Giant freshwater prawns are farmed extensively in Southeast Asia and increasingly elsewhere. Their social complexity and territorial behaviour create welfare challenges in intensive culture.
Giant freshwater prawn welfare is complicated by their strong territorial and hierarchical behaviour. In pond culture, dominant blue-claw males inflict injuries on smaller animals, reducing average growth and causing chronic stress in subordinates. Monosex culture systems avoid this but involve hormone manipulation. Harvest by pond draining causes crowding and air exposure stress. Introducing ice slurry stunning before slaughter would substantially reduce terminal suffering with minimal cost.