Is it possible to build a business by breeding crayfish at home? Crayfish farming as a profitable and promising business

Breeding crayfish at home brings a stable income, which is ensured by stable demand. Competition in this business is weak. Large fish farms do not want to deal closely with crustaceans, since at the initial stage the payback does not provide the desired profit with large volumes of investment. It is quite difficult to sell large quantities in a short time: the most tender crayfish meat is an expensive product that can be offered to a limited number of customers.

Let's look at two ways to organize a crayfish business. Let's call the first one “home production”. The second method involves breeding in conditions close to natural.

Breeding crayfish in RAS

The essence of the business idea for breeding in a RAS (Closed Water Supply Unit): technology for breeding crayfish indoors.

Conditions for keeping:

1. The presence of a room or a separate building where in the winter the air temperature will not drop below -1°C (but better - not below +15°C; in the first case, the crayfish will remain alive, in the second, they will continue to grow and gain weight).
2. At least three large-volume containers made of safe material (metal will not work, take plastic or plexiglass); Stones, sand and clay are poured onto the bottom (the layer should be sufficient for digging holes). Polypropylene pools for RAS will cost $400/piece.
3. Purification filters (a farm for breeding crayfish must be provided with clean water 24 hours a day, and with frequent manual changes of water, claw-shaped crayfish grow and reproduce poorly, and small crustaceans may even die).
4. Devices for catching and transporting crustaceans.
5. Oxygenator with oximeter $1500.
6. $300 worth of food lasts for six months.

Why do you need several containers?

In artificial conditions, the planting density of individuals is too high. Naturally, large and strong crayfish will eat small ones. To prevent this from happening, after the appearance of new offspring, adult individuals are planted separately. NOT SMALL, BUT BIG. Adults adapt faster to new conditions. Babies can die.

What to feed? Pieces of vegetables, meat, and some cereals are suitable. There are also special foods for crayfish.

What species to breed? Crayfish take too long to become marketable. The best option for a home farm is blue crayfish. We purchase them from a specialized fish farm.

How many individuals should I start raising crayfish at home with? It all depends on the size of the room, volume and number of aquariums. The ratio of males to females is 1:3. It is better to start with a small number of individuals. Observe, gain experience, and then expand the business. In a 300 liter container you can add, for example, 80 individuals.

Breeding crayfish in the country

The essence of the idea: breeding crayfish in ponds and other natural bodies of water.

Conditions for keeping:

• your own lake, made independently or rented (it needs to be cleaned, freed from predator fish, and the bottom prepared);
• the reservoir will have to be divided into three parts with a strong mesh or a separate nursery pool will have to be built (in one part the crustaceans are born, in the second they grow, in the third they gain pre-sale weight);
• we will have to figure out how to ensure the change of water in the lake; these can be drain and supply pipes; if a river flows nearby, you can install a powerful pump;
• the planting density of individuals is 5-7 per square meter (in practice, these figures are exceeded, but at the very beginning of your activity it is better to comply with the natural requirement).

It is better to start growing with fast-growing breeds specially bred for artificial reservoirs. Then you can add river fish too.

To gain commercial weight, cancer patients need an average of at least three years (under ideal living conditions). Don’t believe it when they say: I hooked it in the spring, caught it in the fall and sold it. This business pays off only over time. If crayfish grew quickly, they would cost pennies.

Crayfish of the best breeds for brood

In this business, success largely depends on the correct choice of the breed of cancerous females, especially in the initial stages. The most interesting of them:

The Cuban Blue is an artificially bred breed of fast-growing crayfish that reaches adult weight in less than a year. The Cuban Blue is not picky in its diet. It reproduces well in sandy ponds with hard water.

"Australian" is the most popular breed among wholesalers and restaurants. Requires luxurious and warm conditions for keeping. One individual needs 20 liters of water. But the Australian crayfish is very well adapted to pool growing.

The "European Longfingered" is a fast-growing and very prolific breed. Bytsro reproduces both in artificial and natural reservoirs.

"Marbled Crayfish" - Large-sized single-sex breed. It reproduces by parthenogenesis (female cells develop without fertilization). But to keep this breed you will need a water temperature of +28 degrees.

"Red swamp crayfish" is a small, but well-adapted species on all continents except Australia. It is not fussy about its maintenance, and the minimum water level for maintenance is only 15 cm.

Crayfish for brood are sold by fish, farms by weight and even by piece for an average of $5 per female. They also offer broodstock on request (300-500 individuals at $3/piece). The cost of females of the most expensive breeds can reach $100. You can also catch crayfish for free in natural reservoirs, but they will grow up to 4-5 years.

What do crayfish need?

To successfully grow crustaceans, it is necessary to take into account their natural habitat, reproduction and growth conditions. Let's outline the main points:

1. Crayfish love reservoirs with a low-silt, dense bottom (sandy, clay), where calcareous rocks are present. A prerequisite is the presence of roots, snags, fallen trees, stones where you can hide from predators.
2. Crustaceans are very sensitive to water quality. It’s not for nothing that they are considered indicators of the cleanliness of a reservoir. They will not live and breed where there is waste from industrial production, chemicals, where there is a lot of silt and litter.
3. The water should be rich in oxygen (5-7 mg/l) and hydrogen (7-9 mg/l). Adults feel great at temperatures from +18 to +21 degrees. Small crustaceans need more heat - 21-24 degrees above zero.
4. Crayfish mate annually. Time varies by region. As a rule, this is the end of October - November or the end of February - March. One male can fertilize up to three females. She lays from 110 to 480 eggs. Of course, not everyone survives. One female produces up to 30 crustaceans per year.
5. Crayfish feed on both plant and animal foods. These can be mosquito larvae, worms, small, “trash” fish or weak specimens of medium-sized fish and algae. Crayfish don't hunt. They grab whatever is nearby. They hold the prey with their claws and bite off one piece at a time. The volume of food is 2% of your own weight. There is a special feed for crayfish, but they are not picky eaters. Crayfish can be fed with regular porridge.
6. Predatory fish, waterfowl, otters, and muskrats prey on all species of the crustacean family.
7. Cancerous individuals that have shed are most at risk. The lack of a shell makes them vulnerable. Therefore, during this period, cancer tries to hide deeper. And it only comes out in extreme cases, when it’s time to eat. But molting is required. At this time, cancerous cells grow.
8. If there is not enough food, crustaceans eat each other. The strong eat the weak.
9. In nature, crayfish do not hibernate in winter. They burrow deeper and continue to feed as before.

If the conditions are suitable (a good body of water, enough food, warmth, no one to hunt), then the cancer reaches an “edible” form by three years. This circumstance stops many businessmen. But there are breeds of fast-growing crayfish breeds that reach adult sizes within a period of up to 1 year, such as the “Cuban Blue”. In addition, in specialized stores you can purchase one or two year-old crustaceans for brood.

Ways of implementation

The most difficult thing in the cancer business is raising this very cancer. Implementing it is easy. For example, you can hand over finished products to a wholesale buyer, so as not to worry about transportation, storage and sanitary documents. Even with low wholesale selling prices, profitability will remain firmly above 100%. There will always be customers for this product. Offer claws live weight.

• grocery stores;
• restaurants, cafes;
• beer bars, points;
• to individual individuals.

Retail cost live weight is $10/kg. (this is about 5-7 pieces of small sizes). The grown products are easy to cook and sell ready-made. The popularity of this snack even exceeds the popularity of fish and pizza.

Crayfish farming is a relatively new business for Russia, but has already proven its effectiveness.

We will tell you in our article how profitable it is, what costs are required to run it, and what kind of profit you can get.

Pros and cons of this business

Advantages:

• material costs are required only for the start (organization of a crayfish breeding site, purchase of special equipment and purchase of the crayfish themselves);
• prospects for business expansion are possible;
• low competition and high demand;
• minimal labor required during the care process.

Flaws:

• seasonality of business (from May to October);
• delayed start: due to the growth characteristics of crayfish, the period when your company will begin to receive maximum profit will be approximately 3-4 years;
• significant financial costs to start a business.

As practice shows, even with the mentioned disadvantages, crayfish farming can become very profitable. You just need to do everything correctly, without repeating the mistakes of others. Therefore, before starting to implement the project, you need to study its features in detail.

Where should you start?

There is a very clear algorithm that has proven its effectiveness. Let's name the points, each of which we will then decipher. So, you need to do the following:

1. Choose the best method for breeding crayfish. Each of them needs to be compared in terms of cost and feasibility of implementation in your conditions.
2. Think through the process of creating a farm. Develop a step-by-step plan that will lead, step by step, to creating a business.
3. Carefully consider what expense items are present here. At the same time, we must remember that it is always worth having a small reserve of free funds for unexpected expenses.
4. Determine distribution channels. This is one of the key points: to determine how much this type of product is in demand in your area, city, region, etc.

By carefully working through each point, you will receive a guarantee that the business will be well-structured and successful.

Crayfish breeding methods

There are currently four main methods:

• Factory breeding of crayfish, that is, in special large aquariums and indoors. This is the so-called closed method. Its advantage is that crayfish are provided with conditions under which they can reproduce and grow around the clock, without hibernating. That is, the efficiency of cultivation increases significantly. At the same time, it is not difficult to ensure these optimal conditions.
  The downside is the high costs both at the stage of opening a business and during its further development.
• Breeding crayfish in a natural pond. This breeding method is the least expensive and easiest. Crayfish will have sufficient natural food (they are omnivores and therefore eat silt, algae and even garbage). But in this case, difficulties may arise in controlling the composition of the water, and crayfish are especially demanding of clean water. In addition, regular cleaning of the bottom will be required - at least to a depth of two meters.
  A natural pond may have a deficiency of oxygen in the deep layers, as well as the presence of large amounts of hydrogen sulfide, which negatively affects the well-being of the animal. In this case, the business will be practically unprofitable. The only way to implement it is if the pond has a natural influx of water, that is, a river or stream flows into it. However, even in this case, it is better to support the business at first by additional fish breeding.
• ­ Breeding crayfish in artificial reservoirs, basements, special crayfish pits etc. This is the so-called home method. It is considered a compromise between the above. In this case, you can fully control the quality of water, its circulation and the living conditions of the animals. At the same time, it is possible to control crayfish populations by dividing them according to age. Due to this, you can increase the quantity of goods at the output.
  The only disadvantage of this method is the significant costs of installing a special water circulation system and its further maintenance.
• Breeding crayfish in an aquarium(optimal volume 250 liters). Such an aquarium should be equipped with cleaning and oxygen supply systems. You also need to line the bottom with driftwood, stones, river sand or gravel. It is not difficult to maintain the water temperature at 18-20 degrees all year round. This means that the growth and reproduction of crayfish will not slow down, which is guaranteed to give a high level of finished product at the output.

Whatever breeding method you choose, the main thing is to provide the crayfish with the most natural and comfortable living conditions.

Creation and development of a farm

Consider the option of creating a cancer business on your own site. With this approach, you will be able to control all stages of breeding. First you need to dig a pit a depth of no more than two meters, an area of ​​no more than 60 square meters. m. You can make 3-4 such ponds, depending on the scale of the intended business. The bottom of the pit should be lined with stones, clay and river sand.

Vegetation can be planted near ponds to make them as natural as possible. The optimal water temperature is 18-20 degrees. Such conditions for cancer are considered ideal.

At lower temperatures, animals hibernate until spring. Accordingly, during this period they practically do not grow or reproduce. This means the cancer business is dying down.

Next, you need to make a drainage system using a pipe. It is necessary to put a strong fine mesh on the pipe (it will not allow the crayfish to leave the pond). So, the base for the pond is ready and you can fill it with water. Crayfish can be released into this reservoir 10-20 days after the flood, when the necessary microflora has formed in the water. Water renewal should be done once every 3 weeks, but no more than 30% of the total volume of water should be renewed so as not to greatly change the microclimate, thereby causing discomfort in the animals.

To organize a reservoir you need to purchase a number of devices:

• two aerators (necessary to ensure that the water in the pond does not stagnate and thus the crayfish do not experience the negative effects of toxic waste);
• oxidizer (it will provide creatures with a sufficient amount of oxygen);
• oximer (measurement of oxygen concentration);
• salinity meter (determining the amount of salts in the pond);
• conductometer (a device for checking the operation of treatment facilities).

Crayfish for breeding can be purchased from suppliers. As a rule, you need approximately equal numbers of females and males. It should be borne in mind that during the season the female manages to lay up to 100 eggs, but only half survive. That is, one cancer manages to acquire offspring of 40-50 individuals. Thus, over the course of a season, the number of animals in your pond will increase by an average of 40-50 times. It is possible to achieve a self-reproducing herd in an average of 5-6 years. The average period of cancer maturation is 2 years. During this time, it reaches a mass of 100-200 g and a length of 10-12 cm.

Despite the omnivorous nature of animals, they need regular feeding. Once every 2-3 days they should be fed with meat, fish, bread, animal feed, vegetables, earthworms, etc. They do not require any other care, and this is the beauty of the cancer business.

After the herd becomes self-reproducing, you can think about expanding the business and organizing new reservoirs. Indeed, despite the high demand, competition in this area is quite low.

Selling products

Wholesale channels for selling crayfish should be carefully considered. First of all, this product will be of interest restaurants, cafes, snack bars and supermarkets. And regularity is important here: only in this case can we talk about stable earnings. You should also pay attention to establishments where it is customary to drink alcoholic beverages. Crayfish will be in great demand there. This is, for example, beer halls, saunas and baths. You can also agree on retail sales to private individuals. At first it could be acquaintances or neighbors, and then word of mouth will start working - one of the most effective advertising strategies in our country.

However, finding clients is half the battle; the main thing is to retain them. And high quality products and prices will help you with this - lower than in large retail outlets. You can gain a completely stable client base within a year.

In order to find out how in demand animals are in your area, just pick up the phone and call the above establishments. Cancers can be realized in three main states:

• alive;
• boiled;
• boiled and frozen.

If everything is clear with the living ones, then for the other two you should purchase special equipment with which they will be processed (cooked and frozen). And this is another cost item that is one-time.

When selling crayfish you will definitely need veterinary certificate. To obtain it, you will need to bypass a number of authorities and fulfill all their requirements.

The supplied goods must necessarily be packaged and labeled.

To do this, you will need to buy a filling and packaging machine. Most often, crayfish are packaged in hard plastic containers filled with brine. Packaging in the form of stretch film is also possible - it all depends on the final form of your product.

It should be understood that the main competitors in this business are Armenia and Kazakhstan, which supply throughout Russia all year round. Accordingly, it is necessary to study the prices at which certain organizations purchase Armenian and Kazakh crayfish, and offer a lower one.

Total costs and profitability of the company

Let's look at business income using the example of three artificial reservoirs that were built in an open area. To create and equip them, you will need on average about 30 thousand rubles. We will release 200 individuals into each of the three reservoirs (600 in total). The cost of their purchase will average about 20 thousand rubles. Thus, the initial investment will be approximately 50 thousand rubles.

The purchase price of crayfish is approximately 180-200 rubles per kg. One crayfish weighs on average 200 g. Thus, from 600 individuals (400 females will breed 40 individuals each) you can get about 16 thousand individuals. This is approximately 3200 kilos of product. If all goods are fully sold, this will bring approximately 760 thousand rubles. per season or 126 thousand per month. However, keep in mind that this is the total profit. To calculate net profit, you must subtract all the costs that were invested to implement the project. Further profit growth largely depends on how much effort you are willing to put in. As calculations show, crayfish farming is a fairly profitable and low-cost business. Of course, profitability can only be obtained from the second year of keeping these animals, but it is worth it. Go for it and you will succeed!

Video about crayfish breeding

The video shows a story about a business built on raising these animals:

The activities of entrepreneurs in the production and sale of food products have always been highly profitable and stable.

This is due to the fact that food products are in constant demand - people are always hungry, it’s just the way it is. Therefore, the food industry has been and remains attractive to budding entrepreneurs. This fact has led to the emergence of a huge assortment of a wide variety of food products on the market: from the now commonplace potatoes to delicacies.

In conditions of fierce competition, it is difficult for a novice entrepreneur to squeeze into the market with a standard set of “tools”. To do this, at a minimum, you need to have huge working capital.

More acceptable options would be promotion of a new product, which may be of interest to buyers.

In this article we will look at the crayfish breeding business, which is quite young in the vastness of our country.

Business idea concept

Businessmen with experience in crayfish farming claim that this type of activity in Russia has already proven its profitability and efficiency. The demand for domestic products is growing every year. With proper business organization and proper cultivation of crayfish, the benefits can be reaped after the first year of operation.

If speak about business benefits, then they are as follows:

• Low operating costs.
  The main costs will arise when starting a business. It is necessary to organize a place for breeding families, purchase the necessary equipment and purchase young crayfish.

• Low competition among domestic entrepreneurs makes it possible after a few years to increase the size of the business to the regional or regional level.

• Great demand for products.

• There is no need to maintain a large staff.
  To care for the offspring, 2 people are enough.

Like any business, crayfish farming has its own flaws:

• Seasonality.
  The breeding season lasts from May to October.

• Long payback period.
  You will receive your first income from such activities only 1 year after starting the business. This is due to the characteristics of reproduction and maturation of the offspring.

Despite these disadvantages, the crayfish farming business is potentially profitable activity.

It is worth remembering that any business involves financial costs, a certain level of risk and emotional tension.

To minimize risks and possible losses, you should treat your business responsibly and start it only after the planning procedure.

Business plan for crayfish farming

To achieve success in business, you should adhere to a clear algorithm of actions.

First, you need to fully analyze the idea, the production process, find markets and determine the relevance of the products being sold on the market.

Sample . How to beat your competitors?

Legal address - what it is, we will look into it separately. Does it always coincide with the actual location of the organization?

Ideas for choosing areas for business development in rural areas are available at. How to find a niche that is in demand?

The information collection process will be consist of the following stages:

• Studying the specifics of business.
  Collection of information on crayfish breeding.
• Choosing the best method for breeding crayfish.
  The level of initial investment and the amount of work at starting a business depend on this.
• Organizational matters.
  Register and resolve business issues.
• Sales of products.
  At this stage, it is worthwhile to analyze the demand for the final product and first find markets for it.
• Based on the information collected, draw up a clear business plan for organizing activities.
  After completing the collection of information, it is imperative to draw up a clear plan for implementing the idea, minimizing existing risks and taking into account all the nuances of the future enterprise.

Crayfish breeding methods

Beginning entrepreneurs have 4 methods of breeding crayfish:

• Closed method.
  It is also called factory. It involves breeding crayfish and queen cells in large aquariums.

Special conditions are created in the aquarium, which allows crayfish to be bred all year round. This method avoids hibernation of the offspring, which maximizes the productivity and growth of crayfish.

Disadvantage: high costs of starting and running a business.

• Breeding in artificial reservoirs, cancer pits or basement.

This method is a compromise between the first and second methods. Allows you to control water quality and ensure its circulation.

Disadvantage: in winter, crayfish hibernate and stop developing.

• Pond breeding is the easiest and lowest cost method available.

This is due to natural development conditions, under which there is no need to provide them with food.

Disadvantages: it is difficult to control water quality and ensure normal conditions for breeding.

• Breeding in an aquarium allows you to keep the reproduction of crayfish at the same level.

This is easily achieved by creating comfortable conditions in the aquarium and maintaining a constant temperature throughout the year.

The choice of a specific method of organizing a business depends on your preferences and financial capabilities.

After you decide on the production method and draw up a business plan, you should take care of state registration with the tax authorities.

Features of breeding crayfish in an aquarium

It is not necessary to breed crayfish in rural areas; you can get by with premises in the city.

To carry out activities in the city, it is necessary to rent premises with ceiling height of at least four meters.

The location of the premises does not matter, which allows you to save on rent.

The volume of the aquarium must be at least 250 liters. You can start a business with 10–15 aquariums.

When breeding in an aquarium, it is easier to control the condition of your pets. Providing appropriate conditions will help avoid the effect of hibernation and increase the growth rate of young animals.

To do this you need:

• ensure a constant temperature background within 18–20 degrees;
• fill the aquarium with sand and algae;
• equip with compressors, pumps, and a thermometer for temperature control.

One aquarium with all the necessary equipment will cost 50,000 rubles.

Although crayfish are omnivorous creatures and in natural conditions even feed on waste, food is an important condition for the development of young animals. Earthworms and bloodworms are best suited for feeding the offspring.

Feed should be buy from wholesale manufacturers, specializing in supplying products to fish stores.

Feed costs will be within 20,000 rubles/year.

The final stage in organizing a business will be the purchase of crayfish offspring. The pool with minimum parameters (250 l.) is designed for 50 individuals. To start activities it is necessary to purchase 500–750 individuals at the rate of 1 male for 4 females.

On first profit You can count on the company only after 1 year. Questions about expansion of production It is worth raising only in the third year of activity.

Most people believe that the easiest and most profitable way is to breed crayfish at home.

If you have your own plot of land in a rural area, then you will not need large investments to start a business:

• First you need to dig a pit with an area of ​​up to 60 sq.m. with a minimum depth of 2 m.
• The bottom of the pit should be lined with large stones, river sand and clay.
• To strengthen the coastline, you can plant various vegetation around the reservoir.
• It is necessary to organize drainage by first placing a strong mesh on the pipes. This will prevent the crayfish from leaving the pond.

Depending on the size of the plot and the volume of investment, 2–3 such pits can be built.

This completes the preparation of the pond. To form the necessary microflora, you need to wait 10–20 days from pouring water. After this, crayfish can be released into the pond.

Features of home-grown crayfish is the need for constant water renewal.

Every 3 weeks you need to change 30% of the water to ensure the same microclimate of the pond after its renewal.

You should also take care not to place the pond in a sunny place. The optimal water temperature ranges from 18–20 degrees.

Equipment

In the process of breeding crayfish at home, you will need the following equipment:

• Aerator necessary to prevent water from stagnating in the pond – 2 pcs.
• Oxidizer ensuring sufficient oxygen levels – 1 pc.
• Oxymer that allows you to measure the oxygen concentration in water – 1 pc.
• Conductivity meter that checks the correct operation of treatment facilities – 1 pc.

It will take approximately 30,000 rubles to create and provide 3 ponds with all the necessary conditions and purchase equipment.

How to start with minimal investment?

We will tell you about the size of the minimum authorized capital of an LLC. How are participants' shares determined?

What ideas for making money with your own hands can be used as the basis for a home business, we will discuss at the link. How to get financial benefits from a hobby.

Purchase of offspring and food

When purchasing crayfish from suppliers, it is worth keeping in mind that for home breeding conditions, it is better to take approximately equal numbers of females and males. One female lays up to 100 eggs per season, of which only half survive.

Based on this, the initial offspring will increase 40–50 times after 1 year. Therefore, to start a business, it is enough to release 200 individuals into reservoirs.

Investments for the purchase of crayfish

Although crayfish are omnivores, they need constant feeding. To do this, you should give them bread, fish, meat, various combined feeds, earthworms and vegetables every 2-3 days.

Maximum feeding costs for the season will be within 20,000 rubles.

Organizing a business for breeding crayfish at home requires feeding the individuals living in the pond in the winter and spring. Watch the video about this:

When caring for crayfish at home, you can get by with the help of family and friends.

Sales of products

You need to organize a smart marketing campaign and focus on wholesale sales.

The product is in great demand, however if clients don't find out about what you can offer them, they won't buy it.

Products can be sold in the following areas:

• Restaurants and cafes, offer in snack bars and supermarkets.
  To advance to this market, targeted marketing should be organized.
• Entertainment establishments with alcoholic beverages.
• Sales on the market through private individuals.

To retain clients you need to constantly monitor the quality and range of products.

In the future, you can start processing crayfish meat and selling the product in boiled and boiled-frozen forms, but this will require purchasing additional equipment and hiring personnel.

Financial calculations for a crayfish breeding business at home.

Expenses for opening and running a business – 86,000 rubles.

• Registration with the tax authorities – 6,000 rubles.
• Organization of 3 reservoirs – 30,000 rub.
• Purchase of offspring (600 individuals) – 20,000 rub.
• Purchase of necessary feed - 20,000 rubles.
• Other expenses - 10,000 rubles.

Income from product sales – 760,000 rubles.

A family of 600 individuals, with 400 females and 200 males, in a year will acquire young for 16,000 individuals (400 females * 40, including surviving eggs).

One young individual weighs about 200 grams. Based on this, the total weight of the young animals will be 3,200 kg.
The cost of 1 kg of crayfish on the market is not less than 180 rubles.

Sales income the total cost of young animals will be 760 thousand rubles. Which means that the investment will be covered 9 times.

Of course, everyone has heard about crayfish living in rivers around the world, in Russia and Germany and other countries. Moreover, everyone knows not only what an ordinary live crayfish looks like, but they have also eaten it. But not many people know that crayfish are different in all countries. This is due to the conditions of their existence and what they have to eat.

Our crayfish that live in the waters of the Don, Volga or Dnieper, even the largest ones, are considered relatively small, but the largest crayfish are the inhabitants of the rivers of Tasmania. It’s hard to imagine, but some of the largest individuals weigh more than 5 kilograms, and they grow up to 0.8 m in length! See what this breed of cancer looks like in the photo.

But, unfortunately, such individuals are now rare even in those parts. This happens due to the fact that their living conditions have deteriorated significantly. But the existing individuals are quite huge by our standards; you will never find specimens weighing about two kilograms in the rivers of the Don, Volga, Dnieper or abroad in France or Germany.

The crayfish that live in our rivers are typical representatives of crustaceans. They are very demanding on water quality, so they can be a kind of living indicator of the cleanliness of a reservoir. Simply put, if there are crayfish in a river, stream, lake or headquarters, then you can swim and fish in such a place.

The basis of the diet of crayfish is vegetation, not only living plants, but even fallen leaves. They eagerly eat dead fish, and if they are lucky, even live ones.

Active at night, they prefer to spend daylight hours hiding in burrows (which they can dig on their own) or in other shelters.

They search for food mainly by smell; their corresponding organs of touch are well developed. They can find the corpses of fish or other living creatures at a fairly large distance.

General information

During the Jurassic period (about 130 million years ago), many animals appeared on Earth, including crayfish, which subsequently quickly populated bodies of water throughout the globe. They feel most comfortable in reservoirs that are at least three meters deep with ten-meter depressions. The best water temperature in summer is about twenty degrees.

River crayfish is not an entirely accurate name, since they live not only in rivers, but also in other bodies of fresh water, hence a more accurate name suggests itself - freshwater crayfish.

Habitat

Crayfish, as we have already said, are very demanding of their habitat. The first condition is that the water should not be salty, otherwise their reproduction becomes impossible due to a number of circumstances.

For these crustaceans, a sufficient oxygen content in the water, at least 5 mg/liter, is of great importance. Acidity is also important, which should not be too high. The water must be clean. Crayfish can live in almost any body of fresh water, but their favorite habitat is rivers.

The bottom in the habitat of the crayfish must be hard and silt-free; only under these circumstances can they organize the necessary shelter for themselves.

A rocky bottom may also be suitable, since they can calmly settle under stones, without even digging holes, which they prefer to do near coastal holes or on coastal slopes. As a rule, at the boundary between a hard and soft bottom. Smart crayfish try to make the passage into the hole as long as possible, often about a meter or more, and the hole itself can be located under a fallen tree, tree rhizomes or under stones.

Crayfish burrows are never large and are dug based on the size of the crayfish itself, which makes it much easier for them to protect themselves from attacks by their larger counterparts.

It is quite difficult to pull Cancer out of its shelter; it clings very tightly to its walls with its claws. You can determine that there is crayfish in the hole by looking at the fresh soil near the entrance.

Crayfish live at depths from 50 cm to 3 meters. The best places for burrows, as a rule, are captured by large males, while the worst places go to small males and females. Young individuals usually try to stick to shallow water, often close to the shore, under pebbles, leaves and twigs.

As everyone knows, crayfish are inveterate hermits and everyone has some kind of shelter, which he has to protect, first of all, from his own relatives. During the day, crayfish hide in shelters, closing the entrance to them with their claws. In case of any threat, they quickly retreat deeper into the hole.

To search for food, crayfish go out at dusk, and if the sky is cloudy, they can go out earlier. Typically, crayfish move in the water at night with their claws extended forward. In case of danger, it swims back very quickly, striking strongly with its tail.

It is generally accepted that crayfish stick to one place. But this is a mistaken opinion. An experiment was carried out and marked individuals ended up in gear one hundred or even two hundred meters from the place where they were released. This suggests that these are quite mobile intelligent creatures.

Crayfish breeds

The success of a crayfish breeding business, especially at the initial stage, will depend on the competent selection of female breeds. each has its own characteristics. The most interesting of which are:

Crayfish are different and the required breed can be purchased at special farms for breeding. They are usually sold by weight, but in some cases individually. The price for one female can range from 5 to 100 dollars, depending on the breed. $5 per female.

Video “Crayfish Behavior”

This video shows different breeds of crayfish that are bred in home aquariums. Look how these smart creatures behave.

For breeding, crayfish are sometimes caught in local reservoirs, but in this case they have to wait a long time for puberty.

Sizes of crayfish and how long they grow

The speed at which crayfish grow depends on the temperature and composition of the water, as well as on the food and the number of individuals per 1 square meter. reservoir The growth rate in different bodies of water may be different. However, even in the same body of water, growth rates may differ. In this case, much depends not only on water and feeding, but on the age of the crayfish. In the 1st and 2nd summers of life, females and males grow almost equally. However, already from the end of the 3rd summer, males are larger than females. Experiments were carried out in southern Finland and the following facts were established. The length of the crayfish by the end of the 1st summer reached 1.4-2.2 cm, by the end of the 2nd from 2.5 to 4 centimeters and by the end of the 3rd from 4.5 to 6 centimeters. It is worth knowing that according to the regulations in Finland, Germany, Russia and other countries, the minimum size allowed for catching must be at least 10 centimeters, i.e. males are six to seven years old, females are one to eight years old. Under favorable conditions (suitable temperature, sufficient amount of food) they can grow to the permitted 10 centimeters several years earlier, and in unfavorable conditions, a year or two later.

The world of crayfish is quite interesting and has attracted the attention of scientists in past centuries.

The question is often asked, to what size crayfish can grow, i.e. how many centimeters is the maximum length of their body? Here it is appropriate to go back a hundred years and turn to the research of the German fish farming advisor Brofeldt, according to which the following facts are presented. For example, in the town of Kangasala it was not uncommon to see individuals longer than 16 centimeters, but after a few years they began to be found much less frequently. It is also known that specimens of twelve to thirteen centimeters caught in the last century were considered average. Such facts may make us distrustful, but crayfish do not have to be large.

In the fifties of the last century, the Seura magazine organized competitions to see who could catch the largest crayfish in three summer months. The winner was the participant who was able to catch the crayfish, the body length of which was 17.5 centimeters, and if measured to the end of the claw - 28.3 centimeters, the weight of the champion was 165 grams. Some other facts regarding the winner are also given. First, he only had one claw and second, it was a female!

The next largest male was 16.5 centimeters long, but the length of his claws was 29.9 centimeters and his weight was 225 grams.

There are also other evidence of caught crayfish, the length of which exceeded 17 centimeters. But this is very rare. It should be noted that, according to the data of the Estonian researcher Jarvekulgin, males are more than sixteen centimeters and weighing 150 grams, and females are more than twelve weighing about eighty grams - a rarity. Undoubtedly, the female caught in Finland can be classified as a giant.

The question about the age of crayfish or how long crayfish live is difficult to answer because... There is no exact method for determining their age. The lifespan of some crayfish has to be determined by comparing age categories or categories of crayfish of similar length. As a result, it is impossible to determine with great accuracy the age of individual large specimens. However, there is evidence that some individuals lived to the age of twenty years or even more.

Perhaps in the future a method will be discovered and we will accurately determine how many years a particular cancer has lived.

Crayfish in Germany

The successful breeding of crayfish in Lake Rottach-speicher (Germany), the water surface of which is about 300 hectares, is indicative. It is worth noting that it was filled only in 1990, when 10 thousand crayfish fingerlings were released along with various types of fish. The entrepreneur who rented this lake began to harvest a large harvest of large males within two years and now has a solid business with volumes of about 50 tons. Some of the individuals that were released in 1990 were caught only ten years later, some weighing up to 250 grams.

It was in Germany that significant success was achieved in the field of crayfish breeding. The beginning was made in 1985 at one of the Bavarian enterprises specializing in crayfish breeding. A special installation with a closed water supply was created and successfully used. Its capabilities are not limited to the hatching of crayfish; it is successfully used for breeding young of the year. This installation allows hatching more than 150 thousand fry and 35 thousand fingerlings during the year. And although crayfish eggs are naturally fertilized at this plant, artificial insemination is also used in other German plants.

In this regard, great success has been achieved by specialists from one of the companies in Eversee. Initially, they borrowed the experience of Finnish crayfish farmers in the field of artificial insemination. Subsequently, a special installation was created to fertilize the eggs. It works according to the following scheme. The eggs of the females are scraped off and placed in baskets, in which they are continuously washed with water, simulating the process of natural fertilization under the female’s tail. This made it possible to almost double the fertilization rate of eggs compared to natural ones. It was also noticed that the larvae obtained in this way are more resilient than after hatching in females.

Almost all crayfish farmers in Germany are united in a union promoting the protection of crayfish in Europe. The Union often holds various forums and conferences where important issues are discussed and cancer farmers exchange experiences. In 2007, the 3rd forum dedicated to the protection of crayfish was held in Austria and a special booklet was published, in which not only the most interesting materials were published, but also important and useful recommendations on crayfish farming were given.

Why are there few crayfish in our country?

To answer this question, you need to know that live crayfish are a natural indicator of the pollution of a reservoir. Crayfish often die from discharges that can only be detected in laboratory conditions. There are many false versions that have no basis, since in this case not only crayfish, but also fish, and in some cases people, would die. In order to determine why living crayfish die, you first need to know where exactly this happened. For example, it was the Don, Seversky Donets or another river and what enterprises were located there. Consistently in this way you can establish the source.

However, crayfish can die not only from chemical pollution. For example, ships are sailing along the Don, which could well have introduced microorganisms that caused the death of crayfish. There are many factors that can lead to the death of crayfish. It is also very bad that restoration of the population requires at least 5 years under favorable conditions. We already had a similar precedent in the nineties. At that time, crayfish in the Don River almost completely disappeared and then appeared only ten years later. In recent years, the situation on the Don has been more or less stable.

This video shows how blue and common crayfish that live in the waters of the Don or another river can be successfully grown in a small farm.

As of 2018, the wholesale cost of live crayfish on the free market ranges from $8-10 per kilogram; especially large specimens of rare species can be valued at up to $20 per kilogram. The retail price (piece sales) is usually 20% higher, but this method of marketing products is only suitable for mini-farms, as well as species of arthropods with light shells. A pond with an area of ​​50 square meters on average produces approximately 60 kilograms of crayfish per year, which provides a profit of $600.

From a practical point of view, you should start crayfish breeding as a business only after analyzing the demand for products, but it is important to take into account that you can make the first deliveries no earlier than in a year and a half. Therefore, market research should not be confused with concluding preliminary agreements. Your potential buyers of live crayfish could be:

• Pubs and restaurants;
• Food delivery services;
• Private individuals;
• Seafood stores;
• Supermarkets.

For each of the categories, you will need to collect information about interest in a similar product, volumes and conditions of supply, on the basis of which you can draw a conclusion about the profitability and the most optimal scale of the enterprise.

Growing technology and organizational issues

As with any type of farming, it is necessary to start growing crayfish only after an in-depth study of the vital functions of the animals themselves. Therefore, before investing, it is advisable for an entrepreneur to first work in this area, at least in fishing.

Common methods of growing crayfish

There are several basic methods for breeding crustaceans, the choice of which depends on the initial conditions (climate, availability of accessible areas and technology), as well as the planned scale of production. The most popular and cost-effective are:

• Open natural ponds. This method is the least expensive, but has a high risk of poaching and difficulty in controlling brood. Also, in natural reservoirs it is impossible to influence the temperature of the environment, which is especially critical for regions with cold climates.
• Artificial open reservoirs. If you have a large enough plot of land, you can build your own pond in a protected area. It must be at least 1.5 meters deep. Recommended area is at least 30 square meters. The bottom of such a pond should have a spherical shape. Also, to prevent water from escaping, it is sealed and then covered with a layer of sand and gravel, in which the crayfish can build their burrows.
• Home aquariums. In this case, you will need at least 3 containers of 250 liters each. This is one of the least profitable methods, since it is difficult to grow large numbers of arthropods in aquariums.
• Recirculated water supply installations (RAS). They are polypropylene pools with built-in filtration systems. The most progressive and effective way to create a full-fledged farm, allowing you to grow crayfish all year round, without the latter going into hibernation. When using RAS, the total period of growing adults is reduced by about a third.

Selecting species for breeding

Each breed of crayfish differs in growth intensity and requirements for climatic conditions. Therefore, when planning to breed crayfish at home, it is very important to choose the most optimal species for your chosen breeding method. The following breeds are most popular among domestic farmers:

• Cuban blue- a specially bred breed of crayfish, characterized by very rapid growth (the minimum level of marketability is achieved within one year) and unpretentiousness. Females of this species can lay up to two hundred eggs, from which young crustaceans hatch within three weeks. During this period, the water temperature should be at least 25°C. Suitable for breeding in open reservoirs of the southern regions, aquariums and RAS.
• Broad-clawed crayfish- an unpretentious breed, capable of living and breeding in water with a temperature of 16°C. It is distinguished by a large amount of meat, but today it is a rare endangered species, which complicates the purchase of young animals.
• Australian- heat-loving, fleshy breed (not lower than 22°C). Suitable for growing in pools, where it can grow up to 150 grams per year.
• Marble- one of the most prolific breeds, which is achieved due to the lack of separation of individuals into female and male sexes. Loves warm climates (from 20°C), but it takes at least two years to grow to a marketable state.
• European long-fingered crayfish- an unpretentious (from 19°C) and quickly reproducing breed, suitable for open waters of the European continent. It has a low percentage of cannibalism compared to more heat-loving species, which simplifies the maintenance process.