Probably, in our country there is not a single person who refuses in good company to feast on beer with boiled crayfish.
For big lovers of crayfish there is a great option: organizing your own business at home.
In addition, such a business does not need large financial injections, and organizing the cultivation of crayfish at home is not such a difficult task.
How to do it?
Let's get it right.
Breeding crayfish at home: where to start?
For farmers who have the opportunity to rent a plot of land, the best option is to breed this type of arthropod in an artificial pond. And to do this is completely simple. All that is required for this is a pond of 30-50 m2 with a depth of at least 1.5 m. On an average farm, there are, as a rule, 2-4 such reservoirs. The main condition for such a pond is a clay coast and a bottom with stones. These conditions are ideal for these crustaceans for housing and breeding.
Water in artificially created ponds needs to be changed periodically. To simplify this process, when creating a reservoir, lay a special water drainage system. It is recommended to change the water once a month, but not all, a third is enough, and then fill it with a new one. A complete replacement of water can lead to unpleasant consequences, namely to a violation of the established favorable microclimate for these aquatic animals. A female cancer per season can bring up to 30 units of offspring, but they grow long enough - 6 years.
Growing crayfish in ponds has its pros and cons.
Benefits:
minimum costs for creating an artificial pond;
food costs are reduced due to natural feed that is formed in the pond;
labor costs are almost absent.
Disadvantages:
crayfish can be bred in reservoirs not in all regions, but only in those where winter is not too cold and the pond does not freeze completely;
not every person is ready to wait 6 years for the crayfish to grow and begin to pay off;
low dense population of crayfish per 1 m² in an artificial pond.
Not every person will be able to breed cancers due to various factors, but this is, without a doubt, a very interesting and profitable one.
Breeding crayfish at home: where to keep
Breeding crayfish at home can be in different conditions. The most common options are:
pool;
aquarium;
pond;
basement.
Pool
To keep arthropods in the pool, you need to build 2 pools in which they will inhabit. Two pools are needed to separate them by strength and age, so that large crayfish do not eat the weaker ones.
Carefully monitor the process of relocation of crustaceans. When the cancer grows up, it can be relocated to another pool to large individuals. When he finally grows up, it is advisable to let him out into the pond.
Aquarium
To keep the crayfish in the aquarium, you need to create all the conditions for them. For example, your home should be large enough and contain an aquarium of at least 200 liters. You will also need to purchase soil and stones so that the crayfish have a place to hide.
If you are a busy person and do not have enough time, you need to think carefully before breeding crayfish in the aquarium, because they require regular care and observation. This habitat is distinguished by the fact that crayfish do not hibernate in the aquarium, but they gain weight much faster. For a more comfortable habitat, crustaceans must provide the following conditions:
optimal temperature;
filtered water;
feeding with vitamins.
The main disadvantage of this option is the limited area for animals, that is, to breed them to a large number will not work. However, if you contain crayfish for yourself and a friendly company, and not as a business - this option is for you. Do not forget to monitor the cleanliness in the aquarium, otherwise the larvae will begin to die. If for an aquarium you take water from a water supply, do not forget to install filters, which then need to be changed 2-3 times a year.
On a note. The most expensive crayfish are those that have a blue shell.
Pond
The most suitable habitat for crustaceans is considered to be a pond. However, the water should not be too polluted, otherwise the animals may simply not survive. They can also coexist in a pond with fish. In winter, crayfish, as a rule, hibernate, they do not eat and begin to gradually lose weight. As we noted above, the pond cannot be built in regions with very cold winters, this is fraught with the fact that the pond will freeze to the bottom and animals will die.
This variant of breeding these animals has such pros:
the maintenance of the pond will not cost you too much, because there are no costs for cleaning and filtering the aquariums;
a pond is a body of water in which water is cleaned and updated independently;
feed costs are almost completely absent, as crayfish can eat food growing in the pond.
However, this method has its own minuses:
animals grow for a long time;
low density;
If you set the task of breeding these arthropods as a business, then you have to wait a long time to profit.
To make your crayfish live in a pond as comfortable as possible, provide the following conditions for them:
1) you need to dig a pit at least 2 m deep and with an area of about 50 m2;
2) breed crayfish only in their own area in order to avoid the loss of animals;
3) sow grass around the pit;
4) stones should be laid out at the bottom of the pit, on top of which sand should be poured. This is necessary so that arthropods have the opportunity to break through their holes and hide behind stones;
5) do not forget to drain for the periodic change of water in the pond.
Basement
And finally, the last option for breeding these animals is the basement. The advantage of this option is that the basement does not need to be insulated, since the crayfish can live in a cool environment, but the temperature should not be lower than 7 ° C. In the hot season, they will also be quite comfortable, since the basement always maintains a low temperature.
What you should think about is good lighting in the basement. To provide crustaceans with maximum comfort, we recommend installing the lamp in the middle of the room. To make it easier to care for crayfish, make some racks on which aquariums with animals will stand. Fill the bottom of the aquarium with sand.
Tip. Remember to regularly monitor the temperature in the basement, as if it is too low, the crayfish can hibernate.
Breeding crayfish at home: how to feed, how to care
Crayfish are not too picky animals to eat, so feeding them does not cost much. Here is a list of the main delicacies of these animals:
special feed for crayfish;
vegetables;
meat;
larvae;
wheat, barley and other cereals;
Worms
snails;
a fish;
insects.
This list applies to domesticated animals. As for wild crayfish, they often feed on leftovers and carrion.
Breeding crayfish at home: why do they die?
A major cause of cancer death can be a serious illness. All arthropod diseases are divided into 2 groups:
1) infectious;
2) invasive.
Each of them is very dangerous for cancers and can lead to their death. These animals are sick most often for the following reasons:
binge eating;
unfavourable conditions;
sharp temperature changes;
poor water filtration.
Some helpful suggestions
1. Find a place where your crayfish will settle.
The most suitable places for the deployment of animals are a pond or a large aquarium, and not one, there should be at least three. If you want to raise your animals as soon as possible, it will be preferable to choose the option with an aquarium, since in the pond, crayfish will begin to molt and fall into hibernation with the advent of cooling, which will slow their growth. If you stay on the option with an aquarium, then make sure that the temperature in it does not fall below 15 ° C, it is optimal for crustaceans.
2. Install water purification systems in the aquarium.
These animals are very scrupulous in this matter, and a too dirty environment can become fatal for them. You also need to prepare the usual conditions for them: place stones, sand and algae at the bottom of the aquarium; crabs really like to dig in holes.
3. Watch out for animal feed.
They can be given cereal cereals, worms, fish and other food from the list that we presented above.
4. Buy animals for breeding only in specialized stores.
If you decide to catch the crustaceans yourself or entrust it to someone else, then when placed in your aquarium you will need to wait a very long time until they grow up. The fact is that crayfish from the lake grow much longer than animals grown artificially.
5. Plant crayfish according to age and strength in different containers.
The fact is that crayfish eat not only third-party food, they do not hesitate to eat their own kind, especially for weak individuals. Therefore, large adult crayfish need to be deposited in another aquarium, and young growth should be left in the old place. Strong adult crayfish need to be deposited, since they are much better absorbed in the new environment, while young people can die during resettlement.
Well, that’s probably all that you need to know about such an interesting thing as crayfish breeding at home.
