Larvae of the mud crab,Rhithropanopeus harrisii, were raised using each of the three experimental procedures: shallow bowl, Erlenmeyer flask, Erlenmeyer flask agitated upon a reciprocating variable-speed shaker at 110 rpm. Survival and rate of development were calculated for each of the four zoeal stages and for cumulative zoeal development. The use of an Erlenmeyer flask as a culture vessel instead of a shallow bowl has no effect upon either survival or developmental rate. Survival and developmental rate values show no differences due to culture method in cumulative zoeal development. Agitation has no effect upon survival in any individual zoeal stage but does increase developmental rate in the first zoea and decrease it in the third zoea. These differential rates just compensate for one another, producing no net change for cumulative zoeal development under the experimental conditions. Rates of development for crab larvae based upon laboratory experiments conducted in still water may differ from rates that occur in nature. There is no evidence to suggest that agitation of cultures in the laboratory will result in a higher yield of experimental animals by increasing survival rate.