Effect of Competitors upon the Growth Rate of White Shrimp

Abstract

Effect of competitors, such as sheepshead minnows, Cyprinodon variegatus, grass shrimp, Palaemontes sp., and blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, on the growth of white shrimp, Penaeus setiferus, was examined using 3 ton experimental tanks for 6 weeks.
The growth rate of white shrimp was depressed due to the presence of these competitors. The percentage of growth rate in the case with sheepshead minnows, grass shrimp, and blue crabs was 43.8, 58.4 and 72.7%, respectively, when compared to the case without any com-petitors.
A remarkable annual difference of growth pattern for white shrimp was found in two 300 acres (1, 200, 000 m²) ponds in relation to the population of sheepshead minnows. An in-complete draining prior to the stocking of postlarval shrimp resulted in a loss of 50-60%. of body weight increase compared to the case with complete fish eradication.