Alternative feeds and daily rations for mud crab (Scylla serrata F) culture

Muchlisin Z.A1.2 and Siti Azizah, M.N2.3

1
Faculty of Sciences Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh 23111.NAD Indonesia. Email:
muchlisinza@yahoo.com. 2School of Biological Sciences Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.
Malaysia. 3Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Penang, Malaysia
Email: sazizah@usm.my

Abstract
Trash fish is a traditional and primary feed in mud crab (Scylla serrata F) culture, however
the supply is very seasonal and costly. Therefore, introduction of alternative feeds is important to
develop and support future mud crab culture. The objective of the present study was to evaluate three
alternative feeds at three levels of daily ration on growth performance and survival rate of mud crab.
Field experiment was conducted and two factors namely feed type (i.e. trash fish, chicken intestine
and golden snail); and daily ration (10%, 15% and 20%) were tested. Juvenile crabs were reared in
polyethylene cages of size 1x1x1 (m) at stocking density of nine crabs/cage and reared for six weeks.
Both factors did not significantly affect growth performance and survival rate of mud crab. However,
20% trash fish resulted in higher growth performance while higher survival rates were found at 10%
and 15% golden snail although insignificant for all. Therefore, both the golden snail and chicken
intestine are possible alternative feeds for mud crab culture as they showed no significant differences
compared to the conventional trash fish feed.

Key words: Alternative feed, daily ration, golden snail, trash fish and chicken intestine.

Introduction

Mud crab (Scylla serrata) is one of the importance fishery commodities in Aceh Province
Indonesia, and even in Southeast Asian countries. This species is very popular seafood and has high
prices due to taste and nutritional contents. Therefore, the demand for mud crab is increasing over
the years. Currently, most of the mud crab was captured from wild stock. Therefore, the supply was
seasonally and the size was not homogeny and tends to smaller.
Some fishermen have been started to culture the mud crab and used trash-fish as feed, but this
activity was not economically due to high cost for feeding, because the trash fish price is fluctuated
seasonally, and it was increased significantly in monsoon. Therefore, an alternative feed should be

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found and introduced to crab farmers. The objective of the present study was to evaluate two
possible natural feeds as alternative for mud crab culture.

Materials and Methods

Three natural feeds i.e. trash fish (control), chicken intestine, and golden snail meat were
tested at three different levels of daily rations i.e. 10%, 15%, and 20% of body weight. The crabs
were reared in polyethylene cages (1m x 1m x 1m) at stocking density of nine crabs per cage. The
crabs were fed on 6.00 PM for six weeks. The growth and survival rate were recorded weekly,
The specific growth was evaluated based on De Silva and Anderson (1995):
Ln (W2) Ln (W1)
SGR (%) = ------------------------- x 100%
(t2 t2)
Where, SGR is specific growth rate, W1 is initial weight, W2 is weight at the end of experiment, and t
is experiment duration. While absolute growth rates were calculated using formula: G (g) = W2 W1
Where G is growth, Wo is initial weight and W1 is weight at the end of experiment. The survival
rates was examined based on Jobling (1995):

I2
SR (%) = ------------ x 100
I1

Where, SR is survival rate, I1 and I2 is total number of crabs in early and end of experiment
respectively.

All data were subjected to two-way analysis of variance (two-way ANOVA), followed by
comparison of means using Duncans multiple range test. Percentage data were arcsine transformed
prior to analysis. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS.

Result and discussion

The two-way Anova test shows that the food types and daily rations did not give significant
effect on growth performance and survival rate of mud crab (P>0.05). Moreover, the interaction
between food type and daily ration have not gave significant effect on growth performance and
survival rate (P>0.05). However, the growth performance and specific growth were found at 20%
and 15% of trash fish respectively, but were not significant different with other diets. While, the
higher survival rates was found at 10% and 15% of golden snail respectively. However, it were not
significant different with other diets (P>0.05) (Table 1).
Overall, the trash fish has gave better growth performance and survival rate of mud crab
while on the basis of daily ration show that 10% of daily ration gave higher growth performance and
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daily ration. Indicating the trash fish is still playing a vital role in crab culture because of they gave
better growth performance and high survival rate compared to other diets. However, the chicken
intestine and golden snail are possible to substitute of trash fish due to not significant differences in
growth performance and survival rates.

Table 1. Growth and survival rates of mud crab (Scylla serrata). The crabs were fed with
experimental diet for six weeks. Mean of growth and survival rates in the same column followed by a
same superscript are not significant different (P > 0.05).

Diets/Daily Growth performance Specific growth Survival rate

rations (g) (% per day) (%)
a a
10% trash fish 121.2836.62 2.180.44 48.156.42a
15% trash fish 104.6211.12a 2.370.45a 37.0312.83a
20% trash fish 129.2237.54a 2.290.42a 51.856.42a
10% chicken intes. 114.038.40a 2.070.50a 48.1512.83a
15% chicken intes. 111.8219.27a 2.080.21a 55.5415.72a
20% chicken intes. 86.1121.58a 1.710.30a 48.1516.98a
10% golden snail 114.5015.78a 2.170.25a 55.5611.12a
15% golden snail 91.920.83a 1.870.15a 55.5615.72a
20% golden snail 102.7130.86a 1.910.34a 40.7416.98a

Conclusions and recomendation

The chicken intestine and golden snail are possible alternative feeds for mud crab culture, and
the daily ration of 10% was recommended for both feeds.

References
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Muchlisin Z.A. dan Azwir. 2000. Effect of live bait on the total catches of mud crab Scylla serrata.
Research report of Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh. Unpublished
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Appendix. Some pictures was taken during the study