Breeding crayfish is an excellent startup that allows you to earn decent money for the whole family with minimal investment. The business has long been popularized in Turkey and the United States. In our country, crayfish breeding as a business is not very developed, but it should be considered as one of the options for starting your own business.
So, what is needed to breed crayfish:
- pond or special containers;
- productive individuals of cancer, which can produce offspring;
- availability of special equipment for creating a microclimate;
- food for crayfish;
- time.
The cultivation of crayfish is a large-scale production, it can be organized both in large volumes and in small ones. We are considering withdrawal options even at home. The business is not too expensive in terms of money, but it requires a careful attitude to resources and a scrupulous approach to cultivation, since a slight inattention can result in a loss of investment.
Reservoirs for breeding crayfish.
The main breeding grounds for crayfish are water bodies. They can be natural or piece. It should be noted that regardless of whether the reservoir is a piece or natural, it must be insulated, since in severe frosts all crayfish can die. Reservoirs can be built based on financial capabilities:
- pool;
- aquarium;
- pond.
Pool
The most favorable option is a pool, which can be covered during winter periods, which will increase productivity by 2 times, since the crayfish will not hibernate. If you build up to 4 such pools, then from one breeding cycle you can get up to four hundred crayfish. To make a pool for crayfish with your own hands, you need to pave the bottom of the container with large rubble and pour clay.
Aquarium
For small production volumes, it is possible to make a regular aquarium for breeding crayfish. But you shouldn't expect a good return from it, and there will be more problems with creating natural conditions: crayfish need clean water, which will have to be cleaned regularly. When growing crayfish in an aquarium, cannibalism problems can arise: the smaller individuals must be kept in a separate container, since they will be eaten by larger crayfish. You need to know that expensive fish and squid cannot be added to aquariums where crayfish are kept.
Ponds
The most inexpensive way is to breed crayfish in your own ponds. It practically does not require investment, but the financial return will not be so high, since in the cold season the crayfish will hibernate, and accordingly, growth and reproduction will not occur as fast as in piece water bodies. Crayfish grow well in marshy areas. With a small pond and an abundant amount of food around - grass and algae, crayfish can create their own living environment and create income for you without any investment, you just need to catch them and find a buyer for the product. It still makes sense to organize industrial breeding of crayfish in closed reservoirs, since it will create guarantees for the stability of the microclimate and conditions for reproduction.
How to grow crayfish properly
When making a business plan for breeding crayfish at home, you need to take into account the fact that you can grow the selling size in a few years. After preparing the breeding container, crayfish are launched into it. The water must be purified and of high quality, so it will need to be changed several times a month. To provide an easy way to change water, it is necessary to foresee a drainage and supply system in all tanks. Water intake can be carried out from a well or reservoirs with clean water - rivers.
The water does not change completely, it is necessary to constantly top up about 30% of the capacity, which will allow to renew the oxygen balance in the water and provide the necessary balance of minerals. Be sure to read the special literature on how to grow crayfish. You should know all the nuances of feeding, growing, breeding.
If a business plan is drawn up for breeding crayfish in an aquarium, it is necessary to take into account the real litter. If a female can produce up to 200 crustaceans per year, then only 15% will remain alive and grow to the desired size. Many crustaceans will be eaten by their relatives, who will not disdain young animals in the absence or insufficient quality of the feeding offered to them. In order for nothing of this to happen, all females must be placed in separate tanks, and as soon as the small crustaceans hatch, it will need to be removed and the offspring allowed to grow.
It is necessary to feed young animals with the same products as adults. Typically, meat, dead fish, vegetables and bread are used. Of course, there are special feeds for crayfish in the markets, but in this case, additional costs will need to be planned in the business plan for breeding crayfish.
The main thing to know is the required composition of the feed:
- fats;
- vegetables with a lot of fiber;
- crude and digestible protein;
- minced fish and flour;
- calcium supplements.
Where to get crayfish?
Crayfish cultivation as a business involves the constant purchase of female and male individuals. You can immediately purchase only females that will already be carrying eggs. If it is possible to take females from open reservoirs, then you will not have to buy at all, you just need to carefully collect and transfer them to the place of cultivation.
There are companies that have already established a crayfish breeding business, they offer individuals for sale.
Depending on the types of crayfish, there are different ways content.
Australian cancer
It differs from the rest with its claws, which are quite fleshy. This cancer wants to live in a warm environment, so it will be easy to grow it at home. It is also necessary to provide a pool in the aquarium and the ability to come to the surface. Crustaceans need to build as many holes as possible, since they need a separate place to eat, a separate place to sleep. After molting, crayfish will need to hide in a hole, and the deeper it is, the better. Australian crayfish eat fish and algae. They also do not disdain bread or mixed feed.
Blue cuban cancer
Such crayfish can be grown in open reservoirs, since it is quite unpretentious. The main condition is to provide a temperature of 26 degrees and a constant bait. This cancer is fast growing, it reaches the size required for sale in just six months. Breeding such crayfish in an aquarium is possible, but the bottom should be sandy and covered with hard plants. It is also necessary to ensure good filtration and create many burrows.
Marble cancer
This species is as finicky as the Australian. He needs to create 20-28 degrees, he needs to be fed constantly and abundantly. This cancer is quite large - it grows up to 15 cm in length. The elite breed is more expensive and profitable.
Far Eastern and European crayfish are bred in Russia, it is better to breed the latter type at home. They have their own 2 subspecies - broad-toed and long-toed crayfish. The first is more valuable due to the presence of a high-quality abdomen. This species can be bred in open areas throughout Russia. This species is picky, it feels good both in cold water with temperatures above 4 degrees, and in warm water - up to 28 degrees, it will be comfortable.
Feeding crayfish
Under natural conditions, crayfish feed on everything that they find at the bottom of the reservoir. These can be the remains of fish, algae, insects, worms, small crustaceans and, in general, all organic debris. Since all crayfish are cannibals, it is necessary to ensure consistent and correct feeding. Food must be thrown into the container where the crayfish are grown once every few days. The presence of algae will provide the diet with the necessary minerals and elements, it is especially important that there is enough calcium in the feed, since it is the main substance for the formation of the crustacean shell. The feed is thrown into the feeding cages. It is desirable that the size is approximately 40 by 40 cm. If the water warms up above 7 degrees Celsius, it is necessary to add, in addition to vegetables, meat and earthworms to the feed. Too much food is also bad. If the water blooms after overflowing with the remains of the feed, it will be necessary to purify. If the situation is not very critical, it is necessary to add earthworms to the water, they can correct the situation.
Homemade crayfish or shrimp food recipes
Feed recipe number 1. To compose the feed, you will need the following ingredients: frozen spinach, peas, Swiss chard, carrots, dried nettles and sea almond leaves, soy flour from a health food store, trout feed (or pellets for aquarium fish), dried amaranth, calcium carbonate, chlorella and spirulina powders ... All this should be ground in a mixer until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Then the gruel is laid out in ordinary ice cube trays and placed in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. Before feeding, break off the required amount of feed, a single dose of which depends on the number of crayfish or shrimp. But it is not worth preparing dry mixtures: due to contact with atmospheric oxygen, the nutritional value of such a mixture will steadily decrease over time.
Feed recipe number 2. Spinach leaves, rings of carrots and cucumbers stewed a little in the microwave - this is a real treat for all decorative decapods. In daylight, you can lure even the most fearful crayfish or shrimp out of hiding.
Feed recipe number 3. Spinach leaves, rings of carrots, pumpkin and cucumber slightly stewed in the microwave or scalded with boiling water, crushed fresh grains of corn and green peas, boiled rice, oak leaves, Jerusalem artichoke, almonds, banana pulp, dry noodles, calcified cottage cheese, bloodworms. For 0.5 liters of milk - 1 ampoule (10 ml) of calcium chloride - heat until curdling, let stand for 6-10 minutes, strain through a couple of layers of gauze. The resulting mass can be frozen - spread thinly over polyethylene or foil. Suitable for both invertebrates and many fish.
Crawling crayfish
As a rule, the settlement of crayfish in the growing container takes place in early spring. In the middle of summer, one can observe that females are hatching eggs. After the young grow up and shed their shells a second time, they must be caught and moved to other tanks so that they do not freeze. A new home for small crustaceans should be warm. If you wait 2 years, then the young will gain sufficient size and the income will be much higher. One-year-old crayfish should be caught and transplanted into special reservoirs in which they can build up mass. The required weight of cancer, which is up to 500 g, is gained in about 2-3 years. By this age, the cancer grows up to 10 cm in length - this is a commercial product that is subject to further sale.
How to remove crayfish correctly
Crayfish are caught in ponds with special nets, fishing rods or crustaceans.
They are caught, as a rule, before the end of autumn. The easiest way to catch crayfish is in the summer when the nights are warmer. The fastest catching of crayfish is to drain the water, but it is worth resorting to it only when the young are completely removed. Otherwise, he may die.
Difficulties in breeding crayfish
The most difficult thing that you will have to face when breeding crayfish is monitoring the quality of the environment - water. First, it must be saturated with oxygen. As mentioned above, for a sufficient amount of oxygen, it is necessary to fill in 30% of water, this will saturate 1 liter to 5-6 mg with oxygen. Hydrogen needs 7-9 mg per 1 liter of water. Special devices make it possible to measure the number of these elements in numbers. The presence of minerals is equally important. There are also indicators that show how much calcium and silicon is in the water. If these substances are not enough, the carapace of the cancer will not harden. The main source of calcium is algae, which must be constantly reinforced as it is food for crayfish and will decrease as it is eaten. On the surface of the pond, it is necessary to ensure the rate of water replacement, which is 50 liters per minute per 1,000 m. sq.
If the reservoir is dirty, you risk losing all individuals, because in such conditions, various bacteria develop very quickly, leading to cancer diseases. The worst of them are: plague, porcelain and rusty disease. Firstly, they can be easily diagnosed, since the appearance of the shell will be changed, and secondly, this will affect the fertility of individuals. Diagnosis should be done by a veterinarian. To avoid contamination of new crayfish, they must be transplanted into a quarantine tank after catching.
Now, let's calculate the profitability and return on investment of crayfish breeding.
Now that you have read such a volume of information about the cultivation of crayfish, let's try to approach our business "more closely" and calculate the revenue and, most importantly, the profit of this business. Let's try to get down to business seriously, since we plan to grow our crayfish in the RAS. RAS - closed water supply installations. Our RAS is a module in the form of 6 tanks, their total volume is 1.5 m3. The dimensions of each container are 1.5 * 0.75, the height of the sides is 0.25 m, the lower one is 0.35 m. Electricity consumption is 81 W / h.
By the way, lobsters can be grown in the RAS. To keep 100 kg of lobster, a volume of water in the RAS of 250 liters is enough. at a temperature of 5-10 degrees with a water circulation of 1000 l / h.
The RAS is equipped with: a circulation pump, a UV lamp, a compressor with an accumulator, a water heater and instructions for assembly and operation. The cost of such an installation is 60,000 rubles. Delivery is not included in the price. Such an installation can be done by yourself, many crustaceans do this. Below we will calculate how many such installations we need to purchase and what area of the premises will be needed.
Initial data
The Australian Red Claw Crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus or Red Claw crayfish) or ACCR is a freshwater crayfish species native to the rivers of northwest Queensland and Australia's Northern Territory.
We plan to produce 5000 kilograms of AKKR per year or 417 kilograms per month. The period of growing crayfish for sale is 9 months, the average weight is 80 grams. Then it turns out that we have the declared volume, we have to be born in a month 5212 children. Let's put 20% on mortality and get 6255 children per month. The developmental stages of eggs are determined by their color:
1st stage - light cream 1-3 days at 28 ° C
2nd stage - dark brown 12-14 days
3rd stage - the appearance of eye dots - 20-23 days
4th stage - orange-red - 28-35 days
5th stage - descent of crustaceans - 35-40 days
Organizational plan of a crayfish breeding enterprise:
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1. Finding a room |
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2. Conclusion of a lease agreement |
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3. Conclusion of a contract for equipment |
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4. Renovation of the premises |
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5. Equipment installation |
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6. Water preparation |
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7. Buying crayfish and launching them into the water |
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8. Beginning of mating of crayfish |
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9. The appearance of the first offspring and their growth |
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10. Start selling crayfish |
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Now let's calculate how many females and males of crayfish we need to receive such an amount of crayfish per month. The female gives birth to offspring once every ninety days, the average number of crustaceans in this case is 200 pieces, or 800 crustaceans per year are obtained. Then it turns out that in a month we have 6255 crayfish born, we need 375 cancer females for our business. Just in case, add another 20% - we get 450 pieces. For every three females, one male or 150 male cancers.
Thus, the number of crayfish can be about 6255 * 9 + 450 + 150 = 56895 pieces.
The stocking density of “family crayfish” will be 20 pieces per 1 m2, the total density, taking into account young growth - 50 pieces per 1 m2. Then we need 56895/50 = 1140 m2 of the bottom area in the RAS. The area of one of our RAS is 1.5 * 0.75 * 6 = 6.75 m2. It turns out that we need 169 installations. The total cost of 169 RAS will be 10,140,000 rubles, including delivery and installation of 10.5 million rubles. Other equipment - 500 thousand rubles.
The total investment is shown in the table below.
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Purchase of equipment |
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Working capital |
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Renovation of the premises |
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Buying crayfish |
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Organizational expenses |
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Total expenses |
The area of the tanks is 1141 m2, we add 25% for the aisles and additional areas for production, then we get the required production area equal to 1426 m2.
The cost of renting a warm room in the suburbs will be 50 rubles / m2, excluding utility costs for electricity and water. The cost of the repair is set at 2 million rubles.
Business revenue for a planning period of 2 years was:
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Proceeds from the sale of crayfish |
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Total revenue |
Fixed and variable costs for the same period are:
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Fixed costs |
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Wage |
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Payroll taxes |
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Rent |
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Depreciation |
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Accountant services |
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Variable costs |
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Food for crayfish |
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Communal expenses |
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Transport |
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Insurance individual entrepreneurs |
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Other variable costs |
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Total costs |
According to our calculations, it turned out that it will take 14,539 thousand rubles to open a business and maintain it afloat for the first and partly the second year. The simple payback period for this business is about 11.5 years.
Whether to grow crayfish or not is up to you. Business is not easy, do not believe someone who says that in two years you will be making millions. To the madness of the brave ...
- Biological features
- Crayfish growing technology on the farm
- How much money does it take to open a crayfish farm
- A step-by-step plan to discover where to start
- How much can you earn
- Which equipment to choose
- What OKVED to indicate when registering a business
- What documents are needed to open
- What taxation system to choose for business registration
- Do I need permission to open
Almost in every corner of our vast country there are ponds and reservoirs that can be successfully used as a food base for growing crayfish. Breeding crayfish allows you to get high quality dietary meat with excellent taste. For successful breeding of crayfish in pond farms, it is necessary to know the biology and methods of growing them in artificial reservoirs. Much has been written about the peculiarities of the pond keeping of crayfish in the works of A.I. Rakhmanov.
Biological features
The most valuable are crayfish of the European breed. In our country, the genus of European cancer is represented by two types: wide-toed and long-toed. In this case, the most valuable commodity is the broad-fingered crayfish. It is distinguished by wide and fleshy claws, a fleshy belly, which is highly appreciated by the consumer.
Long-toed crayfish is not so "fleshy" however it has the advantage of being more fertile than wide-toed crayfish. So, one female long-clawed crayfish can lay up to 280 eggs, while a female wide-clawed crayfish can lay only 50 eggs. Moreover, in natural conditions, only 20% of cancer larvae survive.
Crayfish are omnivores and eat any food that is found in the pond. Molting of crayfish occurs 1-2 times a year, in the summer. The crayfish grows only when the shell sheds.
Crayfish growing technology on the farm
To grow crayfish in artificial conditions, a pond with clean, cool water and a high oxygen content is needed. At the same time, the most suitable is a pond with an area of not more than 3000 m2 (0.3 ha) with the obligatory presence of natural springs, streams or artesian wells. The temperature regime is also important. In summer, the water temperature should not rise above +20 degrees.
Oxygen has a great impact on the vital functions of animals. If there is not enough oxygen in the reservoir, the crayfish begin to eat poorly and grow. Therefore, additional aeration of the water is required. Oxygen is supplied to the pond through special pipes using a compressor.
Clay is considered the best soil for building ponds. Clay soil is more reliable and slightly eroded by water.
Crayfish for breeding can be caught from other bodies of water. In this case, the age of crayfish must be at least 5 years old. In this case, the first offspring can be obtained the next year. If a natural pond is used for cultivation, then before settling crayfish, it must be cleaned of weed fish, predators (pike, perch), pests and pathogens (beetles, dragonfly larvae). The bottom of the reservoir should be sown with agricultural crops such as oats, vetch or legumes.
Caviar females should be planted at the rate of 2 heads per 3m of the coastline or 600 females per 1 ha.
For reproduction of crayfish in personal subsidiary plots, swimming pools and aquariums are used. The main purpose of such reservoirs is to obtain eggs and rearing underyearlings (crayfish up to 1 year old). Then the fry are caught and released for growing in the pond.
The productivity of crayfish can be increased by complementary feeding. Crayfish should be fed in the evening, since cancer is a nocturnal animal. Pieces of meat, fish leftovers, bread, cereal grains, etc. are used as feed. However, it should be remembered that overfeeding is worse than not supplementing. Food that has not been eaten usually decomposes, resulting in the death of animals.
Cancer multiplies very well if kept properly. One female long-clawed crayfish can lay up to 900 eggs per year or more. Growing crayfish in artificial ponds has a significant advantage over natural conditions. Due to regular monitoring of the development of cancer, as well as due to a complex of biotechnical measures, the growth rate and productivity of animals increases.
In one warm season, juvenile crayfish add about 14 grams. In other words, the cancer reaches its marketable weight after 3 years of maintenance. The price of a gourmet crayfish (weight 35-60 grams) is about 500 rubles / kg. But the price for selected crayfish (weight 150 - 300 grams) can reach up to 2000 rubles / kg.
How much money does it take to open a crayfish farm
The size of the initial capital for opening a crayfish farm will strongly depend on the natural suitability of the pond, on the planned size of the reservoir, the need for agrotechnical and biotechnical measures, etc. Part of the funds will be spent on catching crayfish or the purchase of uterine specimens in experimental farms.
To organize a small pond in a personal subsidiary farm, 100 thousand rubles may be enough, but such a business will look more like a hobby or as an additional source of income.
For all its attractiveness, the cultivation of crayfish in our country has not become widespread. Large investments are not made in this business due to the long cycle of crayfish growing. Calculating a reasonable return on investment in such a business is not easy.
Existing fish farms can be engaged in cost-effective cultivation of crayfish. They have the opportunity, in parallel with the incubation of fish eggs, at the same technological capacities, to grow crayfish larvae. For several months, the larvae of crayfish can feed on the organic remains of the incubation of fish eggs. Then the matured crayfish fry can be sold to other farms or grown in their own reservoirs.
A step-by-step plan to discover where to start
Crayfish can be grown both in an artificial and in a natural reservoir. If you choose the second case, then you should take into account in advance all the difficulties associated with the preparation of the relevant documents and obtaining permission to rent a reservoir from the state. It is better to start during warmer seasons, as in winter the crayfish hibernate. Before drawing up a business plan, it is advisable to see with your own eyes what a crayfish farm is. Further, the main stages of the implementation of activities can be distinguished:
- Choosing or creating a pond with all the necessary conditions for breeding crayfish.
- Obtaining permits, registration of individual entrepreneurs.
- Selection of pet care specialists.
- Equipment purchase.
- Purchase of breeding stock. It is important to choose a male to female ratio of 2 to 1 or 3 to 1.
- Sales market adjustment.
How much can you earn
Depending on the type of crayfish, their market value is estimated at 400-1200 rubles per kilogram. To equip an artificially created pond, you will need to buy waterproofing, drainage pipes and a drain - about a thousand rubles. Renting a natural reservoir can cost 100 thousand or more per year, its arrangement - another 30 thousand, the purchase of crayfish - 20 thousand and 10 thousand for feed. A reservoir with a size of 60 square meters is capable of raising up to 10 thousand young animals, which will make it possible to achieve a stable plus within a year. After that, income will increase due to the sale of already adult crayfish, and spending on the purchase of young animals will disappear due to their reproduction.
Which equipment to choose
To breed crayfish in a natural pond, you do not need to spend money on special equipment. Unless, as a fight against poachers, nets and traps with bells are purchased. Growing in an artificial reservoir will require the purchase of drainage systems: pipes and gutters, you also need waterproofing, an oxidizer, several flow filters, aerators and measuring instruments. To place young animals separately from adult crayfish, you will need several concreted pools.
What OKVED to indicate when registering a business
When registering a business, you must indicate OKVED 0.121 - breeding and sale of crustaceans, fish and molluscs.
What documents are needed to open
Depending on the scale of production, an individual entrepreneur or LLC is registered, the documents that are needed for this: a passport, a copy of the IND code and a receipt for payment of the state duty.
What taxation system to choose for business registration
The best option would be a single imputed income tax.
Do I need permission to open
For natural bodies of water, you will need a lease from government agencies. For the sale of crayfish, a conclusion of the sanitary epidemiological station on compliance with the established standards will be required.
Crayfish in the country pond
Breeding crayfish in the country in recent times becomes fashionable. Not every summer resident will be able to do this, but if there is a desire, it is worth trying. What do you need to know and be able to do? Know: structure, life cycle and ecology of crustaceans. Be able to: maintain the necessary conditions in the reservoir.
The armored body and 19 pairs of limbs testify to the ancient origins of these arthropods. Ancient crustaceans reached more than a meter in length, and their modern descendants - lobsters, scorpions and the well-known freshwater crayfish - are significantly inferior to them in size, although they have an external similarity. Despite their formidable appearance, crayfish are peaceful animals that consume plants and dead animals for food, they are orderlies of reservoirs.
The chitin-calcium shell inherited from ancient ancestors cannot grow as the cancer grows, so it has to be discarded. Shedding cancer sheds not only its outer sheath, but also the membrane of the gills, eyes, and even the esophagus. Of all the hard parts of the body, cancer leaves itself only white calcium formations located in the walls of the stomach - gastroliths. In the Middle Ages, they were called "crustacean stones" and were considered a miracle cure, but in fact, gastroliths are a depot of calcium, which, after molting, is used to recreate the shell and other solid organs. Cancers molt in the first year of life 8 times, the second 5, and then 1-2 times a year. Molting is especially dangerous for juveniles - soft-bodied crustacean becomes an easy prey for any predator. Adult crayfish also do not always successfully molt, it happens that a claw gets stuck in the old shell, then the cancer rejects it to free itself (but like many other arthropods, crayfish are able to regenerate lost limbs).
Crayfish mate in autumn, then females lay 100-300 eggs, which they carry under the abdomen all winter and spring, washing them with water using swimming legs. In June ¬ July the offspring hatch. Small crustaceans first hang motionless on the female's legs, after the first molt they try to leave her (but in case of danger they hide under her belly), and after the second molt they move on to independent existence.
Crayfish lead a solitary lifestyle, they vigilantly guard their shelters under stones or snags, putting out their claws. Therefore, in the breeding pond, it is necessary to equip a sufficient number of nooks and add wood material (fragments of branches, roots) to construct shelters. In search of food, crayfish leave their shelters late in the evening, “graze” all night and return home early in the morning, before sunrise. They do not go far from shelters, especially females and old males. In late autumn, crayfish go to deep places of the reservoir. They are not afraid of cancer and prolonged stay without water.
In recent years, pollution of water bodies and (as a result) an increase in epidemics among crayfish populations in rivers and lakes in Europe have led to a sharp decline in their numbers. The most affected in this case is the wide-fingered crayfish (with a smooth, without thorns, shell and a bright ruby color of the body and claws), the fishery of which has been conducted since ancient times. Therefore, it is better, without depleting natural resources, to start breeding crayfish in the pond.
Aboriginal species of crayfish are suitable for breeding: northern broad-toed and southern long-toed. Currently, a biotechnology is being developed for artificial breeding of signaling crayfish (introduced species) with white spots on the claws with a blue border. Signal cancer does not suffer from crayfish plague; it grows rapidly. When rearing juvenile crayfish, I recommend using the technology of accelerated development, when the time of embryonic diapause is reduced by temperature exposure. As a result, crustaceans hatch in early spring and by autumn they become much larger and more viable.
Breeding of crayfish can be done from May to October, until the water freezes in the reservoirs. First of all, it is required to dig at least three reservoirs on the site. The soil must have a low permeability to water in order to avoid water loss through seepage. Areas with meadow soils and poorly water-permeable soils (clay, loam) are best suited. Sandy soils can be used to build a pond by reinforcing dams, slopes and its bed with plastic wrap, and the top of the film must be covered with soil. The size of one reservoir is 5x10 m, shallow, the bottom is sandy, with rocky shelters, aquatic plants can be planted in the coastal part. Running water is passed to the dug hole and a drain is arranged, fenced with a fine-mesh strong mesh.
Naturally, a lot will be determined by the size of your site, but special attention should be paid to the layout of the pond bed, good water supply and the possibility of complete water discharge. It would be ideal if the stream flows through the site, then the reservoir is provided with running water, and on the way of the stream you can make several reservoirs in a row. When breeding crayfish, you must carefully monitor the quality of the water. Water analysis can be done at any sanitary-epidemiological station or in an agrochemical laboratory. The water should be free of various impurities, free of foreign odors, tastes and colors. The presence of free chlorine, hydrogen sulfide and methane in the water is unacceptable (these substances can provoke death or an outbreak of disease).
Crayfish producers are placed in ponds, and food is placed on special wooden trays. You can feed crayfish with pieces of meat, fish, potatoes. After several months, the crayfish will begin to multiply, one pair of crayfish can produce about 30 young crustaceans per year. It takes 3-5 years from the egg stage of wide-fingered crayfish to commercial size, narrow-fingered crayfish grow faster. The larvae of the first stage hatch in May-June, they can be grown in the same pond or transplanted into another. Crayfish yearlings are caught and transplanted into feeding ponds, where the stocking density is less.
Well-developed crayfish are eaten, mainly as a beer snack. They are boiled in boiling water, adding salt, dill, pepper. It is necessary to cook crayfish over high heat, maintaining it as such throughout the cooking process. Cooking time, as a rule, is up to 25 minutes, and a bright reddening of the shell is an indicator of readiness. In any case, you do not need to save on salt, because cancer is covered with shells and therefore does not absorb salt well. Dill can be placed in the pot in the form of seeds or roots, it gives the crayfish meat a special piquancy in taste. If spices are not used or used in insufficient quantities, then crayfish meat may seem tasteless to you. To heighten the aroma, it is a good idea to add spices such as a couple of onion heads cut into halves, currant or cherry leaves while cooking crayfish. They can also be boiled in beer, cucumber pickle, milk and wine.
A. Lenshin, assistant
Departments of St. Petersburg State University
Newspaper "SADOVOD" No. 54, 2010
Some people manage to grow crayfish privately in large quantities - for sale, but this is quite troublesome. But if you want to diversify the fauna of your reservoir and broaden the horizons of children, you can acquire a small colony of these animals. Perhaps your crayfish will proliferate so much that they will become the highlight of the feast. However, many owners do not raise their hand to throw their favorite pets into the boiling cauldron. But life on your lot will certainly get more interesting.
What kind of reservoir do you need?
The possible population density of crayfish is no more than four per 1 m 2. Crayfish will like a reservoir with a sandy, clay bottom with stones and snags. They live in burrows that they dig in steep banks, in places protected from the sun. If the bottom of the reservoir is concrete and the crayfish has nothing to dig a hole in, take care of snags, under which it could hide, hollow decorative stones, etc. Many people have a question: will the crayfish damage the film of the reservoir with their claws? As a rule, this does not happen, especially if the film is of high quality - the claws of crayfish are not so strong.
Where do crayfish hibernate?
The main problem with keeping crayfish is wintering. It is not at all difficult to answer the question of where the crayfish hibernate: at the bottom of the reservoir, where they burrow into the silt. If the pond freezes through in winter, your pets will not be good enough. To prevent this from happening, the pond must be 1.5–2 m deep. However, the deeper the depth, the less oxygen in the water, and oxygen starvation is destructive for crayfish. Artificial aeration can save the day, but such a pleasure is not cheap. In any case, if you decide to leave crayfish in the pond for the winter, take care of a good polynya. Another option is to catch your wards and put them in an aquarium or other suitable container for the winter.
In winter, crayfish go to depths, males in groups burrow into silt or hide under snags, females sit alone in burrows. At this time, their life processes slow down, but they do not hibernate and continue to feed.
V In recent years, under the influence of anthropogenic factors and due to diseases, the number of crayfish in nature has been rapidly decreasing.
Newcomers
You can house crayfish caught in a nearby water body or purchased from a pet store. In this case, choose species adapted to our climatic conditions, for example wide-fingered and long-toed crayfish. There are species on sale that are intended for keeping in an aquarium, they may have an interesting color, but in the wild they take root badly.
It is better to transport live crayfish in boxes or boxes with their backs up, overlaid with damp grass, moss, rags, etc. In hot weather, to lower the temperature, you can add finely crushed ice. If necessary, the crayfish can be kept in tap water for some time, but always settled water - crayfish are very sensitive to its quality.
No need to throw crayfish into the water. It is better to moisten them, plant them on the shore and wait until they themselves get into the reservoir. Don't be surprised if the next day you come across crayfish in a flower garden or under a bush. This means that for some reason the new settler did not like his new habitat. Crayfish, in search of better places, are able to cover short distances on land, and they unmistakably determine the direction in which to look for a new body of water. There are known cases of their mass resettlement in this way. Try to find out what your pet didn't like.
Crayfish can live in a pond with non-predatory fish, for example, they perfectly coexist with carps. At the same time, they will even monitor the purity of the reservoir, picking up the food that has fallen to the bottom. But you should not add them to predators such as pike, perch or burbot: after a few days, not a single crayfish will remain in your reservoir.
You don't need to throw crayfish into the water. It is better to moisten them, plant them on the shore and wait until they themselves get into the reservoir.
Dinner is served
The diet of crayfish contains both plant and animal food: aquatic flora, insects, earthworms, bloodworms, tadpoles, molluscs, and corpses of small animals. In aquariums, crayfish can destroy all vegetation; in water bodies, they rarely multiply to such an extent as to damage ornamental plants. If you feel that your pets do not have enough food, you can feed them: nettles, worms, pieces of meat, potatoes, porridge, fish food, etc. But be careful not to clog the pond with excess food. In the cold season, crayfish do not need feeding, as their vital activity decreases.
Cancers are not alien to cannibalism, large individuals are able to eat their smaller counterparts. Cancers can get into fights, for example, over food, and sometimes they lose claws, which over time they grow back.
It is better to watch crayfish and feed them in the evening - it is at this time that they are disposed to hunt and communicate.
In aquariums, crayfish can destroy all vegetation; in water bodies, they rarely multiply to such an extent as to damage ornamental plants.
Everyday details
Under favorable conditions, crayfish can live up to 25 years, begin to multiply at 4-5 years of age. Males are 2-3 times larger than females. The optimum ambient temperature for full nutrition of adult crayfish is + 1 ... +21 ° С, and for larvae + 18 ... +23 ° С. One female is capable of giving birth to more than 30 crustaceans during the year. Mating games begin in the fall, at which time the crayfish actively move along the bottom and can even crawl out onto the shore. About two weeks after mating, the female spawns and attaches them to her abdomen. Larvae appear only in spring and turn into young crustaceans after 90 days.
Molting takes a very important place in the life of crayfish, during which they shed their old shell. Under good living conditions and rapid growth, crayfish can molt several times a year (on average, once or twice), which usually occurs from June to October. This complex process lasts from several minutes to several hours or even days and can result in loss of limbs and even death. Immediately after molting, the cancer becomes completely defenseless against predators.
Crayfish breathe with gills, with sufficient air humidity they can breathe for some time on land. With the help of their tail, crayfish dig holes and swim backwards and crawl along the bottom in the same way. Three front pairs of thoracic limbs - leg jaws serve to capture food, and five pairs of pectoral legs - to move. The eyes, sitting on the stalks, rotate in all directions and provide an excellent view, but crayfish are myopic and do not see more than two meters.
Great danger
Cancers, like all animals, are susceptible to disease. The most dangerous are plague and rusty-spotted disease leading to mass death of both adult crayfish and young crustaceans. The spotted cancer, brought to Europe from North America, is resistant to plague, but without getting sick, it can be a carrier of the disease.
Plague-infected cancer develops white and brown-red spots on the muscles of the tail and white spots on the carapace, which is destroyed during the course of the disease, and the legs and nervous system are also damaged. A sick animal can wander along the bottom during the day and even get out on land, while the legs do not bend, the cancer can fall and turn over. With a rusty-spotted disease, rusty, brown and black spots appear on the body of the cancer, turning into ulcers. The death of animals is slower than with the plague.
To date, it is not known how to deal with these misfortunes. The only way to stop the outbreak is to destroy corpses and sick animals and quarantine for 2-3 years. Since these diseases are infectious, they can be brought in from an infected reservoir with fishing gear or a new batch of crayfish, so for prevention it is useful to keep newcomers in quarantine (2-3 weeks), and disinfect traps and containers. Cancer diseases are not dangerous for humans and other animals.
In Europe, wide-fingered crayfish are almost completely destroyed by the cancerous plague.
Don't know how to make money, which business is the most profitable to develop? Open a crayfish growing and breeding company! This type of business will suit you, especially if you yourself like to feast on the meat of these animals.
The relevance of this business
People have long been using crayfish as food, adding them to various recipes or using them as a standalone dish with a foamy drink. Everyone who has tasted crayfish meat at least once knows how pleasant and delicate it tastes. It is due to its taste that this type of product will always be in demand.
The idea of breeding crayfish is very beneficial. This type of business does not require special capital investments and at the same time brings colossal income for a whole six months, and on an industrial scale - even all year round. In Russia, the cultivation of crayfish is practically not mastered, so you have a wide range for the implementation of your business idea.
In pre-revolutionary times in Russia, they were already engaged in a business related to crayfish, but it consisted only in fishing, not in growing. Later, artificial crayfish farms began to appear, which began to supply meat to the states of Europe.
Types of crayfish for breeding
Far Eastern and European crayfish species are widespread in Russia. If you plan to put your business on stream, then the European look will suit you.
European, in turn, are divided into long-toed and wide-toed. Broad-fingered crayfish are a very valuable species. In cooking, they are called "crayfish necks". But this type of crayfish is listed in the Red Book, so it is better for business to take long-toed individuals so that there are no problems with the regulatory authorities.
There is also a division into lacustrine and crayfish. For growing crayfish at home, lacustrine crayfish are suitable: they usually do not fall asleep and reach quite large sizes. Their only drawback is capriciousness: you will need a very warm room of at least 20 square meters to maintain this type.
Almost all types of crayfish are not large in size, but they are unpretentious to living conditions and are inexpensive.
Where can I get it?
Finding crayfish larvae is not easy. Most likely, you will have to grow the young on your own. You can buy the first copies at the supermarket. Buy two females for each male. If you do not want to spend money on a purchase, you can yourself catch crayfish in the reservoirs.
Features of reproduction, molting and diseases of crayfish
- Crayfish mate in autumn (September, October). In late spring, females can be distinguished from males by the presence of eggs under the tail.
- The female cannot produce more than 20 crustaceans per year.
- Young crayfish molt about eight times a year. Adults - 1-2 times a year. When molting, it is necessary to ensure the safety of animals, since without a shell they become vulnerable to predators.
- The most dangerous diseases of crayfish are burns and plague. Make sure that pathogenic fungi do not develop in the water, otherwise the entire brood of crayfish will die.
Breeding sites
There are currently two breeding grounds for crayfish - a pond and an aquarium.
Growing crayfish in a pond
A pond is a formed sustainable ecosystem with its own inhabitants and conditions. It is capable of renewal.
The main disadvantages of this breeding site:
- for the winter, the pond freezes, while the crayfish hibernate, as the water temperature drops below 15 degrees. If the pond freezes to the bottom, then the living creatures will simply die;
- crayfish grow slowly in natural conditions, gaining the mass necessary for sale only in the fifth year.
What can be done when breeding in a pond?
- The first step is to cleanse the pond from pollution, as crayfish prefer clean water.
- It is possible not to destroy non-predatory fish neighbors of crayfish in the pond.
Video about breeding crayfish in a pond
Aquariums: keeping crayfish at home
- The minimum aquarium size is 250 liters.
- Pour soil to the bottom, place stones and decorations so that the crayfish can hide there.
- Pour in water, ensure its filtration and purification.
Incubation ponds and aquariums
- Equip aquariums with filters and heaters.
- Organize elongated ponds with dimensions of at least 25 square meters and a depth of 2 meters.
- It is necessary that the water in the pond is running. It is very important that a river flows nearby. If this is not possible, water wells should be drilled.
- Place hiding places at the bottom of the pond so the crayfish can hide.
Necessary equipment for breeding crayfish
Maintenance and care requirements
Requirements for living conditions
- The water where the crayfish live must be clean. Its temperature cannot be lower than 15 degrees, otherwise the animals will hibernate.
- The number of individuals per 1 square meter should not exceed 350 pieces.
- It is impossible to keep different types of crayfish in one body of water.
Feeding
In order for the crayfish to correspond to the marketable type and weight, it is necessary to properly organize their nutrition. The daily food intake for one individual should be 4-5% of its weight.
What is good food?
- Earthworms.
- Insect larvae.
- Snails.
- Steamed and crushed grains.
- Boiled potatoes.
- Grated carrots.
Delivery of finished products
First you need to find potential customers who could purchase your product. Call the nearest restaurants and catering points, test the waters. If your services are not needed, you can always start supplying the product to the market by selling it to fish merchants.
You can also offer your friends the grown goods. These acquaintances can also recommend you to someone else - this is how you will earn your first profit.
The profitability of a mini crayfish farm
Even with a large profit from this activity, it must be borne in mind that this type of business is seasonal.
There is practically no competition in this type of business, so you can quickly find a buyer for your products and get your cherished profit.
To get a ton of crayfish in a few years, it will take about 600 individuals. All major costs are incurred just at the start of the business.
The equipment of the reservoir and the purchase of the first batch of individuals will cost about 170 thousand rubles. (20 thousand rubles for crayfish, the rest - for equipment for growing crayfish). Having invested 200 thousand rubles. into business, in two years you will earn your first million. These are all conditional figures, take into account the selling price of crayfish when calculating expenses and income.
- It is cheaper to breed crayfish in a ready-made reservoir, but there is a risk of sinking the business due to weather conditions.
- You can organize your own business by first raising young of the year (crayfish larvae) in an aquarium, and then replanting them in a pond.
- Avoid sudden changes in the temperature of the water in which crayfish live, as well as its hypothermia.
- Choose one type of crayfish for business, as individuals of different categories do not get along with each other.
- Monitor the health of individuals. Cancers are susceptible to fungal diseases.
- Do not overfeed animals.
- Males should be half as many as females.
- Constantly monitor the quality of the water in which the crayfish live.
Don't think that growing crayfish is easy. This business will be profitable only when all conditions for breeding and living of animals are met. Don't expect a quick gain.
