Influence of stocking density on the behaviour of juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) |
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| Authors: | Felipe P da Costa Brenda Suellen Franklin de Farias Gomes Silvia Dinara do Nascimento Alves Pereira Maria de Fátima Arruda |
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| Institution: | Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | Applied ethology can help to improve Litopenaeus vannamei aquaculture. Our purpose was to demonstrate an influence of stocking density on behaviour. The shrimp were first distributed in aquaria and observed via an ad libitum observational method to construct an ethogram of social and feeding behavioural categories. The resulting ethogram consisted of retreat, cannibalism, getting to the feeding tray, occupying the feeding tray and getting feed. We then kept shrimp in aquaria at densities of 50, 75 and 100 animals m?2 and observed them via a behavioural sampling method using our ethogram as well as focal animal sampling of behaviours derived from the literature. These literature‐derived behaviours consisted of inactivity, feeding, crawling, exploration, burying, swimming and cleaning. We found that stocking density affects the behaviour of the shrimp. Optimal searching and feeding and a low frequency of crawling and swimming occurred at a density of 50 animals m?2, indicating a higher potential for growth and welfare at this density. |
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| Keywords: | stocking density applied ethology
Litopenaeus vannamei
whiteleg shrimp |
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