The Effects of Water Temperature on Freshwater Prawns

Grade Level at Time of Presentation

Secondary School

Institution

Project Lead The Way - Kentucky

KY House District #

78

KY Senate District #

17

Abstract

Freshwater prawns are a non-traditional agricultural crop in Kentucky. Due to the specific growth needs of prawns and the time it takes for them to reach maturity, it is important to optimize the parameters that are required for this type of aquaculture so that the farmers have an effective and efficient procedures in place to maximize profits. The shrimp “farms” in Kentucky don’t have all the necessary supplies to keep the death rate of the prawns low. Specific equipment, such as efficient water heaters that will help stabilize the temperature in the shrimp ponds thereby maintaining a low changing rate, allowing prawns will grow at a more constant rate from their cold blooded nature. The hypothesis is that if the temperature is increased then the growth of the freshwater prawns will increase. During this project we grew 24 total prawns, 6 in each of the four tanks to start. Each tank had a set temperature, ranging from 70 to 85 degrees. The first tank set at 70 degrees had an average growth at 1.84 cm, with 0 deaths, and a low activity rate. The second 75 degrees tank averaged with a 1.94 cm growth that came with one death on the very first day of experiment and a constant increase in activity rate. Our third tank with the recommended temperature at 80 degrees, those prawns grew to an average of 1.96 cm. Later in the experiment, one prawn died, and the activity of those prawns was greater than the other two due to the warmer temperatures. The last tank set at a temperature of 85 degrees had a tremendous increase in growth at 2.04 cm. Although this increase in growth is great, it had consequences including 3 deaths and a high activity rate. To conclude, the 80 degree temperature is the best environmental temperature for freshwater prawn growth.

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The Effects of Water Temperature on Freshwater Prawns

Freshwater prawns are a non-traditional agricultural crop in Kentucky. Due to the specific growth needs of prawns and the time it takes for them to reach maturity, it is important to optimize the parameters that are required for this type of aquaculture so that the farmers have an effective and efficient procedures in place to maximize profits. The shrimp “farms” in Kentucky don’t have all the necessary supplies to keep the death rate of the prawns low. Specific equipment, such as efficient water heaters that will help stabilize the temperature in the shrimp ponds thereby maintaining a low changing rate, allowing prawns will grow at a more constant rate from their cold blooded nature. The hypothesis is that if the temperature is increased then the growth of the freshwater prawns will increase. During this project we grew 24 total prawns, 6 in each of the four tanks to start. Each tank had a set temperature, ranging from 70 to 85 degrees. The first tank set at 70 degrees had an average growth at 1.84 cm, with 0 deaths, and a low activity rate. The second 75 degrees tank averaged with a 1.94 cm growth that came with one death on the very first day of experiment and a constant increase in activity rate. Our third tank with the recommended temperature at 80 degrees, those prawns grew to an average of 1.96 cm. Later in the experiment, one prawn died, and the activity of those prawns was greater than the other two due to the warmer temperatures. The last tank set at a temperature of 85 degrees had a tremendous increase in growth at 2.04 cm. Although this increase in growth is great, it had consequences including 3 deaths and a high activity rate. To conclude, the 80 degree temperature is the best environmental temperature for freshwater prawn growth.