Induced winter spawning and culture of larvae of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus rathbun

Female blue crabs were induced to produce eggs out of their normal spawning season. One group of crabs, held in the laboratory at 19° C, was fed every 7 days; another group, held at 15° C, was offered food at the same interval. Photoperiod simulated ambient winter conditions in both groups. Of ten crabs held at 19° C, two produced egg masses and one died when spawning was about to commence. Among those crabs not producing egg masses during the experiment, ovarian development at 19° C proceeded further than among those held at 15° C.Survivorship of larvae from induced eggs raised on a rotifer diet was comparable with that for naturally spawned larvae through the first 28 days of development.Zoeae survived well to metamorphosis when fed a diet of rotifers during the first two stages, followed by Artemia salina nauplii. However, only six zoeal stages were present instead of the usual seven. Possible explanations for this observation include genetically controlled variation, variation due to origin of eggs (induced), or effect of diet.Survivorship and growth were not adversely affected when synthetic sea water was used as the culture medium.