Aqua chemicals in shrimp farm: A study from south-west coast of Bangladesh

A study was carried out to understand, current status of the use of chemicals and antibiotics for penaid shrimp health management. Data was collected through questionnaire interview, personal contact, market survey and participatory rural appraisal like focus group discussion with target group in south west coast of Bangladesh. A range of chemicals including antibiotics were found available in market and being used in the aquaculture sector. Commonly found traditional chemicals in heath management included lime, salt, potassium permanganate, sumithion, melathion, formalin, bleaching powder and malachite green. Major active ingredients of these antibiotics were oxytetracycline, chlorotetracycline, amoxicillin, co-trimoxazoie, sulphadiazine and sulphamethoxazole. Among the available antibiotics, oxysentin 20%, renamox, renamycin and orgamycine 15% was being used widely by the freshwater aqua farmers in Jessore area. Thirteen branded probiotics were also found in the market to use mainly by the coastal shrimp farmers against vibriosis and other luminescent bacteria to improve water and soil quality. The study also indicated some problems associated with the use of such chemicals due to lack of knowledge of farmers about the use of chemicals, appropriate dose, method of application and their indiscriminate use of chemicals.