Where can you find the best crab in Yangcheng Lake? This rural homestay raises premium Chinese mitten crabs.

In recent years, to restore aquatic ecosystems and protect lake environments, many places have reduced or banned cage farming of Chinese mitten crabs in lakes. For example, Suzhou’s Taihu Lake has already prohibited cage farming. In the same city of Suzhou, Yangcheng Lake has seen its cage farming area reduced from a peak of over 100,000 mu to just 16,000 mu. Many farmers have given up cage farming and shifted to high-standard pond farming of ecological Chinese mitten crabs.

So where can you find the best crab in Yangcheng Lake? At Bashan Town’s A Si Crab Farm, the owner Zhu A Si is one of the local crab farmers. He used to have over 200 mu of farming area in Yangcheng Lake, but it was all reclaimed last year. Unlike other farmers, he isn’t resentful about the loss of his cages—in fact, he feels somewhat relieved. He says Yangcheng Lake crabs are a legacy left by ancestors and should be well preserved and protected. He also actively responded to government calls by voluntarily surrendering his farming permit within the stipulated time. There are many farmers like A Si. Although the lake cages have been removed, A Si has relocated his crabs to standardized ponds outside the lake for ecological farming.

Why are the crabs at A Si Crab Farm in Yangcheng Lake the most delicious? With years of experience and resource advantages in farming Yangcheng Lake crabs, A Si acted faster than others. Starting in 2017, he continuously learned and experimented, mastering the technology of farming high-standard pond crabs. Regarding crab seed selection, A Si didn’t go for ordinary varieties. After extensive research, he introduced high-quality Yangtze River seedlings. These seedlings are extremely resilient, with higher yield, better taste, and richer nutrition compared to other varieties—making them very popular with the market and consumers.

The breeding seed crabs must weigh at least 100 grams for females and 150 grams for males. The crab seedlings must be no less than seven days old. Since the Yangtze River crab is a migratory sea species, it requires a six-day desalination process to ensure the salinity is below three percent before being introduced into the ponds. Qualified juvenile crabs should meet the following criteria: able to swim against the current, phototactic, golden in color, firm-shelled to the touch, lively and energetic. When you grab a handful, they should scatter immediately rather than clump together.

How are the most delicious crabs in Yangcheng Lake farmed? Next comes pond environment control. Because Chinese mitten crabs are very particular about water quality, the pond environment is crucial. Typically, efforts are made to simulate a natural ecological environment—growing high-quality aquatic plants and algae in the ponds. These provide nutrients while purifying the water, ensuring a healthy, unpolluted farming environment. In his explanation, A Si said that to ensure smooth crab cultivation, he specifically introduced water from the eastern part of Yangcheng Lake as the water source, installed premium algae such as Elodea to continuously purify the water, and ensured farming tailwater meets discharge standards. To maintain crab quality, A Si also hired water quality experts to conduct regular testing.

Beyond the big picture, daily feeding amounts must follow the “three looks”: checking the weather, water conditions, and crab activity. Weather-wise, feed more on sunny days and less when it rains; during very hot weather, closely monitor air pressure and water quality. Water-wise, feed more when the pond is clear and bright, and reduce feeding if the water is too nutrient-rich.

From pond renovation, seed selection, environment creation, scientific feeding to quality control, A Si pays meticulous attention to every step without the slightest negligence. With such careful feeding, the quality of A Si’s ecological crabs is very close to that of wild Yangcheng Lake crabs—their nutritional value and taste are on par, while the yield is higher and the time to market even earlier. A Si’s personal experience shows that with enough dedication and care, high-quality crabs can indeed be farmed successfully in ponds.

It is precisely these top-quality crabs that have made A Si Crab Farm a success. Locally, their signature dish—steamed crab—is the most authentic, distinctive, and famous, highly praised by diners. The veteran chef at A Si Crab Farm told us that the secret to their delicious crabs lies in the fact that every crab is handpicked by customers from their own standardized pond farm—each crab is freshly caught from the water and directly placed into the steamer, ensuring optimal freshness.