Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I am just now getting some information about AP, and the variety of fish species compatible with it.

Do any of you have experience with freshwater shrimp? If so, how easy are they to work with? Generally what is the length of time for finish out? And at what temps and on what feed do they do the best?

Thanks for any information you can provide!

Daniel was trying freshwater shrimp
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum ... c&start=30

More people here are working with crayfish. Check also here
http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/vie ... ter+shrimp

for some info on keeping Aussie shrimp.

There's a search function at the top of the page, but unfortunately, if your search string occurs in a message thread that is 20 pages long, it doesn't tell you what page it was on.

Are you reffering to the larger edible ones? If so i am guessing feeding and breeding them would be pretty simmilar to other sorts of crustaceans, eg yabbies, and marron. Just water conditions/ temp would be different. Some need to "migrate" (or at least be tricked into thinking they are) to saltier waters to breed, so i guess it really depends on the species...

I havent updated my system thread for a while....But the shrimp eventually bred. To start off with looking closely you could see some freeswimming (or velligar i think is the propper word, though thats not the propper spelling) shrimp, which dissapeared pretty quickly. Once the tank was overgrown with java moss and hair algae, the shrimp grew to maturity. Hovever i havent produced enough to consider it a fiesable food source, but then i didn't seperate the parents, and so many young were eaten...

Oh, when you are ready to stock your tank, or if you want books...

http://www.miami-aquaculture.com/lvstk.htm

I do like the look of those Macrobrachium rosenbergii on that link JP... I'd love to be able to grow them here..

Just for you EB....

Western Australian Aquaculture Information on Hatchery culture of Macrobrachium rosenbergii

JP, if you select "posts" instead of "topics" the search is more helpful.............

took me a while to see it.

Interesting stuff Rup..... But 28 degree water, thats something I dream about..... They really churn out the eggs don't they?

Yep, have to be an indoor operation to work I reckon.

If you could do these imagine how your Jade's would go

Ohio State (Go Bucks!) has info about pond culture of Malaysian prawns; they are trying to get farmers to do this during the Summer months I guess.

http://southcenters.osu.edu/aqua/shrimp.htm

Macrobrachium sp. very yummy freshwater prawns mmmmmm

Thanks for all the responses everyone!

Yes, I am talking about great big yummy prawns you can "throw on the barbie!" (I've never understood why you Aussies would want to put them onto a doll, but each to thier own!)

A site that might be good to check out is the one for Aquanics (Aquatic News Information Center?), then check under shrimp. They have many links and resources there which might be of interest to you. From what I have found many of the major land grant Universities and the southern states ag extension services are doing research and promoting commercial operations, but very little is available to me on tank rearing.

Thier life cycle is in brackish water at the first, and as they mature they migrate into freshwater. The adults migrate back and forth, and enter a breeding cycle as they enter the brackish waters. They live the majority of thier lives in water around 82 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit, so like tilapia they would be very seasonal and require supplemental heat for part of thier juvenile to adult growth cycle. The positive side is the can "grow out" in about 120 days. (Mature adults measuring around 8 to 10 inches in length, head to tail.)

At the National Growers Association website, I found at Aquanics, I found a member who raises them here in Missouri, as well as another one in Arkansas. There are hatcheries in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and Florida. I am planning on contacting the Missouri member and speak with them about restrictions on importation or other problems with raising them here.

Thanks everyone for all the input, and I hope we can continue sharing information about this species.
Kevin

Please do Kevin, think you've raised some interest amongst members here in OZ.

The shrimp in my system were macrobrachium I think. Alas, now there are none, just 37 large yabbies and 4 small yellow belly. Plenty in the river here though

Hey Chrissy, you get any rain??