Aquaculture 2025

March 6 - 10, 2025

New Orleans, Louisiana USA

Add To Calendar 08/03/2025 12:00:0008/03/2025 12:20:00America/ChicagoAquaculture 2025BEHAVIOURAL METRICS OF INDIVIDUAL BROODSTOCK Penaeus monodon IN THE CONTEXT OF FEEDINGStudio 8The World Aquaculture Societyjohnc@was.orgfalseDD/MM/YYYYanrl65yqlzh3g1q0dme13067

BEHAVIOURAL METRICS OF INDIVIDUAL BROODSTOCK Penaeus monodon IN THE CONTEXT OF FEEDING

Artur Rombenso*, Sarah Berry, Zoe Mcleish, Steven Kakonyi, Pushkar Mandrekar, Chris Stratford, Caroline Lee, Greg Coman, and Dana L. M. Campbell

CSIRO Agriculture & Food

Bribie Island Research Centre

144 North Street, Woorim, QLD, 4507 - Australia

artur.rombenso@csiro.au

 



Farming of Penaeus monodon continues to rely on wild-caught broodstock for seed stock production and the practice of eyestalk ablation to achieve satisfactory reproductive outcomes. However, the latter is facing increasing scrutiny due to welfare concerns. Assessing the welfare impacts of various husbandry interventions through behavioural profiling of this species may help mitigate these issues. To this end, our research group has identified specific behavioural metrics in individual broodstock P. monodon and refined those across several interventions, including feeding practices.

In prior work, we developed an ethogram based on known behaviours in other Penaeid species, which we further refined by identifying behaviours unique to P. monodon. Time budgets and diurnal activity patterns were categorised, encompassing behaviours such as walking, swimming, digging, feeding, grooming, eye beats, antennal scale flexion, forward antennal positioning, and spawning.

The experimental setup involved twelve aquaria with sand substrates, each with a custom computer module. Individual broodstock prawns (N=12) were monitored over 48 hours and fed twice daily (7:30 am and 2:30 pm) with fresh-frozen or live polychaetes at 1% body weight. Behavioural responses to different feed types were documented, including pre-feeding recognition, time to initiate feeding, quantity consumed in a single event, and feed attractivity. Notably, shrimp took longer to locate live polychaetes compared to fresh-frozen ones. In the afternoon feedings, animals detected and engaged with fresh-frozen polychaetes faster than live ones, though no such difference was observed during morning feedings.

This study offers valuable insights for future research in shrimp nutrition and feeding strategies, supporting the development of more responsible shrimp farming practices. Additional findings will be discussed in the presentation.