Growout
The final stage of production is the pond growout stage. A water temperature greater than 68F for a minimum of 100 days is necessary for pond growout. This water temperature requirement is achieved in the S.E. United States as far North as central Illinois.
Ponds should be designed to completely drain in less than a day. To accomplish this there must be a slope of approximately 6 inches per 100 foot of pond length and 4 inches per 100 foot of pond width sloped towards the center. There must be one or two drain pipes in the deepest part of the pond depending on the size of the pond. Approximately a 10 inch drain is needed for each acre of water (i.e. a 3 acre pond needs two 15 inch drains). However, when the pond reaches approximately 12 inches deep only one drain pipe should be used. This prevents the water from draining completely before providing an adequate opportunity for the prawns to follow the water through the drain pipe. A catch basin should be constructed on the outside of the levee to collect any prawns which exit through the drain. This method of harvesting is very efficient if the pond drains at the proper speed with low volumes of water remaining in the pond. Almost all prawns in the pond can be easily collected in a catch basin on the outside of the levee. Keep the bottom of the pond smooth without any holes or depressions which will retain water and prawns as the pond drains. With proper pond design, harvesting can be time and labor efficient. The standpipe should be equipped with a drain, if a standpipe is used the height of the standpipe will determine the depth of the pond. An anti-seep collar should be used on the drain pipe deep in the levee to prevent seepage of water along the edge of the drain pipe.
A drawing showing the slope of a pond bottom, an anti-seep collar surrounding the drain deep within the levee.
First Picture: Pond being drained.
Second Picture: Catch basin from drain pipes from two different ponds.
Third Picture: Catch basin made with wood.
First Picture: Harvested prawns after rinsing in chilled water.
Second Picture: Large blue claw male prawn.
Third Picture: Large prawn weighing 0.25 lbs or 113.5 g or a 4 count.
More detailed literature on pond growout is available at this link:
SRAC Publication 484: Production of Freshwater Prawns in Ponds
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