Alimango (Mud Crab)
Alimango (Mud Crab) Scylla serrata are originally mangrove dwellers but now widely farmed in ponds with brackish water. They are plentiful in the remaining mangrove areas around the country and range in size from tiny babies to the giants at about 1 kilo a piece. 
They have medium to firm textured meat with a delicate sweet flavor that I find absolutely delicious. They have much thicker shells than the blue or orange shelled crabs that seem to have more delicate meat. They can be prepared steamed with lots of old bay seasoning, or steamed plain and served with lemon butter, stir-fried with garlic and oil, cooked with chili and tomatoes, fried into crab cakes, etc.
In my formative years, my family had a healthy supply of superb alimango, the by-product of a Lucena fishpond/prawn farm experiment gone haywire. All of the pricey black tiger prawns raised in the ponds were being munched on by alimango adolescents that had snuck in from the nearby river… As the intruders grew up on this smorgasborg of black prawns, they in turn became the prized catch of the pond when harvest time rolled around. All of these fat alimango were packed up nicely and made the trip to our kitchen in Manila.
I never cooked crab until my mid-thirties. It just seemed so bothersome to clean and prep them. So I satisfied my cravings with restaurant Maryland-style crab cakes and restaurant chilli crab dishes. That is, until a few years ago, when I discovered just how easy and delicious homemade chilli crab can be. It has since become a signature dish in our household.
I only buy large 600-1,000 gram live crabs that are still spunky. If they don’t try to lunge at me when i make poking movements at their beady eyes I take that as a sign that they are near death and thus less fresh than they could be. Recent prices in the markets range from P250-350 per kilo, with females pricier than males due to the added bonus of fat crab roe (the orange coral that is pure cholesterol, I think). 
“Gay” crabs are priced somewhat in the middle of the range - but no one has really been able to explain what these are… if I recall correctly, a recent newspaper article surmised that they were males with eggs…let’s not go there, shall we? Aesthetically, crabs seem more balanced when they have both claws but it really doesn’t matter. In fact, you can get a much better price on one-clawed specimens as they have probably failed to get themselves exported to Hong Kong or Tokyo. I have been able to get good crabs from the FTI weekend market in Taguig, Seaside Mart in Baclaran and in Batangas markets. I recently saw two crab vendors at the Market!Market! mall and they were asking P450 a kilo for crabs when they could be had elsewhere for just P350 or less… what a rip-off! And you have to pay for parking too.
To clean the crabs, ask your brilliant cook if s/he knows how, and if yes, you are truly in luck! Otherwise, it is a royal pain in the neck. You brush the outside of the crabs until clean. 
You find a soft spot on it’s belly and plunge a knife through it to kill it while it writhes with pain. You open it up and remove the hairy lungs/gills and entrails, dismember the body, etc. In our household, there are at least three people who can clean crabs and prep them for cooking. I simply refuse. Some things I can but don’t have to do… Once clean, you can cut the main body into four pieces + the two claws. Please see third photo of clean dismembered crab. This is now ready for cooking. Be careful when handling live crab. Always keep their claws tied. A crab bite is not funny. The biggest crabs could probably sever a fingertip if truly annoyed.
Please check the recipe section in a week or so for chilli crab a la marketman and/or a crab cake recipe.
how to cook& kill the crab
August 2nd, 2005Peter please go to the chilli crab recipe that describes how to kill and cook the crabs.
August 3rd, 2005I would just like to know possible markets for alimango and how much is the price.
Thanks.
Dong
August 3rd, 2005Most wet markets in Metro Manila have alimango vendors. The biggest selection seems to be at Seaside in Baclaran. You can get all sizes and prices range from PHP300 to PHP450 a kilo in normal times (holidays and xmas are more). You can also get them in FTI, guadalupe, Market!Market!, etc. On the roadside to Baguio you can buy big ones for PHP250+ per kilo. Sometimes people bring me alimango from Palawan that arrive still very alive and huge ones that I am told cost only PHP120-150 a kilo at the source… I guess the answer is lots of places…
August 3rd, 2005can i see the video how do you kill & cut the crab and cook
April 22nd, 2006Peter, sorry, don’t have a video…
April 22nd, 2006looking for possible buyers of alimango crablets coz i want to sell alimango crablets for those who are into mud crabs raiser or fatttener business
July 13th, 2006hi. i would like to get into the crab and lobster business. my source, the supply will be coming from mindanao. where could i possibly supply them? thanks.
October 21st, 2006I hope you are flying them in alive…otherwise what would be your advantage? I suppose you could sell them in a market or to a restaurant…
October 21st, 2006Dear Marketman,
We are looking for a market/buyer of mud crab and we are situated in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi Province. If you are interested please send us your kind respond with specification of the mentioned marine product.
We hope to hearing from you soon.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Mr. S. Karim
April 10th, 2007ZCHAUN AQUAMARINE TRADING
Mobile No. 0927-9101938
We are looking for a market/buyer of mud crabs from Bongao, Tawi-Tawi if interested please send your specific requirements. Thanks, ZCHAUN AQUAMARINE TRADING 0927-9101938
April 10th, 2007im looking for a buyer of king crabs. my fishpond is in masbate. email me if ur interested.. thanks for this website.
May 22nd, 2007i am interested in buying crabs from zchaun aquamarine trading do you have an e-mail add mr.karim so we could talk about the details.is it possible to transport the crabs from tawi-tawi to manila alive?tnks
May 24th, 2007im looking for a mud crab (alimango) buyer specialy in Cebu & Manila..my fishpond is located here in Calbayog City Samar.. thanks..pls e-mail me if your interested…God Bless..
June 15th, 2007I have a buyer of king crabs from 750grams,up no limit contact me @ 09212908290 or 09224710243
July 5th, 2007sir rainer im enterested on your king crab heres my cel 09159480762 im in cebu mail me at bulaga_j@yahoo.com i need 2tons per week lets talk about the price just txt ok.. also people out there its open to all suppliers… just kidly text ok.
July 13th, 2007sir i have been reading the comments in your posts, i am a commercial shellfisherman in the uk for over 30 years, i am retiring to live in the phillipines,i would like to know this, is it possible for a european to setup a shellfish bussiness in the phillipines, if so then i would have holding tanks built and ship live in decent quantities ,in refridgerated transport ,thankyou derek
August 2nd, 2007derek, what an absolutely fascinating question. I for one, would love it if you could set up a business and import clean shellfish rather than my taking chances with shellfish from tainted local waters/sources. I suspect your biggest hurdle shall be customs/quarantine questions around the live seafood that would be imported. Its best if on a visit to the Philippines, you check out the legal requirements to do this business, and if you manage to figure it all out, let me know, I shall probably be one of your earliest customers! Good luck!
August 2nd, 2007I’m interested of buying alimango crablets in the philippines. please e-mail me tonismith@shaw.ca
August 11th, 2007hi, we are interested in buying alimango crablets. our fishpond is located in Bohol. please email me.
August 12th, 2007thanks, mj
hi, we are interested in buying grouper fry and crablets for our fishpond that is located in Bohol Philippines. please email me if you have these items. Thanks
August 19th, 2007We are looking for a mud crab (alimango) buyer.Our fishpond is located in Camarines Norte.. Pls e-mail(lbaron1210@yahoo.com) or send me a txt message (09173672121)if your interested…Thanks
August 29th, 2007I am interested in buying live blue crab at least 1Ton if price is approprate.
And I want to know the month when blue crab has roe.
Whenever,regardless of the month, I order,you supply them to me. Pls,Let me know by E-mail. Thanks!!
My E-mail address “hmnowhere@yahoo.com”
September 6th, 2007I want to buy Mud Crab. 500gms & above. kindly send me more details to my email : info@shirotaka.com.sg
September 30th, 2007Dear live mud crab suppliers:
we are interested to import live mud crab from Philippines,Thailand,Indonesia,Bangladesh,Pakistan etc to Mainland China on regular basis.
Main species: king mud crab(Scylla serrata),we can also buy other species like Scylla paramamosain etc if the price is appropriate.
Male or female.
With roe or without roe.
size:200g/up
Quantity: 1-2 tons per week,may increase the import quantity if the market in China is good or your crab is very good.
Destination: Fuzhou Changle International
Airport,Xiamen International Airport,Guangzhou International Airport.
We welcome the suppliers who can supply constantly.
If you are in the position to supply,pls email to jackdragon999@yahoo.com,my Skype is jacksonjo,hand phone +86-13705066563.
Looking forward to your reply
October 11th, 2007WE are interested in buying king crablets. Our fishpond is located in Bulacan. Pls. email us at ricdors@yahoo.com
October 23rd, 2007Dear Sir,
We are looking importe/buyer for Live Mud Crabs from Bangladesh
November 16th, 2007hi.am i the one ( 1 ) culturing the lobster and crabs, i a buyer for this. My source, the supply will be coming from mindanao. where could i possibly supply them?
thanks.
Alfred
November 17th, 2007Hi Alfred, Kindly provide me your mobile number regarding ure supply of mud crab
November 30th, 2007hi - we are looking for buyers of king crabs (mud crabs). our fish pond is located in Bohol. please email if you are interested.
thanks,
December 2nd, 2007mj
hi- I’m looking for buyers of mud crabs I’m from Negros Occidental. If your interested contact me @ cel # 09266756641.
December 12th, 2007thanks.
bernie
hi, just wanna know how to feed the alimango and how am gonna prevent them from dying?
December 15th, 2007faith, I have no idea, we always cook our alimango within a day or two from buying them.
December 15th, 2007HI, i m interested to buy the live mud crabs of sizes 700g up. please email to crabiz66@yahoo.com.sg.thanks
December 22nd, 2007Mr. Marketman..
December 24th, 2007You are a great MAN..I hope this Website will stay long..You are the bridge for those Buyers and Suppliers of Mud crab..As of now, We are planning to build a 3 Ha. of Brackish water mud crab pond here in Pamplona Cagayan..and we are still on the stage of more research on how to start and handle it in a very economical and proper way…So pls. if somebody out there can provide me a simple system about mud crab cultivation..It is my great pleasure..
e-mail:eta_ogo@yahoo.com
mj i can supply you with crablets im from negros oriental whats ur email ad?
January 3rd, 2008looking for supplier live mud crabs 500grms.up please contact me # 09233670549
January 14th, 2008We are Supplier of Live Mud Crabs from Bangladesh. We have our own field to collect Mud crabs and packing in a bamboo basket. We have three sizes of Male crabs and one size of Female crabs with Eggs.
We can supply you constantly for long term basis.
Thanking you and looking forward to hear you soon.
Kazi Ferdous Waheed
Mamila International
sajalpm@gmail.com
Name of Crab: Mud Crab
Color: Light brown, green or light mud color
Live without any processing
Size: -
XXL: Weight of one crab, 450g to 500g. 02 Crabs make one Kilogram
XL: Weight of one crab, 350g to 400g, 02 to 03 Crabs make one KG.
Large: Weight of one crab is more than 250g to 350g, 3 to 4 Crabs make 01KG.
Medium- Weight of one crab is more than 200g to 300g, 4 to 5 Crabs make 01KG.
Female with Eggs- Weight is150g to 180g
FOB Dhaka, Bangladesh
Production: 2 M tons per day.
Minimum Order-500 KG
Shipment-By Air with Different Packaging like Plastic basket, Bamboo basket
Payment Terms- Prepayment by cash or T/T.
NB- Price is not stable.
Any inquiries are welcome and do not hesitate to mail us, we will reply you soon.
Thanking you and looking forward to hear you soon.
Best Regards.
Kazi Ferdous Waheed
January 14th, 2008Director
mj
January 28th, 2008hi carl - do you have supply of king crablets (scylla serrata)? is it from hatchery or wild? you can contact me @ 0906-356-5271
hi mj i have a buyer for a king crabs.esp.700 grams up!e-mail me @d.garcia_24@yahoo.com
January 31st, 2008I am looking for a buyer of crabs of different sizes. pls contact at cell number 09169328465
February 1st, 2008I have a buying station and a crab farm in bicol. I am looking for buyers of live mud crab of various sizes both male and females. please contact me at cp no. 09287197815 or 0548118474.
February 8th, 2008We are looking for a buyer of king crab 500 grams and up. our fish pond is located in Bohol. please contact us at 0906-356-5271 or 0906-839-3129.
March 1st, 2008Gud day!
By the way thank you very to this website, we are interest to buy mud crab from 800g to 1000g we are consuming about 15tons a month so to those interested supplier pls cal or txt 09228875070, 09277729682 and 09178596291.
Thank and god bless!
March 5th, 2008Ronie P. Mamador
Hello what a great web site. I’m looking for buyers of live mudcrab in china , hong kong. We can supply 1-4 ton a week. The crab are wild caught from the soloman islands. If interested kindly email kanisheadchef@gmail.com.au
Thanks
March 16th, 2008Hi sorry the email address is kanisheadchef@gmail.com
March 20th, 2008Hi,
I am interested to import live mud crab and spiny lobsters to Penang, Malaysia. Please send offers to aeresources@yahoo.com.
Thanks
Sam
March 24th, 2008im selling live crabs from surigao philippines i can supply 1ton per week. contact me if interested at 09286369882 or 082-3031848. export quality. tnx
April 2nd, 2008hi!
We have supplies of mud crabs according to your needs. we can supply you crabs with daily average of 300 kilos at a good price that buyers wants to engage.
We can be contact at the above email address or call us at cellphone no. 0927 667 3046 or 0916 481 1191 or 0917 585 0263.
price negotiation is highly appreciated.
our motto is “benefits for both parties is our priorities”
April 28th, 2008Hi again,
this is our email ad. rodneyiebrole@yahoo.com or eeebrole@yahoo.com
Thanks and we are expecting your call/email…
April 28th, 2008I am looking for mud crab fry my fishpond is located at Bounuan, dagupan city. Pls. give me contact nos. of possible source. thanks
April 30th, 2008