ILOILONATIONALHIGH SCHOOL

SPECIAL SCIENCE CLASS

La Paz, IloiloCity

Chapter 3

Methodology

This Chapter consists of five parts: (1) Treatment and Research Design,

(2) Materials and Equipment, (3) Procedures, (4) Data Gathered, and (5)

Statistical analysis.

Part One, Treatments and Research Design, describes the various

treatments (experimental and control group) to be used in the study, the layout of

the experiment and research design that was employed in the study.

Part Two, Materials and Equipments, enumerates the materials with

its cost and specification of its quantity that was used in the experiment.

Part Three, Procedures, describes the process and details of the step of

procedures that was undertaken in the conduct of the study.

Part Four, Data Gathered, enumerates by importance the different data

gathered and how it was gathered.

Part Five, Statistical Analysis, discusses the different descriptive and

inferential statistical tools used in computing the data.

 ILOILONATIONALHIGH SCHOOL
SPECIAL SCIENCE CLASS
La Paz, Iloilo City

24
Material and Equipment/ Instruments

Table 1. Materials used in the study

Quantity Unit Material

17 pieces fish container

17 pieces mud crabs

15 pieces trays

1 piece digital weighing scale

5 kilograms mussel meat

6 kilograms trash fish

5 kilograms squid

6 kilograms snails

1 piece salinity level gauge

1 piece ball pen

1 piece timer

1 piece record sheet

 ILOILONATIONALHIGH SCHOOL
SPECIAL SCIENCE CLASS
La Paz, Iloilo City

25

Procedure

Phase 1. Food Preference

A. Collection and Preparation of Materials

The researchers collected the food items that were used such as the squid

meat, deboned trash fish, mussel meat and snail meat. These food items were

analyzed for moisture content through the use of the moisture analyzer at

SEAFDEC/AQD so these food items can be given to the crabs based on dry

weight wherein percentage dry weight is computed as the difference between

100% and percent moisture content.

B. Setting up of experiment

In order to determine the food preference and feeding behavior of the mud

crab, it was starved 24 hours prior to the start of the test and was placed inside a

container that were provided with mud substrate where each crab was given

equal amount of four food items based on dry weight where each is equidistant

from the crab.

C. Crab Observation

The mud crabs were fed 3 times per day – 6 AM, 2 PM and 10 PM and was

observed every mealtime. The exact time of stocking, the time at which the crab
 ILOILONATIONALHIGH SCHOOL
SPECIAL SCIENCE CLASS
La Paz, Iloilo City

26
approached a particular food item and the time at which the crab handled or

ingested the food, were noted. After 24 hours, the weight of uneaten feeds were

collected and weighed. The amount of ingested food was computed as the

difference between the initial weight of the food and the uneaten food.

D. Parameters

There were a total of 12 replicates and the parameters measured were:

number of times the feed is chosen per replicate (%feed/replicate), final weights

of the crab, food preference and feeding behavior were observed. The weights of

the crabs were measured using a digital weighing scale.

E. Analysis

The amount of food ingested, expressed as a percentage of initial amount

given, were compared among the time of introduction of food. Data were

subjected to homogeneity and normality tests. One-Way ANOVA was done since

data was found to have a normal distribution. Otherwise, non-parametric

statistical tests will be employed. The numerical values for responses to

particular food items was also analysed using a non-parametric test. Time of start

of ingestion was also compared.

 ILOILONATIONALHIGH SCHOOL
SPECIAL SCIENCE CLASS
La Paz, Iloilo City

27

Phase 2. Feeding Behavior

A. Preparation of Crabs

Ten Mud Crabs were prepared by starving it 24 hours prior to the

experimentation in this phase. The chelipeds of 5 mud crabs were removed

physically while the chelipeds of the other 5 mud crabs were kept intact. Each of

these was placed inside a glass with water.

B. Feeding of Crabs

The mud crabs with the chelipeds and the other mud crabs without the

chelipeds were fed with a food item that had the least amount of uneaten

proportion. Equal amount of food were introduced. Such manner by which food is

handled and ingested was recorded.

 ILOILONATIONALHIGH SCHOOL
SPECIAL SCIENCE CLASS
La Paz, Iloilo City

28

Table 2. Materials and their use

Apparatus Use

Fish Containers where the subjects were placed all throughout the

experiment

Mud Crabs subjects of the experiment

Salinity Level Gauge used to determine the salinity level of the water

where mud crabs were temporarily stored

Plastic Bag used to store the feeds that were left uneaten

Digital Weighing used to weigh the size of crabs before and after the

Scale experiment

Chopping Board for chopping of the feeds

Ball Pen used to write down data gathered

Record Sheet used to record data

Timer used to time observations per treatment

________________________________________________________________

Data Gathered
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SPECIAL SCIENCE CLASS
La Paz, Iloilo City

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The crabs were observed at a specific time and their tanks were cleaned

after conducting. After three months of experimentation and analyzation of data

gathered, the food preference and feeding behavior of mud crabs were

concluded.

Statistical Analysis

To determine the results of the study the researcher used the statistical

tool(s):

1. One-Way ANOVA is a technique used to compare means of two or more

samples. This technique can be used only for numerical data. This is used

to determine whether varying the levels or values of a single factor affect a

process

2. Mean – mathematical average of all set of numbers

3. Standard Deviation - shows how much variation or "dispersion" exists from

the average (mean, or expected value).