Apparatus and method for rearing shrimp

Claim 3

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pumping means includes a source of compressed air; and an air hose connected to said source, said air hose having an end section disposed within said first conduit means with an outlet coupled to a diffuser positioned near the inlet inlet of said first conduit means.

Claim 4

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second conduit means is integral with said first conduit means.

Claim 5

Apparatus for feeding shrimp larvae comprising a larvae tank containing a rearing medium, shrimp larvae and prepared food settling out of the rearing medium; and a plurality of food recirculating means, each including an elongated conduit vertically positioned in the larvae tank proximate to its center and having an inlet located near the bottom of the larvae tank, an L-shaped conduit including a first section connected to said elongated conduit at a point near the surface of the rearing medium and a second section integral with said first section and transverse thereto, having a discharge outlet located near the surface of the medium and oriented parallel to the surface of the medium, and pumping means for moving a mixture of settled food and rearing medium from the bottom of the larvae tank through said elongated conduit and said L-shaped conduit to said discharge outlet of said second section of said L-shaped conduit, whereby the discharge of said mixture from each said discharge outlet into the rearing medium imparts a circular flow to the medium.

Claim 6

Apparatus for feeding shrimp larvae comprising a larvae tank containing a rearing medium, shrimp larvae and prepared food settling out of the rearing medium; and a plurality of food recirculating means, each including an elongated conduit vertically positioned in the larvae tank proximate to its center and having an inlet located near the bottom of the larvae tank, an L-shaped conduit including a first section connected to said elongated conduit at a point near the surface of the rearing medium and a second section integral with said first section and transverse thereto, having a discharge outlet located near the surface of the medium and oriented parallel to the surface of the medium, and pumping means for moving a mixture of settled food and rearing medium from the bottom of the larvae tank through said elongated conduit and said L-shaped conduit to said discharge outlet of said second section of said L-shaped conduit, whereby the discharge of said mixture from each said discharge outlet into the rearing medium imparts a circular flow to the medium.

Claim 7

Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein each said first section of each L-shaped conduit has a predetermined length different from the predetermined length of each other said first section such that the discharge of said mixture from each discharge outlet into the rearing medium occurs at discrete radial distances from the center of the surface of the medium.

Claim 8

Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said larvae tank comprises an upper portion; a lower conical portion extending from said upper portion and having an aperture at the bottom thereof; a standpipe extending through said aperture into said conical portion to a predetermined portion of its height; and a sleeve having apertures therethrough and mesh covering said apertures, said sleeve being disposed in surrounding relationship to said pipe and having a height which extends to the surface of said rearing medium.

Claim 9

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said elongated conduit has a middle portion disposed within said sleeve, and upper and lower portions protruding from either end of said sleeve.

Claim 10

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said first section of said L-shaped conduit protrudes through an aperture in the upper portion of said sleeve.

Claim 11

Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said pumping means includes a source of compressed air; and an air hose connected to said source, said air hose having an end section disposed within said elongated conduit with an outlet coupled to a diffuser positioned near the inlet of said elongated conduit.

Claim 12

Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said L-shaped conduit is integral with said elongated conduit.

Claim 13

Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein the bottom of said lower conical portion of said larvae tank forms a flat wall.

Claim 14

Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein the bottom of said lower conical portion of said larvae tank forms an apex.

Claim 17

A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the step of conveying comprises providing first conduit means disposed in the rearing medium having an inlet located near the bottom of the larvae tank, second conduit means in fluid communication with said first conduit means having a discharge outlet located near the surface of the rearing medium and pumping means; pumping said mixture via said pumping means from the bottom of the larvae tank through said first conduit means and said second conduit means to said discharge outlet.

Claim 18

A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein said pumping step comprises air lifting said mixture from the bottom of the larvae tank through said first and second conduit means to said discharge outlet.

Claim 21

A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein the step of conveying comprises providing a plurality of food recirculating means, each including an elongated conduit vertically positioned in the larvae tank proximate to its center and having an inlet located near the bottom of the larvae tank, an L-shaped conduit including a first section connected to said elongated conduit at a point near the surface of the rearing medium and a second section intergral with said first section and transverse thereto, having a discharge outlet located at the surface of the medium and oriented parallel to the surface of the medium, and pumping means; and pumping said mixture via each pumping means of each food recirculating means from the bottom of the larvae tank through each elongated conduit and L-shaped conduit to the discharge outlet of said second section of each said L-shaped conduit.

Claim 22

A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the step of providing a plurality of food recirculating means includes providing L-shaped conduits each with a first section of a predetermined length different from the predetermined length of each other said first section.

Claim 23

A method in accordance with claim 18 wherein said discharging step includes discharging said mixture from each said discharge point at a discrete radial distance from the center of the surface of said medium.

Claim 24

A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein said pumping step comprises air lifting said mixture from the bottom of the larvae tank through each elongated conduit and L-shaped conduit to the discharge outlet of said second section of each said L-shaped conduit.