01 · AquaGrow
What it is
AHPND can damage the hepatopancreas and cause serious losses, often early in grow-out. “Early mortality syndrome” is a broad field description: many other problems can kill shrimp soon after stocking.
Signs to watch for
- An unexpected rise in deaths, particularly in the early culture period.
- Reduced feeding, an empty or partly filled gut and weak shrimp.
- A pale, small or altered hepatopancreas and sometimes soft shells.
Common causes
- AHPND involves particular toxin-producing Vibrio strains, classically Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Ordinary Vibrio detection is not enough to identify this disease.
- Similar signs can have other causes: Poor acclimation, low oxygen, toxic inputs or unsuitable water after stocking. Other bacterial or digestive-gland infections and nutritional problems.
How to confirm the cause
- Ask a qualified laboratory for AHPND-specific testing and appropriate histopathology, not merely a general Vibrio count.
- Interpret pathogen findings with tissue lesions and farm history. Unusual suspected cases should be referred for competent-authority confirmation.
What to do immediately
- 1
Check aeration, acclimation history, water quality and recent inputs immediately.
- 2
Contact an aquatic-health professional and arrange suitable samples before improvised treatments.
- 3
Restrict stock and water movement and follow the official investigation pathway when indicated.
- 4
Keep affected stock, equipment and water separate. Agree on safe disposal and any harvest or discharge with your professional.
Prevention: your practical checklist
- Stock traceable, appropriately screened seed and retain the report matched to its batch.
- Prepare ponds and inlet water under a documented biosecurity plan; keep nursery and grow-out records linked.
- Use a stocking density the system can support and manage early feeding carefully to limit waste.
- Assign nets, trays and boots to each pond; clean and disinfect equipment under the farm’s biosecurity plan.
- Keep seed-batch, feeding, water-quality and mortality records so a change is noticed early.
When to call an expert
- Call an aquatic animal health professional urgently if deaths rise, shrimp gather at the surface, or breathing becomes difficult. Check dissolved oxygen while arranging help.
- Arrange an assessment if these signs persist, feeding falls or growth stays behind the crop trend. Send water readings, recent input records and photographs; ask the laboratory how to collect samples.
Farmer questions
All deaths happened in the first month. Is it AHPND?
Not necessarily. Early timing is useful history, but water problems, acclimation failure and other diseases also need investigation.
Does a normal Vibrio screen rule it out?
A general bacterial count is not the same as an AHPND-specific diagnostic investigation. Ask what the laboratory actually tested and how the result relates to affected tissues.
What should I record before asking for help?
Note the pond ID, culture day, recent deaths, feed intake, water test readings and recent changes. Ask the laboratory about suitable samples before adding a treatment. A photograph alone cannot confirm the cause.
Sources & further reading
AI-assisted educational content and translations, source-checked 17 October 2026. Not an individual diagnosis or prescription. Independent aquaculture-health and native-language specialist approvals have not been supplied. Sources do not endorse AquaGrow.
- Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease — Technical Advisory Series No. 4; historical advisory ↗ICAR–Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture — Technical Advisory
- Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease — disease card, June 2014 ↗Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia–Pacific (NACA)
- Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease — standards and diagnostic references ↗WOAH