PRAWNS

Introduction
Giant fresh water prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii ) is
an indigenous species in the Philippines.
It is locally known as ulang, udang, kising-kising, and
pahe.
This species breed in saline water then move upstream
from their spawning ground towards rivers, mountains
streams, and other bodies of water.
They grow maximum size of more than 1 pound per
piece.
Classification of Freshwater Prawn
(Macrobrachium rosenbergii )
 Kingdom : Animalia
 Phylum : Arthropoda
 Subphylum : Crustacea
 Class : Malacostraca
 Order : Decapoda
 Family : Palaemonidea
 Genus : Macrobrachium
 Species : rosenbergii (giant river
prawn)
Identifying Features of Giant fresh water
prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)

Macrobrachium rosenbergii can easily be identified from other species in the genus
by the following characteristics:
 Presence of grey and longitudinal streaks of light and dark color.
 The largest parepod (limbs) of adult male is dark blue and orange at joints.
 The eggs of berried female are yellow in color
 Both female and males grow up to 35 cm and 24 cm respectively
 These species attain a weight of 200 gram.
Distribution of Macrobrachium rosenbergii

It is mainly confined to fresh water and brackish

water habitats. They are sometimes also found in
marine waters. It is mostly distributed in indo-west
regions including India, Vietnam, Philippines,
New Guinea and North Australia.
STEPS IN PRAWN
CULTURE
Step 1: SITE SELECTION
1. Climatic conditions (warm
climate)
2. Topography of location( Flat or
gently sloped surface)
3. Soil quality (sandy-clay loam or
silt clay loam)
4. Water Quality (pollution free,
pH 7-8.5 , temp 18-34C)
Step 2: FARM CONSTRUCTION
1. Size and depth(0.5 to 2
hectares area hold 1.5 to 2
meters water)
2. The Dyke ( good drainage
arrangement)
3. Water supply and drainage
(well planned water inlet and
outlet)
Step 3: PRODUCTION Step 4: HARVESTING
SYSTEM
1. Fertilization (typical male-
female ratio care during
embryonic development is
must)
2. Larval development (total
of 12 larval stages)
3. Feed and feeding (natural
or supplementary feed)
 Life Cycle
 In prawn life cycle four distinct phases comes
under:
1. Egg
2. Larva (zoea)
3. Post Larva (PL)
4. Adult
 The female starts to lay eggs about 5-6 hours
after mating.
 As the eggs extrude, they are fertilized by the
sperm attached to the exterior body of the
female
 Embryonic development

 Berried females actively migrate to estuarine regions

for the purpose of hatching their young
 Incubation period is 18-21 days and requires of 28-
35C.
 Fertilized eggs have homogenous granulation and
are bright orange in color.
 On the 19th or 20th days after fertilization the larva
hatches out
 Larval Development

The newly hatched larvae are planktonic and

attracted to light.
They require brackish water for their survival.
In nature larvae hatch both in freshwater and
brackish water.
Larvae passes through 11 moults and
completion of larval cycle about 30 days
depending upon temperature and feeding
condition.
 Post Larvae to adult
 Juvenile emerge when the last stage larvae
metamorphose and cease their pelagic life.
 In nature the juveniles remains for 1-2 weeks in
brackish water and then migrates upstream
into less saline water.
 They become sexually mature in about nine
months
 The adult prawn body changes from their
original transparency to bluish brown color.