A traditional Chinese herbal prophylactic, containing bioavailable phytonutrients recovered from the Camellia sinensis tea bush, has been shown to protect shrimp from outbreaks of AHPND and WSSV.
Dr Melony Sellars, CEO and managing director of Genics Pty Ltd, recently developed four new real-time PCR assays that can help detect the presence of decapod iridescent virus (DIV1) in shrimp.
Shrimp that have been bred for their resistance to disease and ability to thrive despite environmental challenges should be valued as highly – if not more highly – than those bred for their growth rates in many parts of Indonesia.
Perhaps one of the least aquatic forms of aquaculture involves the farming of crocodiles, alligators and caimans. These animals are referred to as semi-aquatic, and their husbandry is in some ways more similar to livestock production than to fish or shellfish …
New research suggests that balancing levels of phytoplankton in shrimp ponds can prevent the growth of Vibrios, including Vibrio parahaemolyticus – the causative agent of EMS/AHPND.
Researchers in China caution that some commercial probiotics for the aquaculture industry may be mislabelled, and also contain cytotoxins and antibiotic resistance genes that can be passed to other organisms.
Though diagnostic laboratories provide essential support for Indonesia's shrimp farmers, only 10 percent of producers use them regularly, making sustainable growth goals harder to achieve.