Black Tiger Shrimp (Penaeus monodon) Profile

Penaeus monodon, the black tiger or giant tiger prawn, is the largest commercially farmed penaeid, routinely reaching 30 to 50 g and, under premium conditions, over 60 g within 120 to 160 days. Native to the Indo-Pacific, it requires near-full-strength seawater (20 to 35 ppt), temperatures of 26 to 33 °C, and is notably less tolerant of low salinity and low temperature than Litopenaeus vannamei. Its strong flavor, firm texture, and large size command premium prices, especially in Japan, Korea, and the high-end Chinese market, often offsetting its slower growth and higher feed conversion (FCR 1.4 to 1.9) relative to whiteleg shrimp. Production relies increasingly on SPF and high-health domesticated broodstock lines, though many regions still use wild-caught brooders, which carries disease risk, particularly for WSSV, IHHNV, and yellow head complex viruses. Farms typically stock 15 to 40 post-larvae per square meter in extensive to semi-intensive ponds and harvest at lower densities than vannamei systems. Monodon suits farms with good seawater access, disease-screened seed, and markets that pay for large, premium head-on shell-on product.