Effects of shrimp confinement in a situation of high density stocking in a long term nursery on their growth performance in grow out ponds. Were analized two nurseries with a density of 2000 shrimp m-2 were stocked at two different times. The first nursery (LTN) lasted 144 days, and the SGR of the animals was 3.0% day-1. The second nursery (STN) lasted 18 days and the specific growth rate (SGR) was 19.9% day-1. On the same day, shrimps were transferred to six lined ponds at a density of 20 shrimp m2 where they remained for 101 days. In the first biometry, the SGR in the LTN treatment, increased to 6.7% day-1 and in the STN it decreased to 5.0% day-1. At the end, shrimps of the LTN and STN treatments reached weights of 8.46 and 6.72 g and had productivities of 1287 and 1015 kg ha-1, respectively. Shrimps reared in nurseries for long periods showed growth and survival rates similar to those obtained using conventional management practices in grow out structures.