Broodstock Mgt. Mangrove Crab
Broodstock Mgt. Mangrove Crab
Broodstock Mgt. Mangrove Crab
MANAGEMENT OF
MANGROVE CRAB
Prepared by:
Raguindin, Princess T.
Cabico, Jessivir C.
BROODSTOCK MANAGEMENT
• BROODSTOCK: Maintenance of male and female Mud crabs for
controlled breeding purposes.
• Broodstock can be sourced from the wild, from pond-reared animals
or from domesticated improved broodstock.
• Spawning occurs throughout the year especially in warmer countries.
• Spawners could be collected from the commercial catches in berried
stages and maintained in hatchery as brood stock.
• Maintenance of salinity around 33 ppt is a must for gonadal
maturation in brood stock management.
FEEDING
• Crabs need 5-8 % food of their body weight
• Cost trash fish, chicken waste, animal innards collected from slaughter
house, brackishwater clams
• Twice a day
• Major part of the total feeds should be given during evening hours
WATER QUALITY
• Water quality plays an important role in the production of crabs.
Change water occasionally if possible or apply proper medicines or
chemicals.
Salinity 15-25%
Temperature 26-30֯ C
Oxygen > 3 ppm
pH 7.8-8.5
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND
TRANSFER
• Technology for breeding and seed production of Mud crab has been
standardized.
• Protocols for selection of broodstock, broodstock quarantining, spawning and
hatching, larval rearing, live feed production and use of green water
technology have been developed.
• Technology for Captive maturation of Mud crab with and without eyestalk
ablation has been developed.
• Standardized technology for year round production of Crab Instar.
• Achieved a record survival rate of 18.1 % in Crab instar production against the
world average of 3.5%. Consistent survival rates around 7.5% are obtained in
RGCA hatchery operations.
• A package of practice for hatchery seed production of Mud crab has een
developed.
Mud Crab Farming Methods
• Two system can be used: Grow-out Farming and Fattening Systems
GROW-OUT SYSTEM
- Young crabs are raised and grown for a certain period of 5 – 6 mos. till they reach
marketing size and weight.
- Pond based – pond size depend on the production type. Generally 0.5 to 2 hectares.
- Proper hand and tidal water exchange is must.
- Small sized ponds more suitable. Because easily maintained. But a suitable fence is
required.
- Large size ponds – natural condition are prevailing, strengthening is necessary along
the area.
- Juvenile wild crabs (10-100 gm) are stocked
- Depending on size and available facilities – 3 to 6 mos.
- Commercial production with supplementary feeding – 1-3 crabs per square meter.
- Feed with low cost fish, shrimps, small sized crabs etc.
- Rotted fish, innards of birds, animals from slaughter house, can also work
- Daily feed = 5% of their body weight
- Regular sampling
- Small pipes are kept to avoid cannibalism
- Within 3 to 5 mos. they reach marketing size
FATTENING SYSTEM
- Pond size – 0.025 to o.2
- Raising soft shelled crabs for a certain period until their exoskeleton gets
hardened
- To five times more value in the market
- Less time, process is very profitable
- Can be done be 2 systems: Fattening in pond, Fattening in ponds or cages
FATTENING IN POND
• Pond size 0.025 to 0.2 hectare size and depth 1-1.5 m
• Pond preparation – draining the pond water, sun drying, add sufficient quantity of lime
• Fence around the pond for fattening purpose crabs have a tendency to escape by making hole
and digging the soil, The inlet areas were reinforced with bamboo matting inside the bund.
• Soft crabs from local fisherman or crab merchants, in morning.
• 1-2 per square meter stocking density
• Divide the pond into different comparments according to the size of crabs if it is big sized.
• Male and female crabs separate – good results and reduce mutual attacks and cannibalism
• Depending on location and crabs availability 8 to 12 fattening cycles can be done in a year
• Crabs weight between 300 g to 500 g has high demand and value
• Crabs are collected and sold when they reach the optimal marketing weight. Always when they
are shelled. High profit.
FATTENING IN PONDS OR CAGES
• Pens, floating net cages, and bamboo cages in shallow estuarine waterways and inside large
shrimp ponds with good tidal water influx and in tanks.
• Bamboo splits, netlon or HDPE as netting material.
• 3 m * 2 m * 1 m (3 m long, 2 m wide and 1 m height) is ideal cage size for crab fattening.
• Arrange the cages in a row so that you can easily feed and monitor the crabs.
• Stocking density of 10 crabs per square meter in cage and 5 crabs per square meter in pens is
ideal.
• Fattening in cages or pens is only used in small production.