Comparisons between two production–scale methods for the intensive culture of juveniles spotted babylon, Babylonia areolata, to marketable sizes

Abstract

This study is the first attempt to compare the aquaculture potential on growth, production and economic analysis 
for growth of spotted babylon juveniles (Babylonia areolata) to marketable sizes using the large-scale operation of 
flow-through canvas ponds and earthen ponds. This study shows that the average growth rates in body weight were 
0.91-1.07 g/month and 0.82 – 0.98 g/month for the canvass pond and earthen pond trials, respectively. At the end of 
the experiment, final body weights of snails ranged from 5.6 - 6.6 and 5.2 – 6.2 g for the canvas pond and earthen 
pond trials, respectively. Total yields per production cycle were 1,930 and 1,760 kg for the canvas pond and earthen 
pond trials, respectively. For economic analysis, investment requirements of the canvas pond trial ($US18,629.6) 
was higher than that of earthen pond trial ($US8,832.3) and total cost per production cycle were estimated to be 
$US13,143.3 and 10,162.4 for the canvas pond and earthen pond trials, respectively. Net return per production cycle 
of the canvas pond ($US5,075.9) was lower than that of earthen pond trial ($US6,452.0) and payback period were 
estimated to be 1.8 and 0.7 production cycle for the canvas pond and earthen pond trials, respectively. This study 
indicated that grow out of juvenile B. areolata in earthen ponds was highly profitable than those in flow-through 
canvas ponds.