Causes of Shrimp Cramps and How to Overcome Them

Cramps in shrimp is one of the health problems in which the shrimp has a vein. The most common cause of shrimp cramps is due to the lack of minerals in the water content of shrimp ponds so that the stress level of the shrimp increases and muscle cramps occur.

Even if the shrimp cramps, the shrimp can still swim in the pond. However, if left untreated, the shrimp will slowly die. Especially if the shrimp receive a sudden threat or movement, such as sudden light at night, the shrimp will be startled and move suddenly, or what is also called crash and cause ulcers or cramps. This article will discuss the characteristics, causes of shrimp cramps, and how to overcome them.

Characteristics of Cram Shrimp

The condition that occurs in shrimp when they experience muscle cramps is stress shrimp that affects their veins. It is difficult to detect when shrimp are stressed, but to detect whether shrimp are experiencing health problems with muscle cramps, you can recognize the following characteristics:

1. There is a rigid bend in the tail.
2. Shrimp that swim bent is a symptom of partially bent shrimp, while shrimp that swim at the bottom of the pond is a symptom of completely bent shrimp.
3. There are lesions on the surface of the body and tail.
4. Shrimp have difficulty straightening their tail muscles.
5. You can see white lumps.

Causes of Cramps Shrimp

For sure, no one can say what causes shrimp cramps. Because this health problem can be a symptom of other shrimp diseases such as Myo Disease and Telonia Disease (Microsporida). However, in general, the causes of shrimp cramps are caused by increased stress on shrimp, lack of minerals in shrimp, decreased water quality, changes in pond water temperature, poor feed quality, and other causes.

1. Increased Stress Levels

The most common cause of shrimp cramps is the increased stress level of the shrimp. When shrimp are stressed, shrimp can experience it Cramp Muscle Syndrome (CMS), causing shrimp to experience muscle cramps. When shrimp experience cramps, the inside of the muscles will change color to a whitish color. If not immediately handled properly, then in the near future the shrimp can die.

2. Poor Water Quality

One of the causes of easy shrimp stress is poor water quality. Dirty water, unbalanced water acid-base levels, and low levels of dissolved oxygen are the main factors that stress shrimp.

Poor water quality has the potential to expose shrimp to Telonia Disease (Microsporida). The impact when shrimp are stressed and exposed to this disease is that shrimp experience muscle cramps.

3. Increased Water Temperature

Drastic changes in water temperature between the bottom of the pond and the surface of the water can also make the muscles of the shrimp cramp. Therefore, you are required to maintain changes in water temperature, especially during the rainy season.

4. Lack of Minerals

The next cause of shrimp cramps, and the most common cause, is shrimp lacking minerals, especially the minerals calcium and phosphorus. This imbalance in mineral levels can stress shrimp and cause muscle cramps. In fact, in some cases, shrimp were found in a condition where their shells were soft and could not harden. If this condition is not addressed immediately, many shrimp will grow without skin.

5. Poor Feed Quality

Just like living things in general that need balanced nutrition in feed, this also applies to shrimp. Shrimp cramps caused by poor feed quality can be detected by observing whether the shrimp tail muscles are contracting and physiological abnormalities occur.

6. Other Causes of Shrimp Cramps

Apart from the causes mentioned above, there are other reasons why shrimp experience muscle cramps. Some of them are magnesium and calcium imbalance, vitamin C deficiency, changes in salinity, the presence of a mixture of anions in shrimp ponds, and exposure to atypical cation.

How to Overcome Cramp Shrimp

Untuk mengatasi permasalahan udang kram, Bapak/Ibu perlu mencari tahu penyebab udang kram terlebih dulu. Apabila letak persoalannya adalah menurunnya kadar mineral, maka Bapak/Ibu dapat memberikan dolomit atau pupuk KCL di pagi hari sekitar jam 9 pagi. Selain itu, Bapak/Ibu juga bisa menyeimbangkan nutrisi dengan menggunakan vitamin atau suplemen khusus. 

One of the supplements recommended by aquaculture experts is the Coforta A supplement which is useful for increasing the metabolism and immunity of the shrimp's body, so that the shrimp are not easily stressed and their growth process is fast.

Dapatkan Bantuan untuk Mengatasi Udang Kram dari Ahli Budidaya!