When Are Swimming Crabs at Their Fattest and Best for Market? A Detailed Guide to Farming Techniques

 

I. Farming techniques for swimming crabs

 

1. Water quality

 

In ponds with high transparency and clear water, swimming crabs have a lower survival rate. Therefore, during farming, the water should be fertilized appropriately, and the relationship between water color, transparency and the amount of water exchanged must be well controlled. Before July, transparency can be kept at around 30 cm, with a daily water exchange of 10-20%; after July, the pond water transparency can be kept at around 40 cm, with a daily water exchange of 20-30%.

 

2. Stocking seedlings

 

The stocking density should not be too high, otherwise phenomena such as crabs competing for food and fighting will occur, which will affect the growth and survival rate of the crabs. The number stocked also should not be too small; if too few, the crabs will become less active, which easily affects water quality. Generally, for crab seedlings of 80-100 per kg, the stocking density should be controlled at 1000-1500 per mu.

3. Daily management

 

Strengthen patrol inspections of the farm ponds and pay attention to changes in water quality at all times. In summer, the frequency of water exchange should be as high as possible; in winter, the frequency of water exchange can be slowed somewhat. As winter temperatures drop lower, the appetite of swimming crabs becomes poorer, so leftover food residue should be cleaned up in a timely manner to avoid affecting changes in water quality. During intensified inspections, check whether any abnormalities have occurred, and if problems arise, take timely remedial measures.

 

4. Disease prevention and control

 

The farming water must be filtered. To prevent stress reactions in swimming crabs, disinfect the water body regularly with quicklime, bleaching powder, chlorine dioxide, etc., to improve water quality and bottom sediment and keep the farming water environment stable. Feed high-quality fresh bait, and during high temperatures add appropriate disease-prevention drugs to the bait. It is recommended to use antibacterial and antiviral Chinese herbal medicines, such as medicated bait containing allicin.

 

II. When are swimming crabs at their fattest

 

Everyone knows that around the Mid-Autumn Festival is the best time to eat crabs. Although what is eaten at Mid-Autumn is the Chinese mitten crab, swimming crabs are also at their plumpest at this time. Swimming crabs from Zhoushan, Zhejiang generally begin to come onto the market one after another in August, when the roe is rich and the meat is thick, making it simply the happiest season for those who love seafood.

 

However, things are precious when they are scarce, and the price of freshly marketed live crabs is still on the high side. Once more farms open for harvesting and large quantities of raw crabs flood into the market, not only is the crab meat plump and tempting, but the price, after the market's own adjustment, also returns to a relatively suitable level. Crabs at this time are truly excellent value for money.

 

Influenced by the tastes of some spice-loving provinces in central China, crab meat now also has some strongly flavored cooking methods, such as stir-frying with chili peppers and thickening with sauce. But the method that best preserves the freshness of seafood is the simplest and most traditional steaming. Wash the live crabs you bought and arrange them on a plate, add hot water to a steamer, place the plate of lively swimming crabs in the steamer, cover with the lid, and when the crabs turn from grayish-blue to reddish-brown they are ready to serve. This cooking method preserves the deliciousness of the crab meat itself to the greatest extent, so that such excellent in-season live crabs are not wasted.

 

Now that the swimming crab market season has arrived, fishing grounds around Zhejiang have begun harvesting one after another, and fresh, plump swimming crabs can also be bought in markets in coastal areas. Friends who have recently traveled to coastal cities are in for a treat.