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Shrimp Toilet: A novel way for disposal of organic waste in Aquaculture

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Article · September 2018

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Md. Idrish Raja Khan

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 ARTICLE Shrimp Toilet: A novel…
Shrimp Toilet: A novel way for disposal of organic
waste in Aquaculture systems
Md. Idrish Raja Khan
INTRODUCTION
Global aquaculture production doubled during the last decade,
making it one of the fastest growing food production sectors
in the world. According to the FAO, aquaculture provides
47% (51 million tons) of the global human fish consumption.
In order to keep up with population growth and increasing
per capita fish consumption, aquaculture output is set to
increase by a further 60–100% over the next 20–30 years. As
to achieve the greater level of production the aquaculture
systems are now intensified and ponds are the most
commonly used aquaculture production system accounting
for about 40% of the world production. A vast majority of the
farmed freshwater fishes and nearly all farmed crustaceans
are cultured in ponds as super-intensive or intensive or semi-
intensive aquaculture systems. Intensification of ponds
allows accumulation of organic matter during the culture
cycle due to the administration of high levels of external
inputs (mainly formulated feed and fertilizers). The organic
waste material (excretory products) from the target culture
organisms is also a considerable source of lodging of
organic debris. Uneaten feed and feed derived metabolites
accumulate in the sediment where they are decomposed
under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. But excess lodging
leads to malfunctioning of the decomposition cycle in the
pond bottom. Aquaculture ponds are dynamic and complex
ecosystems, which will only produce the targeted cultivable
production if nutrient cycling and waste decomposition are
properly managed.
A number of physical, chemical and biological methods used
in treating this kind of problem, management practices
influencing the load and decomposition rates in ponds include
water exchange, sediment
removal, aeration, fallowing
period between crop cycles,
Highlight
liming etc. In recent time
there is a noble concept of • Intensification of aquaculture systems brings some unnecessary losses of
shrimp toilet or central drain problems like accumulation of organic wastes within
applied by aquaculturists the systems
SHRIMP TOILETS • Organic wastes invites the various infectious and non- lead to limited use of manual
The sludge formation at the
infectious diseases
pond bottom is the prime
cause of the evolution of many • Shrimp toilet seems as an alternate option as cheap, of organic waste is produced
infections in shrimp farming. eco-friendly and sustainable option to overcome the in the production of 1 kg of
The recent occurrences of loading of waste material problems.
severe diseases and downfall
in aquaculture production are
52 • AQUA INTERNATIONAL • September 2018
AI SEPTEMBER 2018 issue.indd 52
an excellent example where improper handling of organic
waste material may lead to a catastrophic result. The excess
feed and the fecal matter released by aquatic organisms
ultimately reaches to the center of the pond where most
anaerobic conditions exist leading to the formation of
ammonia and hydrogen sulphide simultaneously leading to
the stress on the animal. This stress gives chance to many
opportunistic pathogens for early and easy infection. To avoid
this kind of problems farmers in South-east Asian countries,
Bangladesh and in India especially in Andhra Pradesh and
West Bengal, are showing interest in establishing shrimp pits
or shrimp toilets or central drain at the center of the culture
pond. For this purpose, they are utilizing about 5- 7% of the
total surface area of pond. Ideally, the pond size should be
about 1000-5000 m2 for the establishment of shrimp toilet.
Establishments include 7-10 feet concrete cement with a
smooth slope to the center where there will be a small well
of about 2-3 feet depth. Smooth and slope surface (25-30o)
at center allows fast movement of waste toward the central
pit with the additional advantage of lesser requirement of
water with concentrated organic waste removal. By the
continuous movement of water by intensive aeration all the
waste materials will be dragged in to well. This waste can be
removed using a siphoning motor or submersible or floating
pump (power of about 2 hp) for every week so that there
will not be any sludge. Natural gravitational force can also be
used for draining the organic waste like in central drain.
In the recent time, there is an addition to shrimp toilet
concept is an HDPE and rubber parabola cover (2.5 meters
in diameter), placed over the central drain of a pond. The
purpose of the keeping parabola is to extend the area of
sludge removal. They were kept about 2-3 feet above the
pond bottom which allows
Points creation an extra suction
force and also preventing
target organism through the
central drain. Establishment
of a parabola in the pond may
siphoning.
Scientifically, about 500 gm
shrimp. For the production
target of 7 tonnes/ hac
with the stocking density
29/08/18 6:55:44 PM
 ARTICLE Shrimp Toilet: A novel…
of 30 pieces/ m2 farmers can accumulate a minimum of
3.5 tonnes of sludge which must be disposed off in an eco-
friendly manner. The concentrated sludge if released into
the nature untreated has the capability to trigger pathogen
which could cause mass mortality in short period of time.
Concentrated sludge should not be released directly into the
natural resources and instead allowed to settled, treated and
then be disposed. The farmer should demarcate 5% of the
total culture area as a sludge pit to accumulate the sludge
while farming and then dispose it to a safer area after the
completion of the culture phase. There should also be a
proper design for the pit to facilitate an eco-friendly way for

Working principle of shrimp toilet

Aquaculture pond with intensive aeration

(circular movement)

Working principle of central drain

Dried pond with cental drain at bottom

HDPE parabola
Advantages of shrimp pits:
1. Reduces the chance of infections/ infestation- Early
mortality syndrome (EMS) or Acute Hepatopancreatic
Necrosis Disease (AHPND), Enterocytozoon Hepatopenaei
(EHP), White Fecal Disease (WFD), White Muscle Disease
(WMD) etc.
2. Animals will be stress-free
Central pit of shrimp toilet 3. Avoids usage of chemical at high doses
the sludge disposal. Moreover, properly treated sludge could 4. Ammonia and Hydrogen sulphide formation will be very
also be used as organic manure for agriculture. This would less
be beneficial to the agricultural farmers for their farmlands in 5. Controlled/ Improved FCR
the surrounding areas. 6. Pollution free aquatic environment etc
54 • AQUA INTERNATIONAL • September 2018
AI SEPTEMBER 2018 issue.indd
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