Giant Malaysian Prawn

[Alex Veidel]

Anybody here have experience raising Machrobrachium rosenbergii? Thinking about getting a few for my system to keep my sump tank clean, maybe eventually build a hatchery and use them to supplement my system's fish output.

[David - WI]

I thought they needed about 2 -3 square feet each and only reproduced in salt or maybe brackish water?

[George]

Have you considered red claws?

[Alex Veidel]

Yeah, I have, but they're not on the approved species list for Illinois; Machrobrachium rosebergii made the list :)

George said:

Have you considered red claws?

[John Stevenson]

Hi Alex,

I found this free resource rather wordy but very helpful.

http://library.enaca.org/Shrimp/Publications/FAO_Macrobrachium_manu...

Best of Luck,

John

[David - WI]

That's a great resource, thanks for posting it.

[Alex Veidel]

Wow, good find! Thanks!

[David Gallentine]

https://www.facebook.com/TampaAquaponics/

[Alex Veidel]

Looks like they're doing the Australian Redclaws too. I think I'm going to go with them as well. They seem easier since they don't have a pre-larva stage that requires a hatchery (although, I have been thinking that you could probably use the brackish water cycle in crayfish and prawn hatcheries to grow some pretty tasty tomatoes...).

[George]

Alex, this is something I've been thinking about too.  Do you know what other vegetables might grow well in brackish water?

Alex Veidel said:

I have been thinking that you could probably use the brackish water cycle in crayfish and prawn hatcheries to grow some pretty tasty tomatoes...).

[Alex Veidel]

I was reading about some experiment in Israel where they're testing the use of brackish water on a bunch of different vegetables. I've heard asparagus tolerates brackish water well, but I don't know if it's supposed to improve the flavor.

I'm a little concerned a home-sized prawn hatchery may not provide a lot of nutrition for growing plants from start to finish, but I'll bet you could at least get some tomato plants grown and then transfer them over the hatchery to trigger a fruiting of tastier tomatoes.

[David Gallentine]

Put some tilapia in there, 

www.tilapiastore.com

[Alex Veidel]

Good idea. I also just found this thing on tilapia and brackish water: https://ag.arizona.edu/azaqua/ista/ista6/ista6web/presentation/p421...