Diagnostics plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy shrimp aquaculture industry. Some diagnostic techniques are used to screen healthy shrimps to ensure that they are not carrying any disease at sub-clinical levels by specific pathogens. This method is mostly done on stocks or shrimp populations destined for live transfer internationally. Diagnostics also determine the cause of unfavorable health or abnormalities for the recommendation of mitigating measures applicable to a certain condition which is the most recognized role of diagnostics in aquatic animal health. There are three levels of diagnostics based on Asia Regional Technical Guidelines on Health Management for the Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals and the Beijing Consensus and Implementation Strategy published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific (NACA) in 2000. Level 1 includes farm/production site observations and record keeping and health management of shrimp ponds. Level 2 includes laboratory procedures involving parasitology, histopathology, bacteriology, and mycology. Level 3 includes advanced diagnostic specialization involving virology, electron microscopy, molecular biology, and immunology. There are also available low-cost diagnostic field kits for farm or pond-side use which can be classified under Level 1. Microbiology and histology laboratories used for diagnosis of shrimp diseases can be classified under Level 2. In this study, we discuss the value of Levels I and II observations and combined with Level III to make an accurate diagnosis. Lastly, we also discuss emerging technologies on the horizon and how these technologies can be transferred to small scale shrimp producers.