Vol. 4, Issue 7, Part C (2018)

Abstract
Litopenaeus vannamei, also known as thePacific white leg shrimp/ White leg shrimp/ Pacific white shrimp or King prawn, attaining a maximum length of 230 mm; with a carapace length of 90 mm. Adults live in the ocean, at depths of up to 72 m, while juveniles live in estuaries. The rostrum is moderately long, with 7-10 teeth on the dorsal side and 2-4 teeth on the ventral side. Pacific white leg shrimp are widely distributed throughout tropical Pacific waters, from Mexico to as far south as northern Peru. It is restricted to areas where the water temperature remains above 20°C throughout the year. This is the most important cultivated shrimp species in the world. In any culture system, ammonia and nitrite, form the two main inorganic forms of nitrogen, especially in an intensive shrimp culture system, ammonia and nitrite increase exponentially over time in the grow-out ponds, in spite of frequent water replacement. Higher ammonia and nitrite levels may deteriorate water quality resulting in high mortality and low growth rate in penaeid shrimps. In this article an attempt has been made to review several works related to ammonia and nitrite toxicity to Pacific White Shrimp, which would help researchers and farmers to understand the several paths of ammonia and nitrite toxicity and plan measures to reduce its impact.