The preying capacity of mud crab (Scylla tranquebarica Fabricius, 1798) on live amphipods (Grandidierella megnae Giles, 1888)

Abstract

Amphipoda is a benthic fauna occupying aquatic environments that can be used as a live feed for mud crabs. The abundance of amphipods in the water is thought to impact the preying capacity of crablets, which in turn will affect their growth performance. This study aims to determine the preying capacity of the crablet stage of Scylla tranquebarica exposed at different densities (20, 30, and 40 amphipods / 0.5 L) of amphipod, Grandidierella megnae. The preying capacity was estimated by counting the number of amphipods ingested by an individual crablet during the 60-day rearing period. The main parameters measured were daily consumption rate (DCR), Cumulative molting (CM), Feed conversion ratio (FCR), and the specific growth rate of weight (SGR-W). The results showed that the DCR and FCR were not affected by amphipod densities but the higher the amphipod density the higher the SGR-W and CM. Based on this study, 30 amphipods / 0.5 L is recommended as the optimal density to optimize the DCR and improve the growth performance of crablets. It is also proposed that surplus live feed will potentially reduce the cannibalism rate of crablets during weaning. However, more research needs to be carried out to elucidate the benefits of crablet-feeding amphipods in communal systems.