Temperature preference of L. vannamei

We tested the thermal preference of Whiteleg shrimp (Litopeneaus vannamei) using a dynamic shuttle box system. Individuals were released into the left or right sub-chamber of the shuttle box at random and were allowed to acclimatise for 15 minutes, after which the divider isolating the sub-chambers was carefully removed from the vacant side and the system was set to dynamic temperature regulation. Depending on where the shrimp is detected by a camera and tracking software, different temperature water would be pumped into the tank with the idea that after a certain period, individuals would become uncomfortable with the occupied temperature and 'shuttle' to the opposing sub-chamber. After 24 hours of testing, a temperature preference based on the cumulative median of occupied temperatures can be estimated. The body length of each individual was measured (tip of the rostrum to base of the telson) before being weighed.