| Summary: | The effects of the intensification on the performance of the Amazon River prawn hatchery carried out in a simple recirculation system were investigated. Newly hatched larvae were stocked in 120 L tanks at 80, 100, 120 and 140 larvae L<sup>−1</sup> in a closed recirculating system. The experiment used a randomized block design with five replicates. An exponential equation was adjusted to express the relationship between the stocking density and productivity (postlarvae L<sup>−1</sup>). The development, larval quality, survival and postlarval (PL) dry weight did not significantly differ among the treatments (<i>p</i> > 0.05). When 80 larvae were stocked, the productivity (54 ± 11 PL L<sup>−1</sup>) was lower than those at higher densities (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Stocking 120 and 140 larvae L<sup>−1</sup> resulted in higher productivities (75 ± 18 and 80 ± 17 PL L<sup>−1</sup>, respectively) with a lower use of <i>Artemia</i> nauplii to produce each postlarvae (~1200 <i>Artemia</i> nauplii PL<sup>−1</sup>). The maximum mean <i>M. amazonicum</i> postlarval production estimated by the exponential model was 93 PL L<sup>−1</sup>. This means that despite the increase in stocking density, productivity tends to stabilize. The results showed that <i>M. amazonicum</i> tolerates high intensification in recirculating hatchery systems based on a crushed shell bed biofilter, and the intensification optimizes <i>Artemia</i> use.
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