Why temperature drives everything
Water temperature sets the metabolic rate of every organism in the pond. Every 1 °C increase roughly doubles enzyme activity in cold-blooded species — meaning feed consumption, growth, and oxygen demand all scale with heat.
Species-optimal temperature ranges
- Vannamei: 28–32 °C optimal; growth halts below 20 °C.
- Monodon: 26–30 °C optimal; more heat-sensitive than vannamei.
- Tilapia: 26–30 °C optimal; survives 12–35 °C.
- Catfish (pangasius): 26–32 °C optimal.
Delta-T: air vs water
The difference between air and water temperature — Delta-T — signals how hard the pond has to work to maintain equilibrium. A Delta-T above 5 °C predicts thermal stratification: warm surface, cold bottom, poor mixing, and DO problems at the bottom where the animals live.
Feeding decisions by temperature
Water < 22 °C: cut feed by 50%; metabolism is depressed.
22–26 °C: feed at 80% of the DOC-appropriate ration.
26–32 °C: full feeding as per feed table.
32–34 °C: cut feed by 20%; add midday feed break.
> 34 °C: cut feed by 40%; maximum aeration; expect moulting.
Heat-wave and cold-snap playbook
Heat wave: raise water depth if possible (deeper = more thermal mass), run aeration at maximum, cut feed, monitor DO hourly.
Cold snap: stop feeding for 24–48 h, avoid disturbing the pond (netting, transfers), watch for cold-shock lesions after the front passes.
Monitoring and alerting
Continuous IoT temperature sensors log every 5 minutes and let CAMARON compute Delta-T against local weather. Alerts fire when Delta-T exceeds 5 °C or water temperature crosses the species-specific feeding thresholds above.