Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences Vol. 44(10), October 2015, pp. 1495-1503 Growth performance of black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) in substrate based zerowater exchange system P.S. Shyne Anand 1 , A. Panigrahi 2 , P. Ravichandran 2 , Sujeet Kumar 1 , J. Syama Dayal 2 , A. D. Deo 1 , A.G Ponniah 2 & S.M. Pillai 2 1 Kakdwip Research Centre, Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR), Kakdwip, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, PIN-743 347, India 2 Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR), 75, Santhome High Road, R.A. Puram, Chennai, 600 028, India [E-mail: * Shyne.anand@gmail.com ; shyneanand@ciba.res.in ] Received 23 October 2013; revised 25 February 2014 To evaluate the effect of periphyton based system, an on–station grow-out trial of black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon was carried out for 130 days using with (Ts) and without (Tc) submerged substrates. P. monodon was stocked at 8 nos. m -2 , and bamboo substrates (1.8 × 0.06 m) were fixed in treatment ponds @ 2000 numbers ha -1 for development of periphyton. Provision of substrate increased the transparency (p<0.01) and reduced the turbidity (p<0.05) in treatment ponds compared to control. Similarly, comparatively lower level of total ammonia –N and nitrate–N were recorded in substrate based ponds compared to control. Periphyton biomass in terms of dry matter and ash free dry matter over substrates were 5.9±0.7 and 3.0±0.4 mg cm –2 respectively. Chlorophyll a level in water column was 15.22±6.97 and 19.06±8.68 µg L -1 in Ts and Tc ponds respectively. At the end of the grow out trial, a higher average production of 1640 kg ha -1 with an average body weight (ABW) 25.85±2.62 g was obtained in Ts compared with control, Tc (1390 kg ha -1 production and 22.00 ±2.83 g ABW). About, 29% improvement in feed conversion ratio (1.15±0.42) noticed in substrate based ponds compared to control ponds (1.48±0.02). Regression trend for length–weight analysis indicated that growth exhibited an isometric pattern with better Fulton condition factor (0.83) in tiger shrimp reared in substrate based system than in control ponds (0.82). Better growth performance of tiger shrimp in substrate based system indicates utilisation of available natural food and natural productivity as periphyton by cultured shrimps. [Keywords: Periphyton, Substrate, Penaeus monodon, Length -weight relationship ] Introduction Penaeid shrimps are one of the highly sought- after seafood commodity and cultured shrimp contribute major share of global shrimp production. The shrimp industry expanded globally due to of rising seafood demand and increased economic return. However, the expanding shrimp culture is presently facing challenges like increasing price of commercial feed, disease outbreaks and environmental degradation 2 . Hence, it is imperative to explore sustainable culture methods like low input high return system, which enhance the shrimp production and increase the income of small- scale farmers. Periphyton based culture systems are one of the low input low cost systems. Periphyton is a complex mixture of autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms such as phytoplankton, zooplankton and heterotrophic microbes 3 . Submerged substrates provide sites for the development of periphyton. Substrate based aquaculture is widely practiced in finfish and prawn culture mainly in carps 4, 5 , tilapia 6 , giant freshwater prawn 7 and pearlspot 8 to enhance aquaculture productivity. Microalgae being an important dietary food source in initial stages of penaeid shrimp 9 , periphyton based culture provide a great scope in shrimp culture. Provision of substrate in shrimp culture systems enhances the growth of pink shrimp, Farfantepenaeus paulensis 10 , brown tiger shrimp, Penaeus esculentus 11 , black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon 12, 13 and western white leg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei 14 . Periphyton serves as quality natural food and