A Review of the Nursery Culture of Mud Crabs, Genus Scylla: Current Progress and Future Directions

Abstract

The nursery stages of mud crab, genus Scylla, proceed from the megalopa stage to crablet instar stages. We review the definition and several of the key stages in mud crab nursery activities. The practice of the direct stocking of megalopa into ponds is not recommended due to their sensitivity. Instead, nursery rearing is needed to grow-out mud crabs of a larger size before pond stocking. Individual nursery rearing results in a higher survival rate at the expense of growth and a more complicated maintenance process compared with communal rearing. The nursery of mud crabs can be done both indoors or outdoors with adequate shelter and feed required to obtain a good survival percentage and growth performance. Artemia nauplii are still irreplaceable as nursery feed, particularly at the megalopa stage, while the survival rate may be improved if live feed is combined with artificial feed such as microbound diet formulations. Water quality parameters, identical to those proposed in tiger shrimp cultures, can be implemented in mud crab rearing. The transportation of crablets between different locations can be done with or without water. The provision of monosex seeds from mud crab hatcheries is expected to become commonplace, increasing seed price and thus improving the income of farmers. Numerous aspects of a mud crab nursery including nutrition; feeding strategies; understanding their behaviour, i.e., cannibalism; control of environmental factors and practical rearing techniques still need further improvement.

Keywords: aquaculture; breeding; crablet; future food; hatchery; juvenile; mud crab; nursery stage; seed production; shellfish.

Figure 1

Larvae development of mud crabs from zoea to crablet stages.

Figure 2

The appearance of the abdominal flap of mud crab crablets S. paramamosain (male and female). (A) gonopod (copulatory pleopods), (B) gonopore and (C) biramous pleopods.