Breeding crayfish as your own business: in an aquarium, pond, at home. Breeding and growing crayfish

The article is unique material, based on the author’s method of intensive cultivation of crayfish in the conditions of central and northern Russia. This extensive business manual includes full list equipment, detailed plan organization of a crayfish farm, a list of permits, an intensive method of crayfish breeding, as well as information on investment and expected profit.

The first is creation of artificial reservoirs, with a total area of 920 m². One part of the ponds (320 m²) will be completely covered, with water that does not freeze all year round, the other part of the ponds (600 m²) will be open, for growing crayfish in natural conditions.
The second is mastering the intensive method of growing crayfish, which includes: species selection and breeding, feed composition and feeding, monitoring of aquatic environment parameters and farm maintenance.
The third is creation of a distribution network, which includes all kinds of sales channels, proper catching and transportation of live crayfish.

As a result, taking as a basis the information presented below on growing crayfish, the farm owner receives up to 30 centners per year finished products, with an average cost of 500 rubles. for 1 kg.

What is the essence of the intensive method of growing crayfish and the relevance of the business idea?

According to the latest research on the market of crustaceans and mollusks in Russia from 2012, the main suppliers of this beloved delicacy are Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Altai and Krasnodar territories. Moreover, the share of imported crayfish from Altai and Kuban is very small, since crustaceans are harvested naturally, and the quality of the supplied batches is low.

And it would seem that the situation is completely favorable for growing crayfish industrially, where the total volume of production can be increased to the maximum and sold at the best prices. For example, as 2,000 farms do in the state of Louisiana (USA), receiving up to 50 thousand tons of crayfish per year and earning about 100 million dollars. Or partially in Ukraine, where the number of crayfish grown in artificial reservoirs is close to 10 tons.

However, the problem lies in the biological characteristics of breeding crayfish, which under natural conditions grow for a very long time, gaining marketable weight by 4-5 years of life. That is, in central Russia and northern Russia they do not grow at all for 5-7 months and partially hibernate. Moreover, industrial equipment, which is used in Europe and the USA to obtain marketable crayfish in a short period of time, is ineffective in Russia, since huge amounts of money will have to be spent to heat the crayfish breeding hangars.

Therefore, to the question: "What to do?" we get a simple and effective solution: use a method based on growing crayfish in indoor ponds and reservoirs, which gives the entrepreneur a number of advantages:

Obtaining the first batch of commercial crayfish in just 1.5 years, where each individual individual can reach a weight of 300 grams, with a wholesale cost of 500 rubles. for 1 kg!
The implementation problem is completely solved, since this type products are in constant and increased demand among bars, restaurants and similar establishments, including high demand in retail trade.
Lack of competition and the ability to influence pricing in the local market through the supply of truly high-quality products.

Organizational and legal forms of management

Registration of an individual as a is a prerequisite for creating a crab-breeding farm. For crayfish farming as a type of business, the status of owner of a private household plot will not be suitable here, since in the future you will have to issue a certificate of conformity for this product. And receiving this document within the framework of an individual entrepreneur greatly simplifies this task.

OKVED and tax form

According to the All-Russian Classifier of Economic Activities (OKVED), breeding crayfish in artificial ponds falls under economic activity with the following wording: “Reproduction of fish and aquatic biological resources by agricultural producers,” with code number: 02/05/01. Accordingly, an entrepreneur engaged in a similar type of business is automatically classified as an agricultural producer, and can choose (Unified Agricultural Tax) as a form of taxation.

List of documents for opening a crab farming farm

In order to open a crab-breeding farm on your plot of land, you do not need to obtain any licenses or go through a whole series of approvals from various authorities. For this purpose, it is enough to meet a few simple conditions, which we will consider in more detail.

Regulations regulating the work of a crayfish farm:

So, based on paragraph 1 of Article 40 of the Land Code of the Russian Federation, the owner land plot has the full right to build a pond, as well as use it for its own purposes, subject to compliance with urban planning, environmental and sanitary standards and regulations.

And here the phrase “owner of the land plot” is of key importance. That is, the future owner of the farm must own this plot of land, and not use it on a leasehold basis. Otherwise, to build a reservoir, you will have to go through long process obtaining various permits from various authorities.

Based on paragraph 2 of Article 8 of the Water Code of the Russian Federation, a pond or other flooded body of water located on the territory of the owner’s land plot is his full property.

The main thing is that the pond or ponds are not connected to natural water bodies, which, in accordance with the same Water Code of the Russian Federation, belong to federal property.

In accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources”, any aquatic biological resources living in such a pond are the property of its owner.

It is worth adding to this that, according to federal law“About the subsoil”, the depth of the pond should be no more than 5 m. Therefore, this point should be taken into account when constructing reservoirs.

List of documents for the sale of live crayfish

In the future, for the sale of live crayfish to both legal and individuals(shops, etc.), you will need 4 types of documents:

Sanitary passport for vehicles used for transporting crayfish.
Veterinary certificate form No. 2.
Declaration of Conformity.
Mandatory certification according to GOST R 50380-2005.

The first two documents, a sanitary passport and a veterinary certificate, are obtained at the local veterinary station. The procedure for obtaining documents and their validity periods must be clarified on the spot. As for the declaration of conformity and product certification, they are issued by accredited bodies, for example, the local branch of Rosselkhoznadzor or commercial organizations.

Organization of a crab farm

Land plot

From the above, it becomes clear that to build a crab farming farm, you need a plot of land that is owned. The plot for the farm itself must meet certain requirements:

Land area - from 2000 m² (20 acres).
Availability of convenient access for heavy equipment (excavator).
Maximum flat surface.
The plot of land should not fall into a flood zone.

Layout of ponds on the farm

To understand how to properly use a plot of land for a crab farming farm and according to what scheme to locate the ponds, it is necessary to consider this point using a separate example.

Let's say there is a plot of land 25 m wide and 100 m long, i.e. 25 acres. On one side of the plot, for example, on the left, covered ponds will be built in the amount of 10 pieces. measuring 4x8m, located in length from east to west, with a distance between them of 3m. On the other side of the site, already open ponds will be built, also in the amount of 10 pieces, located from east to west, measuring 6x10m, with a distance between them of 3m.

A natural question arises: “What is the purpose of indoor and outdoor ponds?”

These are the indoor ponds designed for growing crayfish using the intensive method. Due to special equipment and polycarbonate coating, the water in such reservoirs will not freeze even in the most severe frosts. Accordingly, crayfish will not go into suspended animation, will constantly feed, molt every 2 months and gain weight very quickly.

Two of the ten indoor ponds are intended for permanent housing of adult females and males. Two more ponds will serve as incubators of sorts, while the remaining indoor ponds will be used to raise fingerlings.

But 10 larger open ponds will be used for growing crayfish in natural conditions.

- What is it for?

Firstly, covering all 20 ponds with polycarbonate is very expensive.
Secondly, the presence of open reservoirs allows for more rational use of a plot of land.
Thirdly, these open ponds will give the entrepreneur the opportunity to obtain a rich assortment of products. That is, crayfish different sizes and weight corresponding to the cost.

Well, in the future, as production develops, all ponds can be transferred to indoor mode and completely switch to intensive crayfish breeding methods.

Pond requirements

The pond must meet the following requirements:

The shape of the pond is strictly rectangular.
The side walls of the pond are smooth and at an angle of 90° to the bottom.
The bottom of the pond is flat, with a given load-bearing capacity.
The depth of the pond is at least 2 m.
Pond lining is polypropylene sheets with a thickness of 8mm.

— Why is it better to use polypropylene sheets for lining a pond?

For example, if the pond pit is lined using classical methods, i.e. Using reinforced concrete or wood, the likelihood of water pollution increases sharply. This is especially true for reinforced concrete structures, which tend to react chemically with water. Wood is also not recommended for use as lining for pond walls. Firstly, it rots quickly, and secondly, the construction of walls made of wood and their subsequent replacement is too expensive.

After the frame of the pond is installed, a 20 cm thick layer of large stones or broken ceramic bricks is poured onto the bottom. Cover the top with a 10 cm thick layer of coarse sand and then fill the pond with clean water. This bottom layering will serve as a kind of shelter for the crayfish and at the same time become the basis for aquatic vegetation.

Equipment for crab farming

Equipped ponds are the basis of a crayfish breeding business, through which the production stage of the plan is implemented. It is known that freshwater crustaceans are very demanding on living conditions, especially on water quality. In this connection, the presence of ponds alone is not enough for successful breeding of crayfish and they must be equipped with appropriate equipment.

Pond cover

An ordinary polycarbonate-based greenhouse serves as a thermal insulation structure that will maintain the water temperature in the ponds within the specified parameters. And here you can use two options:

The first is to convert an ordinary greenhouse into one, where a huge solar collector can easily heat all the water in the pond. Such a greenhouse is perfect for breeding crayfish in the northern regions of Russia.
The second is to take advantage of them, which, due to their large dimensions, capture and transmit a lot of sunlight and heat.

Pond frame

As mentioned above, it is better to make the frame of the pond from polypropylene sheets. This material is absolutely neutral to the aquatic environment, and with the help of polyfusion welding, polypropylene sheets are easily and quickly connected to each other, forming a durable, waterproof structure.

Aerator

If you do not install an aerator of a given power in the pond, also known as an air compressor, then within a couple of months the pond water will stagnate, turn green, and no one will survive in it except mosquito larvae and other insect life.

Oxidizer

An oxidizer is necessary to saturate pond water with oxygen. This device is of particular importance in winter time years when open ponds will become covered with ice and crayfish may lack oxygen. The oxidizer is installed on the bottom of the pond in late autumn and, using a cassette with dry hydrogen peroxide, gradually enriches the under-ice water with oxygen.

Flow filter

To maintain high vital activity of crayfish, you need to install a filtration system. Over time, the bottom of the reservoir, like the water, becomes contaminated with food residues and waste products of crustaceans and other organisms, which release toxic substances into the water. And if such a system is not installed in advance, production volumes will drop sharply.

Measuring instruments

Since the quality of water, as well as its temperature, plays a decisive role in breeding crayfish, to control its parameters it is necessary to use the following devices:

Oximeter - measures the concentration of oxygen dissolved in water.
Salinity meter - determines the level of salts in water and similar substances, and also gives an assessment of the overall hardness of the water.
Conductometer - measures the electrical conductivity of water, on the basis of which the effectiveness of cleaning systems is checked.

Table 1. Full list equipment for a crab farming farm with an area of 1100 m².

Photo	Name of equipment	Purpose of the equipment	Cost in rub. for 1 piece or 1m².	Required quantity in pcs. or sq. m.	total cost in rub.
		Construction of a pond frame
		Enrichment of water with oxygen
		Enrichment of subglacial water with oxygen
		Water purification
		Measuring oxygen in water
		Determination of water hardness
		Determining the level of water pollution
Total: 2 million 913 thousand rubles.

Note. This figure of 3 million rubles required for equipment should not be taken as a mandatory component of the initial investment. After all, the general infrastructure of the crayfish farming industry does not have a rigid relationship. Let’s say you can equip 2-3 indoor ponds and then, using the profit received, gradually develop the enterprise.

Breeding and feeding crayfish

— What kind crayfish will do for artificial breeding?

Long-fingered crayfish is best suited for breeding in artificial ponds.

This type of crustacean is ubiquitous in water bodies of central Russia. He is least demanding of conditions of detention and when good care quickly gains marketable weight. Cases have been recorded when captured record-breaking crayfish reached a length of 35 cm and weighed up to 700 grams!

But the problem is different: where can I get the required number of long-toed crayfish? It makes no sense to buy live crayfish from Kazakh or Altai suppliers, since the crayfish they import belong to different types, and their very condition upon arrival at the place of transportation leaves much to be desired. There are no specialized crab breeding farms in Russia. Therefore, there is only one way out - to independently catch viable and healthy individuals.

But how many crayfish need to be caught and at what time of year it is best to do this directly depends on the density of adult crayfish per 1 m² and the characteristics of their reproduction.

Stocking density of adult female and male crayfish

Table 2. Chemical indicators of water for keeping adult crayfish and juveniles.

If it is initially not possible to determine water indicators, then crayfish are placed at the bottom of the pond at the rate of 3 pcs/1 m².

Reproduction of crayfish

In its natural habitat, the Long-fingered crayfish mates in October-November, at a water temperature of 4-6 degrees, and only in late spring, when the water warms up to 15°C, do female crayfish begin to spawn. Based on this, we draw a simple conclusion: crayfish for breeding must be caught in August-September, before the mating period, and according to the scheme of the crayfish breeding farm, their number will be 384 pieces, where 256 pieces. there will be females and 128 pieces. males. That is, to properly place all the caught crayfish, you will need 2 indoor reservoirs.

After the required number of crayfish has been caught, the most important process begins - reproduction. And here, thanks to the non-freezing pond water, mating of females occurs not in late autumn, but in early spring, sometimes in February. Accordingly, this process needs to be monitored and controlled.

- How to do it?

The first sign that the crayfish are ready to mate or have already begun to do so is the water temperature - 4-6°C. The second sign by which the fertilization of eggs is determined is the presence of a white hardened mass of spermatophores in the lower part of the female’s cephalothorax. When the number of such females increases during control catches, they are caught and transferred to a separate incubator pond, while monitoring all phases of spawning, egg maturation and stages of fry development.

In a more condensed form, the entire reproduction process looks like this:

The mating time for females is February-March.
Spawning occurs at a water temperature of 14-15 degrees Celsius.
The maturation of eggs from spawning to the eye stage takes 7-10 days at an optimal temperature of 21-24 degrees.
The first stage of fry after hatching is 1-7 days.
The second stage of fry after hatching 5-8, then the first molt occurs, and the crustaceans move on to active nutrition.
The third stage of fry after hatching is 14-20 days. Juveniles are completely similar to adults and can feed independently and do without the care of their mother.

Advice. To quickly lower or raise the temperature of water in a reservoir, it is enough to increase or decrease its volume.

As a result, from the period of spawning to the receipt of viable juveniles, about a month passes. During this time, the female crayfish is capable of carrying 40-50 fry in her underbelly. After which the females are caught again and transferred to their old place. And the crustaceans, as they grow, are gradually distributed among free ponds in accordance with the planting norm.

Food and feeding of crayfish

Table 3. Feed recipes for the entire age category of crayfish in % ratio.

Note. Some expensive components, for example, fish, or can be completely replaced with fish or meat waste. But the percentage of meat and fish waste needs to be doubled in relation to their dry counterparts.

Feeding of crayfish is carried out in the morning or evening at the same time. The daily feed rate is 0.2% of the total wet weight of crayfish. For females during the spawning period, this rate increases by 0.7% and by the end of the month decreases to 0.3%. Plays an important role in the diet of crayfish aquatic flora and fauna, which includes algae, river plankton, and insect larvae. Therefore, ponds need to be “populated” and “planted” with similar living creatures and plants in advance.

For more accurate calculations of feed supply rates, we present practical example.

So, we have an indoor pond with an area of 32 m², in which there are 192 yearlings of the year. (6pcs/m²). Their total weight will be about 30 kg (150g per individual). One percent of 30kg will be 0.3kg, and 0.2% of 0.3kg will be only 60g of feed. This is how tiny it turns out daily norm feed dachas. At the same time, a batch of live crayfish weighing 30 kg, according to the most conservative estimates, will cost 8-9 thousand rubles. And in a year, such a number of crayfish will eat no more than 25 kg of feed.

How to quickly establish sales channels for live crayfish?

Another advantage of the intensive method of crayfish breeding is manifested in the process of their implementation. The owner of such a farm does not need to rack his brains over how to sell huge, multi-ton batches of live crayfish, which large fishing companies are constantly faced with.

It is enough to find several restaurants, bars or just a group of people willing to purchase such a valuable food product in advance. And subsequently, at any convenient time of the year, be it summer or winter, catch the required batch of crayfish, for example, 100-150 kg, and register a vet for them. certificate form 2 and calmly distribute them to catering outlets, which are unlikely to refuse to diversify their menu with freshly cooked crayfish.

Feasibility studies for starting a business

Capital investments *

Costs for constructing ponds: RUB 300,000.
Equipment and components for ponds: 2,913,000 thousand rubles.
Purchase of land: 60,000 rubles.
Purchase of feed: 100,000 rubles.
Other expenses: RUB 200,000.
Total: 3,573,000 rubles.

* Capital expenses, in this example, are conditional and are given for the reader’s understanding of the approximate order of investments required to open a crayfish breeding farm (note by Moneymaker Factory).

How much can you earn?

Revenue calculation:

Production of crayfish per year: 12 thousand 500 pieces.
Total weight crayfish - 2500 kg.
The average cost for 1 kg is 500 rubles.
Revenue for the year: 1,250,000 rubles.

Annual expenses:

Electricity: 9 thousand rubles.
Compound feed: 12 thousand rubles.
Other expenses (transport, veterinary): 100 thousand rubles.
Total: 121,000 rubles.

Profit calculation = 1,250,000 rub. - 121,000 rub. = 1,129,000 rub. **

Return on investment: 2.5 -3 years

** Size of profitability of activities according to expert opinion the author of the article and is of a conditional nature, presented for the reader’s understanding of how profitability is calculated (note from the Moneymaker Factory).

Video with experience from the USA

For farmers and fish farms, crayfish, including long-toed and broad-toed ones, are of great interest as the main or additional object of cultivation.

Biology of crayfish

Fauna of European reservoirs in the end. XIX century became more diverse due to the introduction of American striped, signal and red swamp crayfish, as well as Australian red claw crayfish and yabi. The exception is the USSR.
The broad-fingered crayfish has powerful, non-closing claws, while its long-fingered relative has somewhat flattened claws that do close. The reason for this difference is the presence (first case) or absence (second case) of a notch between the fingers.

The taste qualities are higher in broad-fingered crayfish. There is more meat in its claws. At the same time, the long-fingered Kuban and Don crayfish also have many edible parts.
The minimum water temperature of the reservoirs in summer where crayfish prefer to live is 15 degrees. The more heat-loving species is the long-fingered crayfish. Compared to the broad-toed fish, it is less demanding on oxygen content. The habitats of the broad-toed are deep reservoirs with clear water and stable regime, long-fingered crayfish - lowland rivers, backwaters, flowing lakes.

Breeding and growing crayfish in ponds

In pond fish farming, crayfish are grown in small drainage or non-drainage reservoirs. The second housing option makes it possible to create a self-reproducing herd. In this case, captured egg-bearing females, males that have reached sexual maturity, or young individuals are introduced into the reservoir. In practice, it has been proven that it is more rational to introduce young of the year at the rate of five individuals per 1 square meter. useful area of land suitable for animal burrows. The recommended time for the introduction of fingerlings is the second half of August. Only in this case will the crustaceans fully master the reservoir before wintering.

The following year, the fingerlings are reintroduced into the reservoir. The number of animals is the same. In the middle zone, crayfish reach sexual maturity in the third or fourth year of life. Therefore, the herd becomes self-reproducing after about five years. It is already possible to catch adult individuals from it - annually up to 20% of adult individuals.

Crayfish are caught using crayfish traps. Pieces of fish or meat are used as bait. On many farms, crayfish are caught using cast nets.
It is possible to populate the drainage ponds with fingerlings in the fall (four individuals per square) with subsequent catches of adult 40-gram individuals every two years. The live weight of crayfish caught in specialized extended ponds is approximately 4 c/ha.

You can raise replacement young stock in small ponds with an area of 0.1 hectares and a depth of 1.2-1.4 m. There should be no more than five producers per square meter of pond. To produce 100 fingerlings, one egg-bearing female is required. Therefore, there should be quite a lot of mature males and females. Producers are fed with fish feed, slaughterhouse waste, kitchen waste, low-value fish... The feed is distributed on feeding tables. It is more effective to feed before sunset.

Technology based on growing crayfish in drainage ponds makes it possible to control the planting of aquatic organisms and other production processes. In this case, you can create shelters for crayfish. On farms, it is more efficient to raise animals in drainage nursery ponds. Broad-clawed crayfish grows better in flowing reservoirs when fresh, clear water is supplied to them. Long-clawed crayfish also shows good results in stagnant ponds if the oxygen concentration in the water is more than 4 mg/l at a pH of 7-8.

A technology that involves growing crayfish with peaceful fish species has taken root in commercial fish farming. We are talking about carp, silver carp, crucian carp, tench, grass carp...
Planting density of crayfish of various age groups in commercial fish farms, pcs./m2:
- fingerlings - 30. The output of young-of-the-year Kuban crayfish in Kuban farms reaches 15 c/ha when receiving the same amount of fish seeding material for carp and herbivorous fish;
- two-year-olds – 3-5.

Of the fingerlings and two-year-olds, approximately 70% of the individuals survive by the end of the growing season. In order to increase the survival rate of crayfish, they are given additional protection: the banks are lined with stones, embankments are made of stone and crushed stone, islands are made of dense soil, which allows crayfish to dig holes. Broken drainage pipes are a safe haven. The long-fingered crayfish does not need to provide additional protection, since it makes good use of silt and aquatic vegetation as a shelter.

Habitats of crayfish and their diet

The lifestyle of crayfish is sedentary, feeding occurs at night. During the day they are in the hole.
We can talk about high habitat density if there are more than two mature individuals per square. Convenient places of water for the life of crayfish are coastal areas of the pond with steep and steep banks and dense soil, in which the animals make burrows 10-20 cm long. Although crayfish are committed to their burrows, they are characterized by migratory behavior, especially daily feeding migrations from deep areas to the thicket shallow zone.

The hydrochemical composition of crayfish reservoirs is calcium bicarbonate, which is the reason for the sensitivity of this commercial fish farming object to the calcium content in the water. Crayfish do well in both neutral and slightly alkaline water, but not beyond these limits.
By the way, crayfish are a kind of indicators of water pollution.

The optimal temperature is 19-21 degrees, water hardness is low, medium; reaction – pH 7.2-8.5.
The growth rate of these animals is primarily determined by the food supply. At the beginning of development, the juveniles feed on tiny algae and zooplankton. The natural diet of grown and adult crayfish includes young shoots of aquatic plants: hornwort, chara, elodea, uruti, pondweed, horsetails, chastukha, reeds, reeds, sedges, etc. Hornwort, chara, elodea, pondweed contain lime, which is necessary for the crayfish not only for nutrition, but also for building a shell, since calcium is not absorbed directly from water by cancer.

Food of animal origin is one of the factors that guarantees the intensive growth of cancer. Under natural conditions, crayfish feed on insects, tadpoles, frogs, and fish. It should be noted that the crayfish comes across animal food by chance, and it is represented mainly by weak small individuals. Mollusks that are eaten whole (along with hard parts of the body) are more accessible.

The crayfish's mouth consists of three pairs of maxillae, including two pairs of lower jaws and one pair of thick upper jaws.
Crayfish is not a food competitor of fish. This indicates the possibility of growing it in polyculture.
If fingerlings of carp are raised in a pond, the crayfish are fed with trout and sturgeon feed. Both are subject to preliminary crushing.

Crayfish reproduction

Two to four year old crayfish are sexually mature. The duration of the breeding period is from two weeks to a month. In the central regions of Russia, crayfish mate in October-November; in the south - in February-March.
During the breeding season, the male wanders along the bottom of the reservoir, watching for the female. Having overtaken her, he knocks her over onto her back. During mating, the male pours out quickly hardening seminal fluid near the genital openings of the females. One male can fertilize up to five females, so there are always fewer males than females in breeding ponds.

A hungry male is dangerous for females. Therefore, females are released into the pond first. This is done so that they dig a hole for themselves - a permanent habitat. Cancers do not tend to live in other people's holes.
After 20-25 days after mating, the female lays dark-colored eggs in her tucked abdomen, which are attached to the legs of the abdomen. The number of eggs laid is 60-600 pieces. The fertility of long-clawed crayfish females is higher than that of broad-clawed crayfish females.

The eggs develop over five to six months. After the first stages of fragmentation of the fertilized egg (spawn), the development of the embryo is interrupted by a resting stage (diapause), which lasts 3-3.5 months in crayfish from northern populations. The development of the embryo continues only with an increase in water temperature, which occurs during the period of melting of the ice of the reservoir.

The hatching of juveniles begins in May-June. The average length of hatched crustaceans is 8 mm. They are located under the mother's abdomen. In juveniles, the caudal section of the abdomen (tail part of the body) is undeveloped.
For the first time, molted crustaceans crawl around their mother. Sensing danger, they hide under its belly. After the second molt, the juveniles move on to independent existence. The number of molts in the first summer of life is on average 7 times, in the second – 4, in the third – 3 times. In winter, the growth of crayfish stops, and therefore they do not molt. Crayfish live for about 7 years, some individuals reach 20 years of age. The weight of adult males is 150 g, and that of females is 90 g.

Typically, spawning females and mature males are caught in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs in April-May. After the ice breaks up, females can be found in warmer coastal areas. This is where baited traps are set. Before transportation, caught crayfish are kept in a cage, which is located close to the shore of the reservoir.

Diseases and molting of crayfish

One of the disadvantages of crayfish is their susceptibility to various diseases. More often they suffer from the plague (the pathology destroys the population inhabiting large standing and flowing water bodies in a couple of days). This problem can be diagnosed by elongated limbs, moving or standing animals, and body spasms. Cancers affected by this disease die in any case. Sources of infection are fish, ducks, swans, geese and other waterfowl. Effective ways there is no fight against pathology. Everything is based on the quarantine of problem water bodies.

A large loss of crayfish population is also possible during the molting period. Thanks to the hard shell, the size of the crayfish remains unchanged before molting, only the mass increases. The formation of a new, soft shell occurs before molting. Molting involves shedding the old shell. It takes from 5 minutes to 24 hours. Hardening of the new shell occurs within 6-10 days. During the molting period, the cancer is helpless and especially suffers from attacks from enemies and fellow creatures that are not in the molting stage. The enemies of cancer are predatory fish, otters, water rats, and waterfowl. Molting crayfish can become prey for frogs, snakes and omnivorous fish.

During the first moult, usually in June-July, only males molt, and in August-September individuals of both sexes molt. Females molt after they are free from eggs and stop caring for their offspring. Externally, females differ from males primarily in weight and body shape. Males have longer and more powerful claws, females have a wider abdomen.

Transportation of crayfish

On land, crayfish are able to breathe atmospheric air until the gills dry out - for several days if the animal is kept in a cool, shaded place.
To transport adult individuals, boxes or boxes (60x40x30 cm) are usually used.
Before transportation, the animals are kept in water for a quarter of an hour. This minimizes (eliminates) the likelihood of suffocation.

The method of placing crayfish in containers is with their backs up in four rows, covered with grass and moss. Gauze, shavings, straw are applicable. It is better to transport in containers at a slightly reduced temperature. For this purpose, crushed pieces of ice are used.

In past years, crayfish were transported in a dried state. Approximately seven hours before packaging, the crayfish were removed from the cage and placed on dry moss, straw, shavings, or other bedding material. This old-fashioned method requires a shaded room. Drafts are also unacceptable. The animal is ready for transportation if drying on the palm or dry paper does not leave wet spots. The crayfish are placed with the neck tucked in at the bottom of the container, belly down, and covered with cushioning material. The maximum height of the layers is 25 cm. The denser the crayfish are packed, the less likely they are to move during transportation.

Crayfish farming as a business

Just like any other type of business, crayfish farming should begin with an analysis of market demand. To understand whether your product will be popular, you can go this way: find out from catering establishments (cafes, restaurants), grocery stores, supermarkets, etc. whether they would be willing to purchase goods from you for subsequent sale. If in most cases your offer is received with a bang, then you don’t have to worry about having nowhere to put the goods.

You can try another option: selling crayfish through your friends and acquaintances. Everyone knows the power of word of mouth, when some people tell others about a product, and they, in turn, tell others about it, and so on. However, such a mechanism will only work if your product is of truly high quality and the pricing policy is acceptable for most people.

Farmers who have the opportunity to rent a plot of land are best suited to breeding this type of arthropod in an artificial pond. And it’s absolutely not difficult to do this. All you need for this is a pond of 30–50 m² with a depth of at least 1.5 m. On average farming There are, as a rule, 2–4 such reservoirs. The main condition for such a pond is a clay bank and a bottom with stones.

Breeding crayfish is an excellent way to generate additional income, which is primarily of interest to small farms where, along with fish, other farm animals are raised, including fur animals, poultry... In such farms, crayfish will become excellent orderlies.

On video: Growing crayfish in fish farms.

Some people manage to grow crayfish privately in large quantities for sale, but this is quite a troublesome business. But if you want to diversify the fauna of your pond and broaden the horizons of your 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 beloved pets into a boiling cauldron. But life on your site will certainly become more interesting.

What kind of reservoir do you need?

The possible population density of crayfish is no more than four per 1 m2. Cancers will like a pond with a sandy, clay bottom with stones and driftwood. 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 driftwood under which it could hide, hollow decorative stones, etc. Many people have a question: will the crayfish damage the film of the reservoir with its claws? As a rule, this does not happen, especially if the film is of high quality - crayfish claws are not so strong.

Where do crayfish spend the winter?

The main problem when keeping crayfish is wintering. The question of where crayfish spend the winter is not at all difficult to answer: at the bottom of the reservoir, where they bury themselves in the silt. If in winter the pond freezes through, your pets will be in trouble. To prevent this from happening, the pond should be 1.5–2 m deep. However, the greater the depth, the less oxygen in the water, and oxygen starvation destructive for crayfish. Artificial aeration can save the situation, but such a pleasure is not cheap. In any case, if you decide to leave the crayfish in the pond for the winter, take care of a good wormwood. Another option is to catch your creatures and place them in an aquarium or other suitable container indoors for the winter.

In winter, crayfish go deeper, males burrow in groups in the mud 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.

IN In recent years, under the influence of anthropogenic factors and due to disease, the number of crayfish in nature has been rapidly declining.

New settlers

You can keep crayfish caught in the nearest body of water or purchased at a pet store. In this case, choose species adapted to our climatic conditions, for example broad-toed and long-clawed crayfish. There are species on sale intended for keeping in an aquarium; they may have an interesting coloration, but in the wild they do not take root well.

It is better to transport live crayfish in boxes or crates with their backs up, covered with damp grass, moss, rags, etc. hot weather To reduce the temperature, you can add finely crushed ice. If necessary, 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’s better to wet them, plant them on the shore and wait until they climb into the pond on their own. Don't be surprised if the next day you see a crayfish in a flower garden or under a bush. This means that for some reason the newcomer did not like his new habitat. Cancers in search best places They are able to travel short distances over land, and they accurately determine the direction in which to look for a new body of water. There are known cases of their mass migrations 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 coexist well with carp. At the same time, they will even monitor the cleanliness of the reservoir, picking up food that has fallen to the bottom. But you shouldn’t add them to predators such as pike, perch or burbot: within a few days there won’t be a single crayfish left in your pond.

No need to throw crayfish into the water. It is better to wet them, plant them on the shore and wait until they climb into the pond on their own.

Dinner is served

The diet of crayfish includes both plant and animal foods: aquatic flora, insects, earthworms, bloodworms, tadpoles, mollusks, and the corpses of small animals. In aquariums, crayfish can destroy all vegetation; in reservoirs they rarely reproduce to such a scale as to cause damage to 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 litter the pond with excess food. During the cold season, crayfish do not need feeding, as their vital activity decreases.

Crayfish are no strangers to cannibalism; large individuals are capable of eating their smaller counterparts. Crayfish can get into fights, for example over food, and sometimes lose their claws, which they grow back over time.

It is better to watch and feed crayfish in the evening - it is at this time that they are inclined to hunt and communicate.

In aquariums, crayfish can destroy all vegetation; in reservoirs they rarely reproduce to such a scale as to cause damage to ornamental plants.

Everyday details

IN favorable conditions crayfish can live up to 25 years and begin to reproduce at 4–5 years of age. Males are 2–3 times larger than females. Optimal temperature environment for adequate nutrition of adult crayfish +1... +21 °C, and larvae +18... +23 °C. One female is capable of producing more than 30 crustaceans within a year. Mating games begin in the fall, at this time crayfish actively move along the bottom and can even crawl ashore. About two weeks after mating, the female spawns eggs and attaches them to her abdomen. The larvae appear only in the spring and turn into young crustaceans after 90 days.

A very important place in the life of crayfish is occupied by molting, during which they shed their old shell. At good conditions life 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 a few 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 also crawl along the bottom. Three front pairs thoracic limbs– the jaws are used to capture food, and the five pairs of thoracic legs are used to move. The eyes, sitting on stalks, rotate in all directions and provide excellent visibility, but crayfish are myopic and cannot see further than two meters.

Great danger

Crayfish, like all animals, are susceptible to disease. The most dangerous, leading to mass death of both adult crayfish and young crustaceans, are plague and rusty spot disease. The spotted crayfish, brought to Europe from North America, however, without being sick himself, he can be a carrier of the disease.

In a crayfish infected with the plague, white and brown-red spots appear on the muscles of the tail and white spots on the shell, which is destroyed during the course of the disease, the legs and nervous system. A sick animal can wander along the bottom during the day and even get out onto land, while its legs do not bend, and the crayfish can fall and roll over. With rusty spot disease, rusty, brown and black spots appear on the body of the crayfish, developing into ulcers. The death of animals occurs more slowly than with the plague.

To date, it is unknown how to deal with these scourges. The only way to stop the outbreak - destruction of corpses and sick animals and 2-3 years of quarantine. Since these diseases are infectious, they can be brought from an infected reservoir with fishing gear or a new batch of crayfish, so for prevention it is worth keeping newcomers in quarantine (2-3 weeks) and disinfecting traps and containers. Cancer diseases are not dangerous for humans and other animals.

In Europe, broad-clawed crayfish have been almost completely destroyed by the crayfish plague.

One of the rather interesting and profitable types of business is crayfish farming. Moreover, it is not carried out by large farms, but, as a rule, by small household enterprises. With all the favorable conditions created for the reproduction, growth of crayfish and their further sale, you can not only recoup your costs in a season, but also remain in good profit. You can make very good money from such an interesting and profitable business. In this article, we will look at some of the basics and components of the process.

First you need to realize that the very organization that breeding requires in monetary terms will be about 200,000 rubles. It is worth immediately noting that this is the maximum amount for the proper design of the habitat and maintenance of these animals.

The initial stage will be digging a pit for the pond and further arranging it if a ready-made one is not available. Having dug a pit, which, by the way, should preferably occupy an area of 30-60 sq.m. (more is possible) and have a depth of 1-3 (up to 6) meters, you need to proceed to the direct arrangement of the relief of its shore and bottom. It is better to cover the latter with stone and lightly sprinkle it with river sand, which will improve the conditions for feeding, mating and general habitat of crayfish. Breeding crayfish in a pond also requires clay or similar banks. This is necessary for animals to build burrows and reproduce. As an alternative to clay, hollow brick can be used as a bank edge, with holes ready for holes. It is preferable to have not one, but several (3-4) cancer ponds, insuring yourself against possible consequences climatic or any other factors, as well as for economic reasons.

Breeding crayfish also requires directly releasing their individuals into the pond for further reproduction. For one described reservoir, about 150-200 specimens are required. The main thing is to choose good individuals for breeding. It is also worth considering that in one season a male crayfish can fertilize up to 4 females. The latter produce a lot of eggs, but from a favorable brood of one female about 30 young crayfish emerge. So we have that the estimated increase in the crayfish family in the pond is, according to conservative estimates, more than 4,500 per year (based on 160 females and 40 males). Thus, industrial is quite productive.

Having understood the arrangement of the living environment, you need to keep in mind some more important details of this business. We must not forget that breeding crayfish still requires some care for the reservoir and proper feeding of the arthropods. As for water care: it is necessary to change about 20-30% of it after 2-3 weeks. Such a small percentage of replacement is due to the fact that the microclimate of the reservoir is very vulnerable, and changing a significant amount of water leads to disruption of the crayfish’s living conditions, and therefore to their death.

Selecting the diet of crayfish will not be particularly difficult, but it must be regular (once every two days) in order to prevent crayfish cannibalism, which is not uncommon among these arthropods. Under favorable conditions and abundant nutrition, the crayfish reaches marketable size in 3-5 years. It is preferable to feed them directly; it is cheap and does not lead to pond clogging. But meat, bread, larvae, fish, etc. can be used as food for crayfish.

Regarding the period of cancer reproduction, this is approximately February-March or October-November, depending on the latitude of the reservoir, climatic and other natural conditions.

Thus, crayfish farming is a very profitable business. But it is worth taking care in advance about marketing the products and collecting the necessary permits (if any are required) from the competent authorities.

In our country, they love crayfish with beer and just like that; even children like their tender, aromatic meat. Those who like to eat boiled crayfish can organize a process of breeding them, which over time can develop into a business. Growing crayfish at home is not particularly difficult and not very expensive, although it does take a long time. It will begin to generate income only in the second year, and will pay for itself in about 6 years.

There is constant demand for this product, competition is not that great, and income is stable if the business is done correctly and sales outlets are established. For example, a retired person is quite capable of coping with such a task if he likes it.

Where and what kind of crayfish to buy for breeding

It is possible to breed crayfish not only in natural or close to natural conditions, that is, in rural areas, but also in an artificially created environment, for example, aquariums - in urban conditions.

Information on the organization of habitat and conditions of detention is not a secret. Having decided, they study special literature and organize crayfish breeding at home.
To start a business, you actually need crayfish. You can catch them yourself or purchase them. The ideal option - purchasing larvae - is not always possible. A much more common option is to purchase adult specimens and raise their offspring.

Sources for obtaining crayfish stock:

Fishing in the river or.
Shopping at the supermarket.
Purchase from a specialized farm.

Naturally, it is advisable to prefer the option of purchasing material from specialists who will provide not only the livestock, but also information about the types of crayfish suitable for breeding in a given region, the conditions for their breeding and the possibilities of use.

Did you know? Salted crayfish caviar is a delicious dish containing many useful components: for example, protein, phosphorus, iron, cobalt, while its calorie content is minimal.

Industrial types of crayfish, the most popular and in demand:

Blue Cuban - different rapid growth and omnivorous, prefers a temperature no higher than 26°C;
Australian - is the most meaty species, can be bred in aquariums, requires special care and attention;
Marble - needs large areas and stable temperatures, hermaphrodite.

You shouldn’t buy too many individuals at once: the needs of a small farm will be satisfied by 4 dozen males and 8 dozen females, which can be easily recognized in late spring by their eggs under the tail.

It is very important to maintain a 1:2 ratio of males to females.

How to breed crayfish

To breed arthropods, you can use a suitable natural reservoir, build an artificial one that meets all the parameters for the successful implementation of the idea, you can also do this in urban conditions, growing them in aquariums. Each of these methods is good, and each has its own characteristics and disadvantages.

Breeding in reservoirs

Natural and most suitable habitat for crayfish. At the same time, it should contain pure water, in dirty livestock, if it does not die entirely, it will decrease significantly.

Important! Crayfish can exist in parallel with fish, but it is advisable to remove predators that feed on crayfish and their eggs from the pond.

In winter, they should hibernate, while refusing to eat. Naturally, weight decreases at this time. In areas where winters are severe, breeding crayfish in a pond is impractical: the reservoir freezes to the bottom and the stock dies.
Breeding in a pond has positive aspects:

the costs of maintaining the reservoir in appropriate condition are not too high;
in ponds, water purification occurs naturally;
Feeding animals also does not require any significant costs due to natural feed.

Disadvantages of this method:

long period of arthropod growth;
low population density per unit area;
long payback period for business.

To feel comfortable in a pond, animals require the following conditions:

The pit area is from 50 square meters, its depth is from 2 meters.
It is advisable that the pond be located on its own property to avoid troubles with poachers.
You should sow around the circumference of the pit.
The shore should be clayey.
The bottom should be equipped with stones sprinkled with sand to provide shelter and the construction of burrows.

An artificially created reservoir should be equipped with a drainage system already at the construction stage to control the quality of water and the possibility of its replacement. Water needs periodic replacement, which is done monthly in the amount of 1/3 of the total amount.

Important! Under no circumstances should you completely change the water; this will have a detrimental effect on the existing microclimate and can lead to the death of the livestock.

Arguments in favor of an artificial reservoir:

its creation does not entail serious costs;
the diet is enriched with the resulting natural feed, which allows you to save on the purchase of feed;
low labor intensity of the breeding process.

Arguments that make you think about the advisability of breeding crustaceans in an artificial reservoir:

not all regions are suitable for this business - the pond should not be allowed to completely freeze in winter;
the inappropriateness of constructing a reservoir in a sunny place;
possible difficulties in selecting a suitable site;
low habitat density per square meter
impossibility of temperature control.

Requirements that an artificial reservoir must meet:

Sandy or clayey shores, shaded by vegetation.
Rocky bottom.
Clean and environmentally friendly.
The ability to build holes at the bottom.
Absence of pathogenic organisms.

When populating a reservoir with crayfish, you should not exceed their planting density. The best option The density is considered to be from 5 to 7 copies per square meter. Subsequently, experienced farmers revise these standards, however, when starting a business, it is advisable to comply with them.

It is advisable to breed breeds that grow quickly - those bred for artificial breeding.

One female is capable of producing about 30 offspring. However, they will grow to the desired state no sooner than after three, and more often after six years, so you should stock up on both knowledge and patience in order to breed crayfish at home.

Breeding in an aquarium

Breeding crayfish in an aquarium involves artificial conditions that should be provided to the wards. A constant microclimate in the aquarium will allow you to receive a constant income at any time of the year.

To organize a crayfish farm you need premises, which can be rented.

The volume of aquariums must be at least 250 liters. The bottom is equipped with stones, sand, clay, driftwood - imitating natural environment a habitat. For successful breeding, there must be three aquariums: for adults, for mating and for young animals.

The population density of the aquarium can be up to 350 specimens per square meter. The aquarium breeding method requires a businessman to devote a decent amount of time to his pets.

Important! The peculiarity of breeding crayfish in an aquarium is that they do not need to hibernate and gain weight much faster.

The habitat requires the following conditions:

optimal temperature;
clean filtered water supplied with oxygen;
balanced feed;
feeding

The disadvantage is the area is limited by the size of the aquarium. To expand production volumes, habitat areas should be expanded.

Important! Most low rate The permissible temperature for keeping crayfish is -1°C: at this temperature they do not die, but they do not reproduce either.

What to feed crayfish

They are mainly herbivores, but in nature they can include various organic remains and carrion in their diet. At acute shortage food cannibalism is possible. In general, they eat everything they can reach, since they are not hunters.

In nature it is:

various greens;
larvae laid by insects;
small fish and...

Having captured prey with their claws, they pinch off small pieces of it and eat them. It is obvious that arthropods feed on what nature feeds them - feeding crayfish at home is not particularly difficult.

The diet of animals in captivity consists of:

crushed steamed grain;
meat and meat products;
boiled;
fish;
grated;
feed;
special;
larvae, worms, insects, snails.

It is considered normal for one individual to consume food in the amount of 2% of its own weight per day.

Food for crayfish is sold in food stores, feed producing plants, and other specialized places.

Reproduction (mating) of crayfish

Crayfish mate annually, often in the fall. One female produces 110-480 eggs, most of which die without producing offspring. The average number of adult crayfish produced by one female is 30.

The female is smaller in size compared to the male. The latter has clearly defined two pairs of legs near the abdomen, with which it holds the partner during fertilization.
Courtship is not practiced: having caught up with the partner, the male holds her and tries to fertilize her, the female tries to avoid contact so much that the mating process can cost her life.

The eggs are fertilized inside her body if the partner turns out to be stronger, after which she immediately goes into her hole and into daytime, when sexual aggression of males flourishes, he is afraid to leave her.

Did you know? An ordinary male is able to cover two females, and this exhausts him so much that he can, having fertilized, eat the third partner.

The male no longer takes any part in the matter of reproduction - the care of the offspring falls entirely on the mother.

About a month after fertilization, the female lays eggs. The eggs are glued to the pseudopods on the abdomen until the larvae hatch from the eggs. This is a very difficult time for the expectant mother: she is forced to supply the eggs with oxygen, constantly working with her tail, protect them from attacks by predators, and hygiene procedures for cleaning mold, dirt and algae growths. In this case, part of the eggs is lost and dies.
IN best case scenario it retains 60 eggs, from which the larvae will hatch. After a week or two, they begin to separate from their mother, hiding under her tail from the dangers of the outside world, and leave her after one and a half to two months. By then they are about 3 centimeters long and equipped with survival skills.

Under natural conditions, 10-15% of them will survive, but with sufficient nutrition in artificial conditions really save most of the masonry – 85-90%.

Cancer reaches the age of puberty at the 3rd year of life. The size of the female should not be less than 67 millimeters. The male grows larger, otherwise he will not be able to cope with the task of reproduction.

Taking into account the difficulties of arthropod reproduction in the wild, we see the feasibility of their artificial breeding.

Molting crayfish

Molting time is very dangerous for individuals. Not only the outer shell is shed, but also the covering of the gills, eyes, esophagus and teeth, with the help of which the cancer crushes food. The only solid substance that remains with him is gastroliths - mineral formations shaped like a lens. They are found in the animal's stomach and are a storage site for calcium, which the animal uses to grow hard parts of the body.

Did you know? Gastroliths were called “crayfish stones” in the Middle Ages. They were valued as miracle cure, curing all diseases.

The faded cancer is soft and completely defenseless: for this reason, it prefers to sit out dangerous period in a mink, so as not to become a victim of predators and cannibal relatives.

In the first year of their life, since they grow quickly, crayfish change their shell 8 times, in the second year of life this happens 5 times, in subsequent years - once or twice a year. First-year birds often die during their first molt; about 10% survive to market age in the wild.

Until the shell hardens, the crayfish grows intensively in its hole, although it does not eat anything. Once the shell has completely hardened, growth stops until the next change of suit.

The largest males can grow up to 21 centimeters, females - up to 15 centimeters.

Additional equipment for efficient crayfish breeding

To breed crayfish at home, you need some.

Three aquariums equipped with:

filters that need to be changed three times a year;
compressors that enrich water with oxygen;
devices for monitoring oxygen levels and water temperature;
heaters that allow you to organize the desired temperature for individuals and, importantly, for the eggs.

At least two, preferably three pools for adults, babies and mating, equipped with:

water drainage system;
aeration system;
attributes that recreate the natural habitat.

minimum size 25 square meters, at least 2 meters deep.

It is advisable that there is more than one pond - at some point the young will have to be planted in order to preserve it. Oval shape the pit helps ensure that gas exchange occurs correctly.

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