Giant Tiger Prawn (Penaeus monodon) Farming: A Production Guide
The giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) is the largest farmed penaeid and was long the dominant farmed shrimp. It is grown in brackish ponds, mostly from wild-sourced broodstock.
Overview
The giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon), also called black tiger shrimp or Asian tiger shrimp, is the largest farmed penaeid shrimp, with females reaching about 33 cm and 200-320 g. Native to the Indo-Pacific, it was historically the most widely farmed prawn before being overtaken by the whiteleg shrimp, Penaeus vannamei; it is now the second-most cultured prawn worldwide. In 2009 about 770,000 tonnes were produced. It is mainly farmed across South and Southeast Asia.
Broodstock and hatchery
A long-standing constraint on Penaeus monodon farming is that hatcheries have remained largely dependent on wild-caught spawners, because full domestication of high-quality, disease-free broodstock has been more difficult than for whiteleg shrimp, and wild spawners can be in short supply. Hatcheries mature and spawn broodstock and rear larvae through nauplius, zoea, and mysis stages to postlarvae, which are then nursed and stocked into grow-out ponds. The reliance on wild broodstock has been both a supply bottleneck and a route for introducing pathogens, so screening of broodstock and postlarvae is an important safeguard.
Culture systems and grow-out
- Brackish-water ponds, ranging from extensive to intensive management
- A euryhaline species tolerant of a wide salinity range, optimally around 15-25 parts per thousand
- Optimal growth at water temperatures of roughly 28-33 degrees C
- Stocked with hatchery postlarvae, fed formulated feeds in semi-intensive and intensive systems
- Harvested at large market sizes, with the species prized for its size and value
Disease history and the shift to whiteleg shrimp
Penaeus monodon is highly vulnerable to viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. Severe disease, especially white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), along with monodon baculovirus (MBV) and yellow head virus (YHV), caused major losses and was a key reason the industry shifted toward the domesticated, SPF whiteleg shrimp. Disease control for tiger prawn relies on better broodstock, screened postlarvae, and pond biosecurity rather than treatment.
Environmental considerations
The expansion of brackish-water shrimp ponds has been associated with the destruction of large areas of coastal mangroves in several countries, along with concerns about wild juvenile collection and social impacts. Responsible siting, mangrove conservation, and improved pond and effluent management are central to more sustainable tiger prawn production.