Animal biology

Known for its tasty flesh, silver therapon, locally known as ayungin, has been regarded to be one of the most valuable edible native freshwater species in the Philippines. Demands for this fish species remain high which caused the wild stock supply to decline. Due to this growing concern, a hatchery technique was devised by an AQD scientist to aid the deteriorating population of the species in the Philippine waters.

This manual includes the biology of the crab (Scylla serrata, S. tranquebarica, and S. olivacea), and describes principles and procedures for spawning the mature crabs and rearing the zoea to "fly" size crabs. It focuses on the hatchery rearing of S. serrata as the farming of this species is more economically viable than the two other species. This manual builds upon the 2nd edition of Biology and hatchery of mud crabs Scylla spp. published in 2008.