?POND PRODUCTION OF THE FRESHWATER PRAWN, MACROBRACHIUM MALCOLMSONII IN SINDH, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Freshwater prawn, Macrobrachiuin malcolmsonii (Milne Edwards) was cultured at two sites in Thatta, Sindh. The
juvenile prawns were collected randomly from the lower belt or river Indus at Hilaya, were sorted and stocked in two
ponds at Mirpur Sakro and two at Chilya after acclimatization. They were fed supplementary feed containing about 19%
protein once daily. Hydrological characteristics (Dissolved Oxygen, pH and Temperature) of ponds were recorded
regularly. The stocked prawns grew from a mean weight 01" 3.5,3.5,8.0 and 5.0 g to 55, 61,63 and 30 g in 251, 142,253
and 147 days respectively, under the conditions described herein. A production level or 765, 658, 754 and 217 kg ha:'
respective to each pond was achieved.