The present study evaluated the zootechnical performance of L. vannamei exposed to two different stocking densities at four different temperatures with a potential recovery period afterward.
L. vannamei juveniles were stocked with an initial weight of 1.16 ± 0.11 g, and the experiment was divided into two phases. In the first phase (42 days), t he selected temperatures were 22, 25, 28, and 31°C, with two stocking densities used for each temperature: 200 and 600 shrimp/m³. In the second phase, all experimental units were adjusted to 31°C for 28 days to assess potential growth recovery in treatments previously exposed to sub- optimal temperatures.
At the end of the first phase, temperature was the determining factor for growth performance and it did not affect survival , while stocking density did not significantly influence any parameter. By the end of the experiment, shrimp kept in sub-optimal temperatures during the first phase could recover and grow at higher rates, although they did not reach the body mass of shrimp kept in optimal temperatures during the first phase . High stocking density negatively affected survival and feed conversion rate when shrimp reached around 8 grams.
In conclusion, L . vannamei can be cultivated at low and intermediate temperatures in high stocking density for a limited period without compromising the survival. Despite the low growth rates, the shrimp was able to re gain weight when optimal temperature was reestablished. However, high stocking density can negatively affect the productivity when a high biomass is reached. Therefore, it is pos sible to use different stocking densities for each phase of grow-out, enhancing the productivity and not compromising the survival rates .