Keeping of Japanese mitten crab Eriocheir japonica in artificial conditions

The study of different stages of ontogeny of Japanese mitten crab Eriocheir japonica (de Haan, 1835) was conducted in laboratory conditions . First cases of mating were observed at 7–8 °C and laying eggs — at 10 °C . The duration of embryonic development was about 42 days (565–580 degree days), larval development continued 19–21 days (380–420 degree days) at temperature of 20 °C, stage megalopa continued about 9–14 days (180–280 degree days) . Larvae were fed three variations of food: Artemia nauplii; a mixture of brine shrimp and microalgae (Chlorella marina Butcher, 1952); microalgae . The survival on the third larval stage was more than 50% by using nauplii Artemia . Larvae, which were fed only by microalgae, died and did not get the second larval stage . A study of juvenile growth rate with content in fresh and sea water (25‰) showed that the salinity of water has no significant effect on the growth rate . Experiments carried out with adult individuals demonstrated that E. japonica crabs adapted to carry a long stay out of the water . Crabs could be out of water for more than 16 days at 5–8 °C . Japanese mitten crab is reportedly a promising target for aquaculture . Their differential characteristics are: the ability of adults to endure long transportation out of the water, large female absolute fecundity and wide euryhalinity of juveniles . Comparing of early stages characteristics has shown that the Japanese mitten crab E. japonica and the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis Milne Edwards, 1853 are very similar to each other . Thus, the technology of cultivation E. sinensis could be the basis for working out of the technology of cultivation E. japonica. Available technology should be modified taking into account the climatic conditions of Primorye and features E. japonica, whose range covers the more northern regions