Tuesday, 06 April 2010 09:09
News - Chitin + Chitosan
Chitosan raw material in aquarium?
Sea Life visitors in Blankenberge, Belgium will be amazed about the new entrant. Besides penguin chicks and seals the Giant Japanese Spider Crab "Crabzilla" moved in on April 2.
Japanese spider crabs (Macrocheira kaempferi) are the biggest living crustaceans. Their carapace consists of chitin - the raw material of chitosan.
Macrocheira kaempferi naturally inhabit the Japanese Pacific area, where Crabzilla originates from. He was captured by Japanese fishermen and sold to Sea Life which has 32 aquaria worldwide. For his comfort Crabzilla moved into a specially made large and cooler aquarium with other crabs. According to experts the claw span of spider crabs might grow up to 4 m. The claw span of the 40-year-old crab is already 3.5 m.
Crabzilla does not need to be afraid. We are getting the chitin for our chitosans from crabs, snow crabs and shrimp, more precisely we use the shells that are left over after their processing in food industry.
You can have a look at the giant crab by watching a video or meet it in person at the Sea Life Centre in Blankenberge.
Click on the image and you will be forwarded to a video (in German).For further information about Sea Life see.
