A ten-month study on mixed culture of mud crab Scylla serrata with tilapia
(Oreochromis niloticus) was performed in brackish water earthen ponds using live tilapia
fry as the only feed for crab. The monthly growth rate varied from 9.07-19.llg among
four treatments. Treatment T 1, cw: 0.68cm (±0.72) and bw: 19.11 gm (±12.97) showed
highest performance which was followed by T 3, cw: 0.62cm (±0.60) and bw: 13.42 gm
(±10.51), T4, cw: 0.65cm (±0.64) and bw: 13.20 gm (±9.89) and T2, cw: 0.36cm (± 0.25) and
bw: 9.07 gm (±8.05). Highest survivability of crabs was also recorded in T 1 (21.5%) which
was followed by T 2 (15.65%), T4 (14.95%) and T 3 (14.15%). In terms of survivability,
significant differences (p<0.05) were observed among the treatments whereas these were
recorded as insignificant difference (p<0.05) in final weight, weight gain and production
of crabs and tilapia. Mixed culture of mud crab with tilapia could make more rewarding
than crab monoculture but the study suggests that only tilapia fry can not fulfill the feed
requirement of crabs in respects of survivability, final body weight and weight gain.
Besides, existed salinity level of 4-12 ppt during experimental period might be the
another key factor for low survivability and weight gain