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Web Summary

The farming of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii popularly known as ‘scampi’ has been expanding in India recent years. Scampi farming gained momentum after the set-back in shrimp farming due to disease outbreaks and other factors. The infrastructure available to produce shrimp seed and process the shrimp was helpful in providing support to scampi farming. The existing culture system includes both monoculture and polyculture with Indian major carps in ponds. Grow out stocking densities range from 0.5-2.5 scampi per m2 in polyculture and 1-5 per m2 in monoculture. The culture period is 6-8 months starting at the beginning of southwest monsoon (June-July, 27-30°C ). The scampii are fed with farm-made or commercial feeds. This article summarizes the nutrition and feeding of freshwater prawns (grow out), with special reference to culture conditions in India. Unlike penaeid shrimps, freshwater prawns are grown on low protein and relatively inexpensive diets. Natural foods play an important role in the nutrition of the species in ponds.

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