Production of Soft-shell Crab Research Carried Out In Sabah
Supply of wild caught crabs (Mud crab and Blue
crab) is consistent and cost is cheap. Sabah is
a good location of production of soft-shell crab
that is a delicacy in the restaurants.
For production of the soft-shell crab,2 species
of wild caught crabs are used for the shedding. Crabs of size 100 gm to 150 gm are suitable for
the purpose. The selected healthy crabs with the
two claws and 6 walking legs are removed. The
de-legged crabs are then fed once daily with
thrash fishes for about 17-18 days then all the
removed appendages regenerates. Shredding of the
old shell normally take places during night
time, the process of shedding or molting is
about 5-10 minutes .As soon as the old shell
with appendages are shedded. At this moment,
the whole crab is very soft and it is known as
soft-shell crab that fetches a higher price than
a normal crab.
1.
Selection of healthy crab
2. Removal of two claws and 6 walking legs
3. Feeding of de-legged and de-clawed crabs in
captivity tank.
4. Regeneration of removed appendages completed.
5. Shedding commences
6. Shedding in progress.
7. shredding completed.
8. Old shell abandoned, soft-shell crab is then
removed from the tank and put for IQF
Selection
of healthy crabs.
The
old shell shedded is left behind and the soft-shell crab is put in IQF for frozen.
Crab
with regenerated appendages ready for shredding.
Molting
in progress.
Soft-shell
crab is a delicacy for restaurant's menu.
Crabs
with two claws and 6 legs removed ready for stocking for production of soft-
shell crabs.
De-clawed
and de-legged crabs were kept in tank and fed with thrash fish daily.
A
just molted crab, the whole
body with all the appendages still
very soft and it is put in IQF for
frozen