Breeding and larval rearing of mud crab- Winter School on Recent Advances in Breeding and Larviculture of Marine Finfish and Shellfish

Aquaculture of mud crabs (Scylla spp.) dates back to 1890 in Guangdong, China (Shan and Lain 1994). Since 1970s onwards, a steady interest was noticed in mud crabs culture in many tropical Asian countries due to its importantance in the industry and advantages viz. (1) uncomplicated technology, (2) abandoned shrimp ponds can be converted, (3) international markets, (4) native species to many tropical Asian countries, (5) easy transportation, potential for rural as well as industrialized aquaculture, (6) individual animals are valued in contrast to penaeid shrimps and (7) resilience of resources. However, crab aquaculture is severely constrained by the unperfected hatchery technology. This article summarizes various aspects of mud crab biology and hatchery technology