Mud Crab’s (Scylla serrata Forskal 1775) Response to Different Decaying Level of Gold Snail (Pomacea canaliculata Lamarck 1822) Bait.

Abstract

Mud crab is well known as omnivorous-vigorous-voracious-opportunistic-scavenger. These intertidal animals applies mainly chemoreception in their predatory behaviour. It has been commonly assumed that non fresh gold snail bait is better than fresh bait in stimulating the mud crab. This research's aim is to analyze mud crab response to different decaying level of gold snail bait. Their response were observed as time required to touch the bait and pattern and direction of the mud crab in approaching the baits. The different decaying level of gold snail baits were shown on Total Volatile Base Nitrogen (TVBN) as 16.3 mg/100g (0 day); 534.1 mg/100g (3 days); and 887.4 mg/100g (6 days). The research was conducted from July 2009 until February 2011. The TVBN test for gold snail baits were conducted at Laboratory of BBPPHP Jakarta. The experiment was conducted in Pemalang. The result showed that the average period of mud crabs to touch the baits were 52.14 minutes; 61.57 minutes and 52.57 minutes. Anova test concluded no sufficient evidence of significant effect of TVBN content of gold snail bait on mud crab’s feeding behaviour. Movement pattern B, i.e. left and right deviation followed by straight forward movement to the bait, was commonly exhibited by the crabs. Consequences of time period required by the mud crab to approach the bait on fishing operation is discussed.

Mud crab is well known as omnivorous-vigorous-voracious-opportunistic-scavenger. These intertidal animals applies mainly chemoreception in their predatory behaviour. It has been commonly assumed that non fresh gold snail bait is better than fresh bait in stimulating the mud crab. This research's aim is to analyze mud crab response to different decaying level of gold snail bait. Their response were observed as time required to touch the bait and pattern and direction of the mud crab in approaching the baits. The different decaying level of gold snail baits were shown on Total Volatile Base Nitrogen (TVBN) as 16.3 mg/100g (0 day); 534.1 mg/100g (3 days); and 887.4 mg/100g (6 days). The research was conducted from July 2009 until February 2011. The TVBN test for gold snail baits were conducted at Laboratory of BBPPHP Jakarta. The experiment was conducted in Pemalang. The result showed that the average period of mud crabs to touch the baits were 52.14 minutes; 61.57 minutes and 52.57 minutes. Anova test concluded no sufficient evidence of significant effect of TVBN content of gold snail bait on mud crab’s feeding behaviour. Movement pattern B, i.e. left and right deviation followed by straight forward movement to the bait, was commonly exhibited by the crabs. Consequences of time period required by the mud crab to approach the bait on fishing operation is discussed.