Shrimp are especially sensitive to the dissolved oxygen content of sea water, and the minimum acceptable level is 3.5 ppm. Gulf coast shrimp will probably survive no longer than 24 hours at 2 ppm. At dissolved oxygen levels of 1.2 ppm, shrimp exhibit an initial period of hyperactivity with surface swimming and jumping. This behavior does not occur at 0.9 ppm, and the shrimp almost immediately exhibit the lethargic and unresponsive behavior typical of acute anoxia (Mackay, 1974).

Oxygen demand values in benthic substrates are critical to the survival of shrimp, particularly when they burrow into the bottom. A study of oxygen consumption in a shrimp pond led to the conclusion that about 8% of the oxygen consumed per day could be attributed to shrimp, 7% to fish living in ponds, 15% to processes taking place in the sandy bottom and up to 70% was due to respiration by microorganisms and phytoplankton dispersed at or above the bottom. Large amounts of plant debris and/or decaying organic matter resting on the bottom or mixed in the substrate can greatly reduce the oxygen content of bottom waters (Dall et al., 1990).