Laboratory breeding of the mud crab Scylla serrata (Forskal) through the zoea and megalopa stages to the crab stage

A series of experiments is being conducted to establish breeding techniques to mass-produce seedlings of S. serrata for pond cultivation to meet the commercial demand for the crab. The objective is to culture the crab through the 5 zoea stages and 1 megalopa stage to the crab stage. A brief resume of the experiments is presented. Heavy mortality occurred at the 1st, 2nd and 5th zoea stages, and during the megalopa stage. Initial mortality is attributed to unfavourable rearing conditions, and later mortality to cannibalism