Did you know that a smaller pellet can mean more food for your shrimp?

In shrimp farming, feed efficiency is critical—not only for healthy shrimp growth but also for controlling feed costs and environmental impact. One often overlooked factor is pellet size.

Traditional pelleted shrimp feeds are generally larger and fewer in number per kilogram compared to extruded feeds. Extrusion technology allows the production of much smaller diameter pellets, sometimes as tiny as 0.5 mm, especially useful for early-stage shrimp diets. But why does pellet size matter?

Smaller pellets mean more individual pieces of feed per kilogram. This enables farmers to feed shrimp multiple times a day, allowing each shrimp to receive more consistent and accessible nutrition. Proper pellet sizing matched to shrimp size and feeding frequency improves feed intake, reduces wastage, and ultimately supports better growth performance.

The size of feed pellets is not directly related to the shrimp's mouth size alone, but also to feeding behavior. Shrimp often carry pellets while swimming before consumption, so pellets must be small and sized appropriately for easy handling. Recommended pellet sizes vary by shrimp weight—for example, 1 mm crumbles for shrimp up to 3 g, 2 to 2.5 mm pellets for mid-sized shrimp, and slightly larger for adults. Using fewer pellet sizes but correctly matched to shrimp growth stages helps maximize feeding efficiency while minimizing waste.

Additionally, extrusion not only produces smaller pellets but also significantly improves pellet durability and water stability. Pellets from extrusion have improved starch gelatinization and compaction, which helps them resist disintegration in water, ensuring more pellets reach the shrimp intact without nutrient loss or polluting the water. Good water stability is essential because shrimp are slow feeders; unstable pellets break down rapidly, causing wastage and water quality degradation.

Extrusion further enhances the nutritional quality of feeds by improving protein and carbohydrate digestibility, reducing anti-nutritional factors, and enabling flexible formulations that optimize ingredient use and cost-efficiency. This technology, therefore, supports better growth performance, higher feed conversion ratios, and lower environmental footprint.

Feeding frequency interacts closely with pellet size and form. Smaller, water-stable pellets facilitate multiple daily feedings, which aligns with shrimp feeding behavior and reduces nutrient leaching. Feeding shrimp more frequently with appropriately sized pellets has been shown to improve feed intake, growth rates, and reduce feed wastage, directly impacting farm profitability and sustainability.

Understanding the science behind extrusion, pellet size, water stability, and feeding strategies is essential to making informed decisions in feed formulation and production. This knowledge can lead to significant improvements in shrimp farm profitability and sustainability by maximizing feed efficiency, reducing feed costs, and minimizing environmental impact.

Curious about how feed technology shapes shrimp growth and farm economics? Don’t miss our upcoming Progressus Aqua Feed Milling Management course, taking place November 18–21, 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand. Learn directly from leading industry experts as they share insights on feed extrusion technology, smart investment strategies, and practical methods to boost feed efficiency on your farm.