The interpretation of relationships between the growth coefficient k and water quality and management variables is not straightforward. When k < 1, the sigmoid-shaped growth curve is better defined. When k > 1, shrimp are growing exponentially. Sigmoid and exponential curves could be related to different operating conditions and there is no a priori reason to suppose that better or worse cultivating conditions necessarily lead to either type of growth curve. In our study, coefficient k is used merely for descriptive purposes and no attempt was made to interpret its values as a consequence of specific cultivating conditions.