Introduction
Intensive brackish shrimp culture has been rapidly developed in the Mekong Delta (MD), Vietnam, especially in Ca Mau province with the area accounted for 7,900 ha in 2022. During farming operation, water quality plays a vital role in achieving high quality production and sustainable shrimp farming. Poor water quality in shrimp farming may subject shrimp to stress that negatively affects growth and survival of shrimp subsequently creating a favorable environment for diseases. Shrimp production relies on growth and survival rate proportional to water quality in the culture environment.
Objective
The aim of this study was to assess the status of water quality in super-intensive whiteleg shrimp ponds in Ca Mau province to provide fundamental information for better water quality management in shrimp farming towards sustainable development of brackish shrimp industry in the MD, Vietnam.
Methodology
Water samples were collected in six super-intensive shrimp ponds in Ca Mau province with different stocking densities: (i) Group 1: 150-200 ind. m-2 and (ii) Group 2: > 200 ind. m-2, three ponds for each group. The samples were collected a day before stocking and every one week after stocking during nursery and grow-out stages till harvesting time. The culture duration was 3 months. Temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH were directly measured at sampling site using a HANNA Multiparameter, while alkalinity, TAN, NO3-, TSS, TN, PO43-, TP, Chlorophyll were analyzed at the Advanced Aquatic Environment Lab, Faculty of Aquatic Biology and Environmental Science, College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University. All analytical procedures were following APHA (2017).
Results
Conclusions
Most of the water quality parameters in the ponds were in an ideal range for shrimp growth. However, DO concentrations were relatively low at some sampling times, whereas TSS concentrations were relatively high as compared to water quality criteria for marine shrimp. Water in ponds with higher density contained higher TSS and chlorophyll-a concentrations.