Feed and NutritionĬrab farming is centred on the health and survival of crabs hence the need for a well-balanced nutritious diet. The upside of breeding king crabs is that they have a longer life expectancy of about 20 to 30 years. On the other hand, king crabs mature between 4 to 7 years of age. The benefit of blue crab farming is that one female can produce up to 2 million eggs. Blue crabs reach maturity at approximately 12 to 18 months when they are about 12cm wide. The growth rate of abdomen width or length with respect to their carapace is generally much higher in mature females than in the immature crabs. For this reason, it is of the utmost important for farmers to be aware of various types of crabs and their requirements before practising crab farming.
![blue crab eggs blue crab eggs](https://i.redd.it/f858x2u5qpc31.jpg)
They mature at different sizes and have different feed requirements. There are various types of crab breeds including the blue crabs, king crabs and hermit crabs. Note that some crabs have cannibalistic tendencies hence placing them in cages without compartment can lead to a significant loss. The cage system for crab farming are usually suspended from a raft, backwaters or mangrove areas among others.
#BLUE CRAB EGGS FREE#
In addition, a gap of 5 mm is to be provided between the canes at the top and 2.5 cm at the sides of the cages to enable free movement of water through the cages. Farmers should make sure that cages have lids in order to prevent escape. The cells are often partitioned into 9 equal compartments. Cage SystemsĬage systems for farming crabs are usually made up of cells which are roughly 1m in length with 1m width and 20cm in height. It is recommended to build pens nearer to the dykes for easy stocking and monitoring. Several units of pens of 4 X 4 X 2.5 m can be constructed inside the pond using bamboo strips which are driven approximately 1 to 1.5 m deep into the soil to prevent the escape of the crabs by burrowing. The maximum stocking density should be 1 crab per sq. In addition, fencing must be supported with split bamboos of about 1 to 5m in height so as to keep crabs from climbing over the fence. Crabs can sometimes escape, especially during night time and so nylon fencing can be erected as a preventive measure. The site should allow a flow through mechanism of water exchange in order to remove leftover organic food material as well as excretory material. Note that the pond should be able to hold 3 ½ to 4 feet of water towards the inlet and approximately 4 ½ to 5 feet on the outlet. The ideal land comprises of 50% sandy soils and a similar percentage for clay soils. The pond size should be about ½ to 1 acre size can be altered depending on the extent of the agricultural venture. Below are the most common sites for crab farming: Pond Systems
![blue crab eggs blue crab eggs](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6d/48/10/6d4810ec426dd8b401179c8a4c0e71d8.jpg)
The site for crab farming ought to be sheltered from strong winds and waves, particularly during adverse weather patterns. Areas selected should also allow efficient fattening of crabs. It is recommended to choose areas with low salinity as saline water inhibit the growth of crabs.
![blue crab eggs blue crab eggs](https://marylandreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/sponge_crab_cbp.jpg)
Examples of brackish water include tidal flats, estuarine areas, bays and lagoons. This can sometimes be achieved by mixing fresh and sea water. Crab farming thrives in brackish water this is basically water that is saltier than fresh water, but not as salty as sea water. Note that if water is neither treated nor re-used onsite environmental degradation can occur. The most appropriate site should have a readily available water source. It generally requires limited space where it is practised at greater densities. The opposite applies to intensive crab farming. Although extensive crab farming has very little environmental impact, it should ideally be practised in large tracts of land.
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The second type of aquaculture is intensive, and so the system is artificial and relies on feeding and filtration systems. Crab farming can be practised extensively, mainly relying on photosynthetic processes and self-regulating systems. The site should be selected based on the method of farming. The location of the crab farm is an important aspect.