Ammonia accumulation in shrimp ponds is a primary cause of stress and mortality. Water quality management addressing ammonia is essential for both welfare and production outcomes.
Ammonia toxicity causes physiological stress in shrimp including impaired osmoregulation, reduced immune function, and eventually mortality. Sub-lethal ammonia exposure may not cause obvious acute signs but chronically impairs welfare through ongoing physiological stress. The behavioural consequences of ammonia stress — reduced feeding, abnormal swimming, surface crowding — are detectable but often misattributed to other causes. The welfare implications are amplified by uncertainty about shrimp sentience — even if individual suffering capacity is uncertain, the precautionary principle supports maintaining water quality standards that prevent physiological stress. Good water quality management also reduces disease susceptibility, aligning welfare and production interests.