

How do prawns, crayfish, and shrimp differ?Īs so often happens, common names are used loosely and inconsistently in the shrimp family. Some live as long as 6.5 years, others live only a year.Ī pile of shrimp. The life cycle varies geographically and by species. How big do shrimp grow?ĭepending on the species, size ranges from about 1/2 inch long on the west coast of the United States, to almost 12 inches elsewhere. Numerous varieties exist, among them brown, white, pink, royal red, brine, and rock shrimp. Because they do cause damage to oyster mantle and gills, the crabs are considered parasites. These are "pea crabs." They live, often in pairs, inside the oyster shell, eating food collected on mucous strands in the oyster. What are the small crabs found inside oysters? The stone crab can and does sever its own claw at the first joint (by muscular contraction) to escape from danger. If they make the break at the first joint, the crab is not harmed. Does it hurt a stone crab when its large claw is broken off?įishermen often break off the large claw and throw the crab back into the water. How old do blue crabs get?Ī female may live 2 years, a male as long as 3 years. Why did I find a tiny crab inside an oyster?.Should you really only eat oysters during the months with an "R" in their name?.What is the biggest clam caught and eaten in the United States?.What purpose does a clam's siphon serve?.Do shellfish contain mercury levels dangerous to human health?.Will cooking make sewage-polluted shellfish safe to eat?.Is it possible to purify shellfish from sewage-polluted water for safe eating?.How unsafe are shellfish from polluted waters?.What causes a reddish color in the liquor of shucked oysters and clams?.How can you know when shellfish are safe to eat?.What is offshore shellfish aquaculture?.What's the most commercially important shellfish species for the United States?.


Do shellfish really help clean the water around them?.What do bivalves like oysters and clams eat?.What's the difference between an oyster, a mussel, a scallop, a clam, and an abalone?.What are the commercially important shrimp on the U.S.How much shrimp is produced in the U.S.?.How many eggs does a shrimp produce in one spawning?.How do prawns, crayfish, and shrimp differ?.What are the small crabs found inside oysters?.Does it hurt a stone crab when its large claw is broken off?.What's the difference between soft- and hard-shell crabs?.How much does a blue crab grow after molting?.
