Skip to content
KisanPe
crustacean6 Month Culture PeriodFCR: 1.5

Giant Freshwater Prawn (Scampi)

मीठे पानी का महाझींगा (स्कैम्पी पालन) • Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Commercial aquaculture blueprint covering target water quality tolerances, extruded floating pellet nutrition, biosecure disease prophylaxis, and PMMSY 40%–60% capital grant eligibility.

Net Batch Profit₹2.85 Lakhper standard unit
Expected Biomass1,200 kg1.2 MT total yield
Farmgate Wholesale Rate₹450 / kgBaseline realization
Matsya KCC Limit₹1.8 LakhWorking Capital @ 4%
Culture Engineering

Earthen Pond with Artificial Substrates & Polyculture with Carps

Tailored to maintain high biomass carrying capacity, dissolved oxygen stability, and non-stress environmental conditions.

Commercial Highlights:
  • Largest freshwater prawn in the world: Reaches massive commercial sizes of 70g to 120g each
  • High-value domestic and export market: Commands ₹400 to ₹650 per kg in coastal and metropolitan markets
  • Ideal for polyculture with Catla and Rohu: Scampi feeds on bottom detritus without competing with column fish
  • Requires artificial substrates (PVC pipes / nylon mesh ribbons) to prevent territorial cannibalism during molting
Stocking & Growth Matrix

Stocking Density & Survival Targets

Recommended Stocking Density:12,000 to 16,000 Post-Larvae (PL) per Acre (or 4,000 PL in carp polyculture)
Survival Benchmark:70% to Market Weight
Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR):1.5 (1 kg biomass gain per 1.5 kg feed)
Water Quality Management

Target Water Chemistry Parameters

Daily monitoring thresholds required to avoid ammonia toxicity, gill asphyxiation, and stress-induced mortalities.

Dissolved Oxygen (DO)4.5 – 6.5 ppmCritical pre-dawn limit
Water pH7.5 – 8.5Buffer with lime/gypsum
Water Temperature28°C – 32°C (Growth slows below 22°C)Optimal thermal window
Total Ammonia (TAN)< 0.3 ppmToxic unionized NH3
Total Alkalinity100 – 160 ppmAcid-buffering capacity
Salinity Tolerance< 3.0 ppt (Strictly freshwater during grow-out)Osmoregulatory range
Nutritional Management

Precision Extruded Pellet Feeding Schedule

Optimized crude protein and feeding frequencies across life stages to minimize feed wastage and maximize growth velocity.

Life StageDurationCrude Protein (CP %)Feed Type & Pellet SizeFeeding Rate (% Biomass)Feeding Frequency
Post-Larvae NurseryMonth 135% – 38% CPMicro crumble sinking prawn feed6% of biomass3 times / day
Grow-out PhaseMonth 2 to Month 630% – 32% CP2.0 mm to 3.0 mm sinking prawn pellets3% of biomass adjusted with feed trays2 times / day
Feeding Tray Inspection: Check feed trays 90 minutes after feeding. If feed remains unconsumed, reduce subsequent feedings by 20% to prevent water fouling and lethal ammonia spikes.
Financial Modeling

1 Acre Earthen Pond Profit & Loss Statement

Verified batch operating budget based on commercial hatchery seed costs, floating pellet feed, aeration electricity, and wholesale farmgate prices.

Batch Operating Expenses (OPEX)

Fingerling / Seed Cost:₹32,000
Commercial Pellet Feed:₹1,75,000
Power, Aeration & Generator Fuel:₹28,000
Probiotics, Lime & Medicines:₹20,000
Total Batch OPEX:₹2,55,000

Harvest Revenue Realization

Total Harvest Biomass:1,200 kg
Average Farmgate Wholesale Rate:₹450 / kg
Culture Duration:6 Months
Gross Batch Turnover:₹5,40,000
Net Farmer Return
₹2,85,000
Net Profit per batch cycle
Payback Horizon:15 Months
Matsya KCC Working Capital:₹1.8 Lakh
* Assumes 40%–60% PMMSY pond/tank capital subsidy is availed.
Health Prophylaxis

Critical Disease Diagnosis & Biosecurity Treatments

Immediate identification and legal aquatic medication protocols for pathogens affecting Giant Freshwater Prawn (Scampi).

White Tail Disease (WTD)

व्हाइट टेल डिजीज (सफेद पूंछ रोग)
Causative Pathogen:Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (MrNV)
Symptoms:Milky whitish discoloration of abdominal muscle and tail, high mortality in post-larvae.
Prescribed Treatment / Control:Procure certified SPF disease-free PL from registered hatcheries; maintain strict pond biosecurity.
SOP Guidelines

5 Golden Aquaculture Rules for Giant Freshwater Prawn (Scampi)

1

Install artificial hideouts (cut PVC pipes, submerged netting ribbons) on pond bottoms to protect molting soft prawns from hard-shelled predators.

2

Practice cull-harvesting: select large dominant "blue claw" males with hand-held trap nets to allow smaller "orange claw" males to rapidly grow.

3

Maintain pond water total hardness and alkalinity above 120 ppm by regular dosing of dolomite or agricultural gypsum.

4

Feed after dusk along pond perimeter dykes; prawns are nocturnal benthic bottom feeders.

Interactive Planning

Calculate Production Costs & Profits for Giant Freshwater Prawn (Scampi)

ICAR-CIFA & NFDB Precision Aquaculture Engine

Fish & Shrimp Farming Profitability Calculator

Calculate total floating feed bags, FCR, harvest biomass, operating expenses, and net profit for pond, biofloc, and RAS culture.

1 Acre Earthen Pond (approx 4,000 sq.m)
₹46/kg
Commercial extruded feed bag
₹135/kg
Live fish / chilled mandi price
Culture Benchmarks for Composite Freshwater Carp:
Feed FCR:1.55
Culture Duration:10 Months
Expected Survival:85%
Target DO:4.5 – 6.5 ppm
Aquaculture P&L Summary

Composite Freshwater Carp

FCR: 1.55
Total Harvest Biomass
3,500 kg(3.5 MT)
Net Estimated Batch Profit₹45.1/kg net
₹1,57,950
Gross: ₹4,72,500OPEX: ₹3,14,550
Feed Required181 Bags(5,425 kg @ 30kg)
Matsya KCC Limit₹1.5 LakhWorking Capital @ 4%
OPEX Cost Breakdown:
Pellet Feed:₹2,49,550
Fingerling Seed:₹28,000
Power & Aeration:₹22,000
Apply for PMMSY 40%–60% Subsidy on State Portal

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions: Giant Freshwater Prawn (Scampi) Farming

Yes! Polyculture of Scampi with Catla and Rohu is highly profitable. Stocking 4,000 Scampi PL along with 2,500 carp fingerlings per acre adds ₹1.2 to ₹1.8 Lakhs in bonus prawn revenue without increasing carp feeding costs.

Download KisanPe App