Shrimply Resources / Disease Risk

Shrimp Mortality Tracking: How Loss Records Protect Biomass, FCR, and Harvest Planning

Why are shrimp dying in my pond? Learn how mortality records help farmers investigate sudden loss, protect biomass estimates, improve FCR accuracy, and trigger a timely disease-risk response.

6 min read/Farm management guide
Shrimp mortality tracking infographic for recording pond losses, survival, biomass, FCR risk, disease response, and harvest planning

Why mortality records are not optional

Mortality directly changes the estimated population in a pond. If losses are missed, biomass can be overstated, feed can be overissued, and FCR can look worse or better than reality.

Mortality is also an early warning signal. A small daily increase may matter more than a single isolated count if it continues across several days.

How to record mortality usefully

Record date, pond, count or estimated weight, condition, location, and any linked observation such as low appetite, poor DO, unusual color, or recent treatment. If mortality is estimated, mark it as estimated.

The value is not only the number. The value is the connection between mortality, water quality, feeding, and disease-risk observations.

Use mortality to update decisions

After mortality is recorded, update population and biomass assumptions. Then review feeding and harvest plans. If the mortality pattern is abnormal, follow the farm's biosecurity and escalation process.

Farmer Checklist

What to apply on the farm

  • Record mortality daily by pond.
  • Separate confirmed counts from estimates.
  • Update population and biomass assumptions.
  • Review mortality trends with water quality and appetite.
Common Questions

Why are shrimp dying in my pond?

Mortality can be associated with water-quality stress, disease, feed response, handling, predators, and other operational conditions. Record the timing, pond area, shrimp condition, appetite, water readings, and recent changes, then follow the farm's biosecurity and diagnostic escalation process.

How does shrimp mortality affect FCR and harvest planning?

Unrecorded losses overstate population and biomass, which can lead to overfeeding, misleading FCR, and unrealistic harvest expectations. Update population and biomass assumptions when a mortality pattern is confirmed.

Sources and Further Reading
Related Shrimply Pages