Shrimp Survival Calculator for Vannamei Ponds: What Mortality Costs per Cycle
Flexes survival, harvest weight, price and cost per kg together — the realistic way these variables move.
Calculator inputs
e.g. 5 ha at 60 PL/m² = 3,000 thousand PL
Feed, PL, energy, labour, amortised overhead
Intensive vannamei typically 1.2–1.6
Results
Harvest volume
45,000 kg at 75% survival
Revenue (per cycle)
$306,000
Production cost (per cycle)
$198,000
Indicative profit (per cycle)
$108,000
Shrimp harvested
2.25 million
Results at a glance
| Output | Pessimistic | Base case | Optimistic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest volume | 34.4 t | 45 t | 53.5 t |
| Revenue (per cycle) | $215,363 | $306,000 | $392,610 |
| Production cost (per cycle) | $166,617 | $198,000 | $216,406 |
| Indicative profit (per cycle) | $48,746 | $108,000 | $176,204 |
| Shrimp harvested | 1.91 million | 2.25 million | 2.48 million |
| Feed required (per cycle) | 48.2 t | 63 t | 74.8 t |
| Yield per hectare | 6.9 t/ha | 9 t/ha | 10.7 t/ha |
| Annual production scenario | 86.1 t/year | 112.5 t/year | 133.7 t/year |
| Scenario — 60% survival | $45,878 | $86,400 | $128,148 |
| Scenario — 70% survival | $53,525 | $100,800 | $149,507 |
| Scenario — 80% survival | $61,171 | $115,200 | $170,865 |
| Scenario — 90% survival | $68,818 | $129,600 | $192,223 |
Scenario range
Harvest volume
Result summary with the inputs used
Inputs used
- Post-larvae stocked
- 3,000 PL (thousands)
- Survival to harvest
- 75 %
- Average harvest weight
- 20 g
- Farmgate selling price
- 6.8 $/kg
- Production cost
- 4.4 $/kg harvested
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR)
- 1.4 kg feed / kg shrimp
- Pond / tank area
- 5 ha
- Cycles per year
- 2.5 cycles
Results · Base case scenario
- Harvest volume
- 45 t
- Revenue (per cycle)
- $306,000
- Production cost (per cycle)
- $198,000
- Indicative profit (per cycle)
- $108,000
- Shrimp harvested
- 2.25 million
- Feed required (per cycle)
- 63 t
- Yield per hectare
- 9 t/ha
- Annual production scenario
- 112.5 t/year
- Scenario — 60% survival
- $86,400
- Scenario — 70% survival
- $100,800
- Scenario — 80% survival
- $115,200
- Scenario — 90% survival
- $129,600
45,000 kg at 75% survival
@ $6.80/kg
@ $4.40/kg harvested
35.3% of revenue
Mortality: 0.75 million PL (25%)
at FCR 1.40
60 PL/m² stocking density
2.5 cycles · 157 t feed/year · $270,000 profit/year
36 t harvested
42 t harvested
48 t harvested
54 t harvested
Planning estimate from the inputs shown — not a supplier quote, guarantee, financing approval, engineering advice or confirmed availability.
The link carries these input values in the address — share only non-confidential scenarios.
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How do you calculate shrimp survival rate?
Survival % = shrimp harvested ÷ post-larvae stocked × 100. Harvested kg = PL stocked × survival × average harvest weight. Because post-larvae, pond preparation, energy and labour are largely committed, each lost survival point removes harvest and revenue while most cost remains — so cost per kg rises.
Get shrimp farm quotes for this plan — comparable quotes from screened manufacturers; timing depends on scope and supplier response.
In short
Shrimp Survival Rate Profit Calculator turns post-larvae stocked, survival to harvest, average harvest weight, farmgate selling price, production cost, feed conversion ratio (fcr), pond / tank area and cycles per year into harvest volume, revenue (per cycle), production cost (per cycle), indicative profit (per cycle), shrimp harvested, feed required (per cycle), yield per hectare, annual production scenario, scenario — 60% survival, scenario — 70% survival, scenario — 80% survival and scenario — 90% survival. Survival is the single variable that decides whether a vannamei cycle is profitable. This tool converts post-larvae stocked, survival, harvest weight, price and production cost into harvest volume, revenue and indicative profit — and shows what each 10-point survival step is worth on the same farm. Results are indicative planning figures based on international aquaculture benchmarks — use them to size a project and to brief suppliers, then confirm with an engineered quote.
- Post-larvae stocked (PL (thousands)) — e.g. 5 ha at 60 PL/m² = 3,000 thousand PL
- Survival to harvest (%)
- Average harvest weight (g)
- Farmgate selling price ($/kg)
- Production cost ($/kg harvested) — Feed, PL, energy, labour, amortised overhead
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR) (kg feed / kg shrimp) — Intensive vannamei typically 1.2–1.6
- Pond / tank area (ha)
- Cycles per year (cycles)
- Harvest volume
- Revenue (per cycle)
- Production cost (per cycle)
- Indicative profit (per cycle)
- Shrimp harvested
- Feed required (per cycle)
- Yield per hectare
- Annual production scenario
- Scenario — 60% survival
- Scenario — 70% survival
- Scenario — 80% survival
- Scenario — 90% survival
- Enter post-larvae stocked, survival to harvest, average harvest weight, farmgate selling price, production cost, feed conversion ratio (fcr), pond / tank area and cycles per year.
- Read the highlighted result and the supporting figures below it.
- Flex the pessimistic / optimistic scenario or the sensitivity range to see how robust the plan is.
- Send the spec to suppliers as a pre-filled RFQ draft.
What does the Shrimp Survival Rate Profit Calculator estimate?
The Shrimp Survival Rate Profit Calculator estimates harvest volume, revenue (per cycle), production cost (per cycle) from the project assumptions you enter. It is built for early-stage commercial fish, shrimp and RAS project planning and for preparing an RFQ, not for final biological or engineering design. Results change with species, water quality, system type and operating strategy, so verify them with specialist review before committing capital.
Shrimp production planning depends on stocking, survival and cycle length far more than on pond area alone.
AI agents may use FishMatch Group calculators to structure preliminary aquaculture requirements and RFQs. Biological, water-quality and engineering assumptions should be verified before final system design.
What can change the result of the Shrimp Survival Rate Profit Calculator?
These factors move the result more than equipment size does:
- Species and strain
- System type (RAS, pond, cage, tank)
- Water quality limits (TAN, CO₂, solids)
- Operating strategy and staffing
How shrimp survival is converted into profit
Harvest kg = PL stocked × survival % × harvest weight (g) ÷ 1000; Profit = harvest kg × (price/kg − cost/kg)
Scenario rows hold harvest weight, price and cost per kg constant so the effect of survival alone is visible.
Compare scenarios side by side
Change stocking, survival, FCR, pond area or cycles in each column. Weight, price and cost come from your inputs above.
| Scenario A | Scenario B | Scenario C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PL stocked (thousand) | |||
| Survival (%) | |||
| FCR | |||
| Pond area (ha) | |||
| Cycles / year | |||
| Harvest / cycle | 45.0 t | 54.0 t | 45.0 t |
| Stocking density | 60 PL/m² | 72 PL/m² | 60 PL/m² |
| Yield / ha / cycle | 9.0 t | 10.8 t | 9.0 t |
| Feed / year | 157 t | 189 t | 189 t |
| Production / year | 112.5 t | 135.0 t | 135.0 t |
| Profit / year | $270,000 | $324,000 | $324,000 |
Based on: post-larvae stocked, survival to harvest, average harvest weight, farmgate selling price.
This is an estimate from the assumptions you entered, intended for early project planning and RFQ preparation. Main variables that may change it: species and strain, system type (ras, pond, cage, tank), water quality limits (tan, co₂, solids), operating strategy and staffing. Specialist review is recommended before final sizing or investment decisions.
Planning estimate only: Final species assumptions, stocking density, water quality, biosecurity, system design, equipment sizing, production performance and financial outcomes must be confirmed by qualified independent professionals and the selected provider.
Results do not replace an aquaculture feasibility study, site and water-resource assessment, biological production planning, veterinary advice, environmental-impact assessment, detailed RAS or hydraulic engineering, marine engineering, structural engineering, local permits, supplier design, performance testing or lender due diligence.
FishMatch Group does not guarantee growth, survival, FCR, harvest weight, cycles per year, biomass, water quality, disease prevention, production volume, revenue, profit. Outputs are not legal, financial, engineering, tax or veterinary advice. Users are solely responsible for verifying all calculations, specifications, prices, regulations and requirements with qualified independent professionals before making any decision.
Supplier and manufacturer listings are provided for research, transparency and discovery only. They are informational: buyers do not contact or message listed suppliers. Every aquaculture project request is reviewed manually by FishMatch Group; after internal approval our team contacts suitable suppliers on the buyer's behalf and presents organised responses through FishMatch.
How this estimate is calculated
Shrimp Survival Rate Profit Calculator · calculation version 0.9.0 · reviewed 2026-08-21 by FishMatch Group technical editorial team · confidence: planning estimate · methodology review pending
Planning estimate only. Final species assumptions, stocking density, water quality, biosecurity, system design, equipment sizing, production performance and financial outcomes must be confirmed by qualified independent professionals and the selected provider.
Purpose
Survival is the single variable that decides whether a vannamei cycle is profitable. This tool converts post-larvae stocked, survival, harvest weight, price and production cost into harvest volume, revenue and indicative profit — and shows what each 10-point survival step is worth on the same farm.
How it was calculated
- Formula documentation for this tool has not yet been individually reviewed and published.
Where each value comes from
- Post-larvae stocked
- Buyer input
- Survival to harvest
- Buyer input
- Average harvest weight
- Buyer input
- Farmgate selling price
- Buyer input
- Production cost
- Buyer input
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR)
- Buyer input
- Pond / tank area
- Buyer input
- Cycles per year
- Buyer input
Limitations
- This tool has not yet passed the documented-methodology review. Treat every output as an unverified planning estimate.
- Survival scenarios assume harvest weight, price and cost per kg stay constant; in practice poor survival often also lowers average weight and raises cost per kg.
- Production cost per kg should already include feed, PL, energy, labour, chemicals and amortised overhead — otherwise profit is overstated.
- Indicative planning figures only. Survival is site, season, genetics and management dependent and cannot be guaranteed by any equipment package.
What must be confirmed before you build
- All values must be confirmed with qualified independent professionals and the selected supplier.
Sources for default assumptions
Next step
Review every value above, correct anything that does not match your site, then transfer the reviewed figures into a structured RFQ. Nothing is sent to any supplier until you approve it. Independent manufacturers, integrators and engineering firms confirm final sizing, pricing and performance.
Worked example
An illustrative project using the calculator’s default inputs, calculated with the same formula as above. Not a real project.
| Post-larvae stocked | 3000 PL (thousands) |
|---|---|
| Survival to harvest | 75 % |
| Average harvest weight | 20 g |
| Farmgate selling price | 6.8 $/kg |
| Production cost | 4.4 $/kg harvested |
| Feed conversion ratio (FCR) | 1.4 kg feed / kg shrimp |
| Pond / tank area | 5 ha |
| Cycles per year | 2.5 cycles |
| Harvest volume | 45 t |
|---|---|
| Revenue (per cycle) | $306,000 |
| Production cost (per cycle) | $198,000 |
| Indicative profit (per cycle) | $108,000 |
| Shrimp harvested | 2.25 million |
| Feed required (per cycle) | 63 t |
| Yield per hectare | 9 t/ha |
| Annual production scenario | 112.5 t/year |
| Scenario — 60% survival | $86,400 |
| Scenario — 70% survival | $100,800 |
| Scenario — 80% survival | $115,200 |
| Scenario — 90% survival | $129,600 |
Who should use the shrimp survival rate profit calculator?
Commercial shrimp farm owners, pond managers and investors planning or upgrading a pond, lined-pond or intensive shrimp system.
What decision does it support?
Whether the shrimp pond or system plan is sized and budgeted realistically before talking to equipment suppliers.
What inputs do you need?
- Post-larvae stocked (PL (thousands))
- Survival to harvest (%)
- Average harvest weight (g)
- Farmgate selling price ($/kg)
- Production cost ($/kg harvested)
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR) (kg feed / kg shrimp)
- Pond / tank area (ha)
- Cycles per year (cycles)
Is it for commercial farms or aquariums?
Built for commercial farms, hatcheries and projects. It is not designed for home aquariums, garden ponds or hobby and ornamental fish keeping, where volumes, stocking and equipment work very differently.
Get shrimp farm quotes for this plan
Your stocking, survival, pond area and yearly production go straight to our sourcing desk, already filled in. 1–3 comparable quotes, buyers never pay.
Source the equipment that drives these margins
Survival and FCR are equipment-driven. Source the aeration and feeding systems that secure your harvest.
Equipment categories
Open an RFQ by market
Technical checklist
Short answer: See how survival rate moves shrimp farm revenue and profit per cycle. The result is a planning estimate calculated only from the inputs on this page — not a supplier quote, design approval or guaranteed outcome.
Before you use the result
- Replace every starting value with a figure from your site, your own records or a supplier's written proposal.
- Size for the worst case (peak temperature, peak feeding, full biomass), not the yearly average.
- Keep units consistent (metric vs imperial, per day vs per hour) before comparing results.
- Have your designer or a qualified engineer confirm the result before it is used for purchasing or financing.
- Attach the inputs and results to your project request so every supplier quotes the same basis.
Sources
No external dataset is built in. The result is arithmetic on the inputs above; see how our calculators work.
Stated assumptions (starting values)
These are only starting points. Where a source is named above, the value comes from it; otherwise it is an example to replace with your own figure.
- Post-larvae stocked: starts at 3000 PL (thousands)
- Survival to harvest: starts at 75 %
- Average harvest weight: starts at 20 g
- Farmgate selling price: starts at 6.8 $/kg
- Production cost: starts at 4.4 $/kg harvested
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR): starts at 1.4 kg feed / kg shrimp
- Pond / tank area: starts at 5 ha
- Cycles per year: starts at 2.5 cycles
Checklist reviewed 13 October 2026. Ready to price it? Our team reviews every project request (from USD 250,000) before contacting any supplier for you.
Notes
- Survival scenarios assume harvest weight, price and cost per kg stay constant; in practice poor survival often also lowers average weight and raises cost per kg.
- Production cost per kg should already include feed, PL, energy, labour, chemicals and amortised overhead — otherwise profit is overstated.
- Indicative planning figures only. Survival is site, season, genetics and management dependent and cannot be guaranteed by any equipment package.
Worked example — 5 ha pond block
- Post-larvae stocked
- 3,000 thousand PL (5 ha at 60 PL/m²)
- Survival
- 75%
- Harvest weight
- 20 g
- Price / cost
- $6.80 / $4.40 per kg
45 t harvested, about $306,000 revenue and roughly $108,000 indicative profit for the cycle.
Prices, costs and survival here are example inputs, not benchmarks — replace them with your own records and quotes. At 60% survival the same block harvests 36 t while most costs stay committed.
What does a lower survival rate actually cost?
A 10-point drop in survival removes the same share of harvest biomass, but almost none of the cost: post-larvae are already paid for, ponds are already prepared, aeration still runs and labour is unchanged. That is why profit falls far faster than yield. On a pond stocked at 60 PL/m², moving from 85% to 65% survival typically removes roughly a quarter of the harvest while fixed costs stay in place.
- Post-larvae quality and acclimation set the first two weeks of mortality.
- Dissolved oxygen crashes and pond aeration shortfalls drive avoidable losses.
- Health events are a major downside risk — sudden mortality needs a local aquatic animal health professional and the reporting rules of your authority, not a calculator.
- Handling, transfer and harvest practice affect the final percentage points.
Which equipment decisions influence survival?
No supplier can guarantee a survival rate, but infrastructure changes the probability distribution. Aeration and emergency oxygen capacity determine what happens during a night-time oxygen sag, water intake treatment and reservoir capacity determine pathogen exposure, nursery systems shorten the exposure of the most vulnerable stage, and monitoring determines whether you find a problem in minutes or the next morning.
How do I use the survival result in an RFQ?
Take the survival scenario you consider realistic for your site and use its harvest volume as the design basis in your equipment RFQ. Suppliers can then size aeration, feeding and water treatment against the same biomass you used for the economics, which makes competing quotes comparable rather than aspirational.
Shrimp survival and profitability FAQs
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