Stocking densities for nursery phase culture of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii in cages

Effect of stocking density on growth, biomass increase and survival of postlarvae of Macrobrachium rosenbergii were evaluated in cages fixed inside an earthen pond. In the primary nursery phase, newly metamorphosed postlarvae (PL) were stocked for 20 days at densities of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 PLs l −1. In the secondary phase (60 days), the densities tested were 100, 200, 300, 400, 600 and 800 PLs m −2. Prawns were fed with a 35% protein commercial pellet. Survival, final mean weight and average weight gain were significantly lower ( P