Shellfish Breeding and Hatchery Management (2+1)

Introduction

Shrimp, prawn and crab brood stock are collected either from the culture ponds or natural water bodies. The brooders may be at different stages of maturity and usually either matured or berried or ready to spawn brooders are preferred for the hatchery seed production. However, some times the brooders may be in their early maturing or late maturing stages that may require some more time for the release of their gametes. Under such circumstances, the speeding of maturity is necessary to make them spawn. Therefore their maturity is induced through biological interference in crustaceans.

There are many inducement methods, some may be external and some may be internal. Some species like freshwater prawns respond well to the feed given and may mature fast if right feed is given at right quantity. In penaeids, the maturation is well controlled by hormones and therefore the manipulations are required at their hormone production sites to make them mature and breed. This applies to crabs too.