Influence of ammonia on growth of Penaeus monodon Fabricius post-larvae

Abstract

Tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon Fabricius, post-larvae (32·0±3mg, 1·43±0·03 cm) were exposed to control, 0·12, 0·60, 1·20 and 2·40mg/l ammonia-N (un-ionized plus ionized ammonia as nitrogen) which is equivalent to control, 6,32,63 and 126μg/1 NH3-N (un-ionized ammonia as nitrogen) for 8 weeks in 25 ppt, as pH of 7·85–8·18 and 26–28°C by static renewal method. Growth in weight and length of the shrimps exposed to 1·20 and 2·40 mg/l ammonia-N were significantly lower (P < 0·05) than those exposed to control. The EC50 (concentration that reduced growth by 50% of that of the controls) was 1·33 mg/l ammonia-N, 70 μg/l NH3-N for weight gain, and 2·35 mg/1 ammonia-N, 123μg/l NH3-N for length gain of P. monodon post-larvae. The‘maximum acceptable toxicant concentration’(MATC) of ammonia-N and NH3-N for P. monodon post-larvae was 0·60mg/l and 32μg/l, respectively after 6 weeks of exposure.