What do you want to know about prawn and aquaponics?

[Becky]

I'm writing an article for my magazine about aquaponics and prawn. I'll be interviewing a Virginia Tech expert who is getting prawn for the school's system, AND I'll be taking photos of them transferring prawn from a truck driving up to VA from Texas on Thursday to deliver prawn to another facility.

What questions do you have about this process? I know nothing about it, but will be talking to the experts so I'll ask. Happy to ask any specific questions anyone has about this process and will post some photos after. Must have your questions by 5 a.m. Thursday, June 6, 2013. Thank you!

[Alex Veidel]

Well, I don't really have any questions specifically but I would love to see the article when you're done with it. Be sure and post the link :) What magazine do you write for?

[Becky]

Hi Alex! I own and manage VABiz Magazine. I used to write and publish magazines for private individuals and companies and recently decided to just do my own to help support small businesses in VA. I've been a journalist for 30+ years, and now write books for other folks. I started a very successful newspaper in WA state in 2001....so it was a no brainer. The entire magazine is devoted to aquaponics and will be free online or to download. And if you want to use photos, you can if you link them to my website with a credit.

I'm working with aquaponics experts from Virginia Tech and Virginia State University as well as some commerical and private growers. If there's enough interest and people are willing to pay for a hard copy I will probably have it printed as well.  But yes, I'll definitely post it here!

[George]

In interested in the reproductive process, which it seems takes place prior to the part you'll be interviewing about.  Perhaps you could ask something along the lines of why they ship prawns from Texas instead of producing them in Va.  

Other than that, I look forward to your article.

Thank you

[Becky]

Thanks George. I was curious about that too. I'm just guessing VA hasn't set up any commercial breeders and has to go out of state to get them. Texas is on the Gulf and maybe it's cheaper, faster and easier to get them from there! I'm going to ask though!

Becky

George said:

In interested in the reproductive process, which it seems takes place prior to the part you'll be interviewing about.  Perhaps you could ask something along the lines of why they ship prawns from Texas instead of producing them in Va.  

Other than that, I look forward to your article.

Thank you

[Becky]

Thanks Keith!

Yes, these were freshwater prawns and I'm still uploading photos and video.

They do need to maintain calcium levels for molting

They're very territorial, especially when they're molting. And yes, separation into cages is one solution, although not perfect. The gentleman whose farm I visited, StrawberryCreekShrimpFarm.com is in Chatham, VA. He is the regional nursery for south central Virginia and has a lot of videos on YouTube about that. Just search on Eddie Cochran or Strawberry Creek Shrimp Farm. He got his shrimp from Aquaculture of Texas. Apparently they do about 90% of the freshwater shrimp breeding and distribution in the US...so they say.

The shrimp farming Eddie does is in tanks and earthen ponds. There were other farmers picking up shrimp from this one shipment...a researcher from VSU, Virginia State University, and a private farmer who raises shrimp alongside his soy beans, cattle, wheat and livestock. There's a lot of diversity out there!

Water parameters...I'll have to go back and look at my notes for specifics, but they do like it cool. I know the driver put a bag of ice in each tank before he left Texas...temps were 90% in Texas and apparently shrimp like it cool...

I have to call back on the life cycles. It was hard to talk since everyone was so focused on getting the transfers done, shrimp weighed and in the water.

Ideal feed is a sinking feed which makes aeration all the more important.Here's a photo of a net full of baby prawn. Feel free to use it and post it on your sites if you want. I just ask that you put, "Photo courtesy of VABizMagazine.com" on the title/caption/attribution.

More to follow, but I'm on deadline today...just taking a break to respond! Great trip...saw three different setups, including the 57 aquaculture ponds at VSU in Petersburg, VA.

Keep posting questions and I'll ask Eddie when I talk to him next week.

Keith Langdon said:

Hopefully we are discussing freshwater prawns?

Do you need to maintain any calcium levels for molting?
How territorial are they? Do they need to be seperated in cages?
Water parameters.
Life cycles from spawn to harvest
Ideal feed