FATTENING OF MANGROVE CRABS (Scylla serrata) FED WITH DIFFERENT FEED TYPES

Study on fattening of crabs was conducted at Mindanao State University College of the Fisheries Laboratory and Research Station, Brgy. Bawing, General Santos City. Nine (9) cages of 1mx1mx1m cages divided into four compartments were used as experimental units for mangrove crabs. The experimental species were fed using three (3) different feed types. Treatment I for frog meat, Treatment II for shrimp head and Treatment III for trash fish. The crabs were fed twice a day at 8 AM and 5 PM. After 30 days of fattening, Treatment III attained the highest mean body weight with 374.75, followed by Treatment I with 369.83 g, and Treatment II with 357.08 g. Treatment III also obtained the highest mean weight gain with 102.75 g, followed by treatment I with 97.83 g and the lowest is Treatment II with 35.08 g. Mean feed conversion ratio was lowest in Treatment III with 9.12, followed by treatment I with 9.54 and treatment II with 11.37. Statistical analysis revealed that the Treatment II was significantly different with the Treatment I and III (P<0.05), however, the Treatment I and III were not significantly different from each other (P>0.05). The survival rate recorded was 100% for both Treatment I and Treatment III while Treatment IT had 95.83%. Statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference among the three treatments (P>0.05).