Abstract: This study firtly investigated the effect of salinity shock on survival of Exopalaemon carinicauda, and then examined the effects of different salinities (0, 6%, 12% and 18%) on growth, survival and molt of E. carinicauda by individual culture. The results showed that, (1) When salinity dropped from 6% to 0, the survival rate of E. carinicauda was the lowest, 96 h survival rate was only 6.67%. While when salinity was from 6% to 12%or 18%, 96 h survival rates were above 93%. (2) The results of individual breeding experiment showed that, under the salinity of 0-12%, final body length, body length growth rate(GR) and survival rate of E. carinicauda increased with the salinity increasing; when the salinity exceeded 12%, the GR decreased significantly, but the survival rate had no significant change. (3) Salinity had a certain of effect on the molting cycle of E. carinicauda, and the shrimps from salinity 12% treatment had the longest molting cycle during the first, fifth, eighth and ninth molting. In generally, the shrimps from salinity 12% had the longest molting cycle (9.57 days), while shrimps from salinity 0 treatment had the shortest one (8.47 days). Therefore, E. carinicauda has poor adaptability with the water salinity of less than 6%;and salinity 12% is the optimal level for the growth and survival of E. carinicauda.