawns are edible. In Europe the only problem are food regulations.