Nursery performance of the pink shrimp Farfantepenaeus paulensis (Crustacea: Decapoda: Penaeidae) postlarvae in different salinities

Nursery performance, development, and RNA:DNA ratio were investigated in Farfantepenaeus paulensis (Perez-Farfante, 1967) postlarvae acclimated from a salinity of 30 parts per thousand to higher (35 parts per thousand) or lower (16, 22 and 29 parts per thousand) salinities and reared for 20 days. Overall, higher final weight, yield and growth rate were observed at a salinity of 29 parts per thousand. RNA:DNA ratio indicated reduced growth potential at a salinity of 35 parts per thousand. Low salinities resulted in more developed individuals. Thus, early postlarval F. paulensis should not be stocked in salinities higher than that of the original hatchery, otherwise in lower salinities postlarvae should be older and/or have an extended nursery phase. Results may assist in the development of nursery rearing protocols for F. paulensis, an alternative species for aquaculture in subtropical areas.