Lecture 10
Edible Oyster Culture
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Characteristics of Oyster
1. Sedentary bivalve mollusk
2. Filter feeders
3. Drawing water in over their gills
through the beating of cilia
4. Small, 3-chambered heart, 2 kidneys
are present
5. Some oysters have 2 sexes, their
reproductive organs contain both
eggs & sperm. And it is technically
possible for an oyster to fertilize its
own eggs
6. They are protandric, during their 1st
yr, they spawn as male by releasing
sperm into the water, over the next
2/3 yrs, they develop greater energy
reserves, they spawn as females by
releasing eggs
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Culturable species of Oyster
a) Crassostrea madrasensis
b) C. cucullata
c) C. gryphoides
d) C. discoidea
Crassostrea madrasensis
• Fast growth
• Most suitable sp. for coastal
aquaculture
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Importance of Oyster culture
i. Capable of tolerating a wide range of salinity (BW to OW)
ii. Edible oyster contains-
Protein 10%
Fat 4%
Carbohydrate 6%
Vitamins (A, B, B12)
Amino acid (Nicotinic acid)
Essential materials (Ca, P, Fe, Na, K)
iii. Its flesh is considered to be a cheaper, nutritious & easily
digestible food source & a possible export commodity
iv. Oyster shells are applied in the production of cement, CaC 2,
Fertilizers, Poultry feeds & lime
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Commercially cultured areas
France, Japan, Korea, USA, Netherlands
Suitability of Oyster culture sites
Salinity: 20-35 ppt
Temperature: 25-30℃
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Life cycle of Oyster
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Life cycle of Oyster
After 20 hrs of fertilization, ‘D’ shell larval stage will be appeared
a) Straight hinge stage of 70 µm in size
b) a semi transparent velum
c) vigorous swimming & circular movements
On the 3rd day, ‘D’ shell larvae become ‘Early Umbo’
a) 100 µm in size
b) a slightly oval shape
In 12-15th day, stage getting slightly oval shape at ‘late umbo’/
Advanced umbo stage
a) 250-300 µm
In 13-17th day, the late umbo becomes ‘Eyed stage’
a) 300 µm
b) An irregular eye spot
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Life cycle of Oyster
On 14-18th day, it gets transformed into a ‘Pediveliger stage’
a) 350 µm
b) Functional foot develops to facilitate crawling at the bottom
On the 1-6 days, Pediveliger gets transformed as spat
a) 450 µm
b) Depending on the availability of favorable substrata for
attachment
c) The velum, eye spot & foot disappear
d) Develop gills & labial palps
Spat Adult
Velum
the locomotory and feeding organ, found in the
larval veliger stage of bivalves
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Spat Collector
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Methods of Culture
✔ On bottom culture
i. Sowing method
a. Sea beds of firm texture
b. Low water level to a depth of 5-6 m but strong tidal
current….
c. Oyster seeds are directly planted on the bottom
d. Transplantation to growing grounds & subsequently to
fattening area
ii. Pole method
a. Wooden poles are installed in rows in the muddy region
of intertidal zone
b. Seed oysters present in the wild environments attach &
grow on these poles
c. Become ready for harvest after 1-2 yrs
iii. Stake method
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Methods of Culture
✔ Off- bottom culture
i. Raft & tray /string culture
a. This method is suitable for protected & deeper areas
with soft bottom
b. Oyster kept in trays or seeded in strings are suspended
from floating raft
c. Wooden poles of 10-15 m long are laid parallel to each
other about 0.5 m apart & fasten by wire lastings to
lateral beams
d. Each lateral beam is used to suspend the seed oyster
carrying trays
e. The floatation of the raft accomplished by empty &
sealed oil or diesel drums
f. The number of floats for raft depends on the weight of
the hanging culture
g. The rafts are held in suspended by hooked granite
stones which serve as anchors
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDmfZJlQZwU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGJDWlz_Vhs
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Methods of Culture
ii. Rack & tray/ string culture
a. This method is suitable for shallow waters where part or
all of the oyster are exposed during low-tide
b. Vertical poles or posts are driven into the bottom
c. Trays with seeds are arranged in the horizontal poles
d. Strings of seed oysters are suspended from the horizontal
poles
e. The length of the string is so adjusted that its lower end
is not touching the bottom
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Methods of Culture
iii. Long line & tray/ string culture
a. It is another type of floatation system suitable for
deeper & unprotected areas which are unsuitable for
mooring of rafts
b. A long line is about 70 m long & consists of 12 floats
connected by 2 parallel polyethylene ropes of 2 cm in
diameter
c. The ropes are about 60 cm apart depending on the width
of floats
d. The ends of each line are moored by two anchors
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