Crayfish breeding involves the creation of artificial habitat conditions for arthropods similar to their natural environment. You can grow arthropods both outdoors and indoors, with the necessary equipment and compliance with the rules of care.

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What are the best crayfish to breed?

The types of crayfish popular in artificial breeding are presented in the table:

	Dimensions	Peculiarities
blue cuban crayfish	Small, 6 to 12 centimeters long	It becomes sexually mature and reaches adult size in just six months. It is unpretentious in food, loves water with a temperature of up to 25 ° C. The female lays up to 200 eggs once a year.
Australian red claw crayfish	Large, up to 30 centimeters in length and 400 g in weight.	Sensitive to conditions of detention: dies at temperatures below 15 °C and above 30 °C. In addition, it requires at least 20 liters of water per individual. Extremely prolific: having reached the age of ten months, females bring offspring up to a thousand eggs several times a year.
marble crayfish	Medium size, 10-15 cm long.	Reaches puberty at five months of age. Hermaphrodite, produces offspring alone, bearing up to hundreds of eggs several times a year. In Europe and the United States, it is banned for sale, as it poses a threat to local types of crayfish.
Broad-toed European crayfish	Large, up to 30 centimeters in length and 800 grams.	Low fertility. Sexual maturity is reached at three years. The female bears about a hundred eggs. The natural population in Europe is nearly wiped out by a crayfish plague. A vulnerable species, trapping is prohibited in many regions of the country.
Long-toed European crayfish	Large, size up to 30 centimeters and weight up to 700 grams (Armenian subspecies).	Widely distributed, there are many subspecies. Relatively unpretentious, but not prolific: it becomes sexually mature at two to three years. The female bears up to two hundred eggs.

Where to buy crayfish for breeding?

It is rather difficult to buy larvae of thoroughbred crayfish in Russia. Most likely, the farmer will have to grow the young on his own.

Ways of acquiring crayfish:

1. At the supermarket. There is a high probability of getting weakened from transportation (with overdried gills, overheated) or specimens rejected by breeders.
2. Purchase fertilized females from a manufacturer specializing in a particular breed. It is more expensive, but you can count on high-class livestock. In addition, experts will certainly share the intricacies of arthropod breeding in a particular region and help to avoid mistakes.

Where to breed?

Arthropods are grown:

• in natural reservoirs;
• in artificial reservoirs;
• in pools;
• in aquariums.

In the pond

The pond is a natural habitat for crayfish. However, it should be remembered that the Russian climate imposes restrictions on the breeding of arthropods in the open.

Pond requirements:

• depth from two meters;
• location on its own territory to avoid poaching;
• rocky bottom with sand to create shelters and burrows;
• sandy or clayey shores shaded by vegetation;
• area - at the rate of five to seven copies per square meter.

Crayfish coexist well with peaceful fish, but there should be no predators in the pond that feed on arthropods and their caviar.

Pros of breeding crayfish in a pond:

• small costs for the maintenance or creation of a reservoir;
• water purification most often occurs naturally;
• reduced feeding costs: crayfish feed on plankton, algae and insect larvae.

Cons of breeding crayfish in a pond:

1. Slow growth and reproduction of the population: when the temperature drops, crayfish hibernate. Accordingly, in regions with cold winters, breeding arthropods in a pond is not practical.
2. Low population density per unit area.
3. Long business payback.

In the garage

To breed crayfish in the garage, it is necessary to take into account a number of requirements for such a room:

Arthropods can be kept:

• in aquariums installed on multi-tiered racks;
• in large pools - at least two (in the first there will be adults, in the second - young animals).

Crayfish of different species cannot be kept in the same pond, pool or aquarium.

Equipment needed for breeding crayfish in the garage:

• filters (need to be changed three times a year);
• compressors enriching water with oxygen;
• heaters;
• devices for monitoring the level of oxygen and water temperature.

Photo gallery

Filter Compressor Heater Thermometer

in the greenhouse

In cold countries, when breeding crayfish, warming of ponds is practiced. To do this, structures are erected over the reservoir - most often from polycarbonate, which transmits light well and retains heat. In such ponds, the duration of hibernation of arthropods is significantly reduced, respectively, crayfish grow faster and multiply more actively.

The cost of re-equipping the reservoir will depend on the type and size of the greenhouse, but it can pay off in a year.

In aquarium

Growing crayfish for yourself is easiest to do in an ordinary apartment. A stable microclimate will allow arthropods to do without hibernation at all, constantly gaining weight.

For continuous breeding, it is desirable to have three aquariums:

• for adults;
• for mating;
• for the young.

In an aquarium, it is very easy to regulate all water parameters. In addition, with this method, significantly fewer larvae die from enemies and adverse factors. The population density in some cases reaches 350 copies per square meter. The disadvantage of this method is only the area limitation imposed by the dimensions of the container.

Breeding crayfish in an aquarium from Oleksandr Yashchykov.

Crayfish, in comparison with many animals that are massively bred for sale, are relatively unpretentious.

• specifics of feeding;
• nuances of breeding and reproduction;
• probable diseases and methods of their prevention;
• molting features.

What to feed crayfish?

Cancers are omnivores, including carrion and cannibalism.

Food in vivo:

• earthworms;
• snails
• plants;
• insect larvae;
• fry.

It is not difficult to choose the appropriate composition and amount of food for crayfish at home, given a number of nuances:

• the amount of food per day for one individual is about two percent of body weight;
• young growth eats the same food - but it is better to crush it more carefully.

The diet of animals in captivity consists of:

• steamed compound feed;
• meat and meat products;
• boiled potatoes;
• fish;
• grated carrots;
• insects.

For more information about feeding crayfish, see the video. Photographed by Dmitry Semenov.

How to breed?

There are certain requirements for the water in which crayfish live.

• optimal temperature for a particular breed;
• sufficient oxygen saturation.

Features of breeding crayfish:

1. High water hardness is needed for the strength of the shell - for this, limestone or marble is placed in the ground.
2. It is desirable to provide an opportunity for crayfish to get out on land. To do this, it is enough to place a snag or stone in the aquarium that will protrude above the surface.
3. Every two weeks, the water in the aquarium or pool needs to be updated, but no more than a third. The restriction exists so that the existing microclimate is not disturbed.

Reproduction of crayfish

Features of reproduction of crayfish:

1. Crayfish of breeds popular in industry mate several times a year. Females are smaller than males, the latter have more developed two pairs of legs near the abdomen, with which he holds the partner during fertilization. After mating, she immediately hides in her hole and tries not to leave it.
2. The male is able to cover two partners, and this exhausts him so much that he can, after fertilizing, eat the third. Therefore, the ratio of females to males in a healthy population should be 2:1.
3. A month after mating, the female lays eggs, which are glued to the prolegs on the abdomen. The cancer mother supplies future offspring with oxygen and, by continuously working with her tail, protects from predators and pollution.
4. After a few weeks, the crustaceans hatch from the eggs. At first, they live under the belly of the female, gradually leaving for food at an increasing distance.
5. Having reached a size of about three centimeters, the crustaceans leave their mother and become independent. In nature, no more than fifteen percent survive from the offspring, but under artificial conditions it is quite possible to save up to 90 percent.

Reproduction of crayfish Crayfish mating

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Classmates

Breeding crayfish at home is a fairly profitable business. However, this activity requires thorough preparation.

How to breed crayfish? It is not so difficult. First you need to create artificial reservoirs for keeping crayfish.

It is not so simple: you need to understand that it is impossible to breed young animals in the open air.

After all, even the largest breeds reach ten centimeters in length in two whole years!

And in order for an individual to reach the required size, at least 3-4 years must pass.

Having arranged an artificial reservoir in the open air, in the spring you will find dead crayfish in it: it is simply unrealistic to protect this place from freezing in winter.

Those who claim that you can start breeding crayfish in the spring and put them on sale in the fall are amateurs and dreamers: crayfish do not grow at lightning speed.

Therefore, for breeding crayfish at home, of course, you need a room of a sufficiently large area. If you are serious, such a room can even be built. The main condition for this is that the temperature is not lower than 1 degree Celsius. The ideal option would be if the thermometer does not fall below 15 degrees: under such conditions, the crayfish will not hibernate and grow faster.

next step there will be the purchase of two or three containers for keeping crayfish. If there are none available, you can make them yourself.

Need to remember that the reservoir should be made of a material that is harmless to crayfish, so plastic or plexiglass is suitable for these purposes, but a metal container must be categorically abandoned. You should not fix the containers “tightly”: breakdowns, blockages are possible, or you just want to change the “house” for crayfish to a more voluminous one. Therefore, starting to engage in a new business for yourself, it is better to refrain from the stationary installation of reservoirs for the first couple of years.

You will need several containers at all in order to grow many crayfish at once, as it might seem at first.

The fact is that, despite the absence of enemies (frogs, fish, snakes) in an artificially created environment, crayfish have a bad feature of eating their own kind.

Yes, a larger one eats the young. And in the tightness in which they will be, this cannot be avoided. That is why several containers are needed: adult crayfish are separated from young ones. Mature individuals adapt well to new habitat conditions, unlike young animals, therefore small crustaceans must be left in their usual habitat.

Transplantation of crayfish does not take much time: together with an assistant, about a thousand individuals can be transplanted in just an hour. By the way, when offspring appear, you can’t change the water in the container for some time: microscopic young growth can simply be washed off into the drain hole.

Remember: growing crayfish at home requires not so much investment as hard work and patience. Provide the most comfortable temperature for the rapid growth of crayfish.

Equip the pond, bringing the conditions in it closer to natural for them: sprinkle the bottom with clean river sand and put some stones. Watch your diet. Crayfish eat everything: fish, larvae, worms, frogs, plants, porridge, etc. However, know that it is better to underfeed crayfish than to overfeed.

What costs will you have to make to organize this kind of business? Buy crabs first. Yes, just buy, not catch in the river. Ordinary crayfish are not suitable for breeding: they grow very slowly and, accordingly, their breeding will simply be unprofitable.

Better buy the most a large breed - blue crayfish: they grow quickly. Funds will also be needed to purchase water filters (so as not to change the water often) and hand-held devices for catching and transplanting crayfish.

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Crayfish breeding is a promising new business for Russia. Crayfish meat has a delicate taste. Growing crayfish in Russia on an industrial scale is underdeveloped, but the demand for crayfish meat is consistently high. Rural residents are engaged in fishing for crayfish in their natural habitat, but such activities greatly harm the population of crayfish in nature. Growing crayfish in artificial conditions was widely practiced in pre-revolutionary Russia, and crayfish meat was imported to many European countries. The current main suppliers of crayfish are China, Turkey and Spain. In this article we will consider the organization of industrial breeding of crayfish.

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Crayfish Breeding Business

Key consumers of crayfish meat are cafes, restaurants, premium stores and specialized fish markets. Crayfish are very popular in baths, saunas and bars, where they go as a snack with beer. Below are the advantages and disadvantages of a business:

Advantages	disadvantages
High profitability from the sale of crayfish meat	Long payback period and break-even point ~3-4 years. Difficulty in selling products
Ability to take control of your business	Pronounced seasonality (May-October)
Minimal Costs for Home Breeding as a Micro Business	Large financial investments for the organization of industrial breeding of crayfish (organization of aquariums, water filtration and heating systems, etc.)

The main difficulty in commercial breeding of crayfish is the creation of a marketing network of buyers. Since the main buyers of products will be companies (B2B), it is necessary to conclude supply contracts, provide certificates for product quality, and register your business with the tax office.

Registration of a crayfish breeding business

To register this type of activity, a business form is suitable: individual entrepreneur (individual entrepreneur) or LLC (limited liability company). When registering, you must specify the code of activity according to OKVED. This is an important procedure because not listing all activities can lead to litigation. OKVED codes are as follows: 01.21 - “Pet breeding” (if sales are made to wholesale suppliers, then other codes should not be indicated). For independent sale of finished products, it is necessary to add the code: 52.23 - "Retail trade in fish, crustaceans and molluscs."

Form of business organization	Benefits of using	Documents for registration
IP ( individual entrepreneur)	Opportunity to work with organizations and supply products (B2B). Obtaining product quality certification. Hiring	List of required documents for opening a sole proprietorship: receipt of payment of the state duty (800 rubles); certified application by a notary in the form No. P21001; application for the transition to preferential taxation regimes: simplified tax system or unified agricultural tax (otherwise it will be OSNO by default); copy of all pages of the passport.
OOO ( limited liability company)	Opportunity to attract additional partners and investors to the business. Obtain borrowed funds (loans). Suitable for scaling up, construction of new crayfish tanks, capital construction	List of required documents for opening an LLC: application in the form No. Р11001; charter of LLC; a decision to open an LLC or a protocol if there are several founders (partners); receipt of payment of the state duty (4000 rubles); copies of the founders' passports certified by a notary; application for the transition to preferential tax regimes: USN or ESHN (default OSNO). According to the law, the authorized capital of an LLC cannot be less than 10,000 rubles!

If you are doing business for the first time, then the IP form will do. For this type of business the optimal system of taxation will be the single agricultural tax (ESHN). Interest rate 6%.

The unified agricultural tax is abolished if the share of agricultural production is less than 70% and the OSNO (general taxation system) is applied to the producer.

The second option is setting up a simplified taxation system (STS), while it is necessary to select the tax rate calculation mode:

• by gross income (tax rate 6%);
• on income minus expenses (tax rate 15%).

Important to remember! If a loss was received under the simplified tax system (on income minus expenses), then it is still necessary to pay the minimum established contribution in the amount of 1% of the income received. After registration, bookkeeping can be remotely transferred to an accounting outsourcing company, which will significantly reduce time costs.

The video below explains in detail the features of calculating the UST for entrepreneurs.

When registering a business, it is recommended that the entrepreneur be the owner of the land. Renting a plot will result in the need for additional permits. Also, ponds should not be connected to natural water bodies that are federal property under the Water Code of the Russian Federation. The depth of the pond, according to the law of the Russian Federation "On Subsoil", should not exceed 5 m.

Method #1. Breeding crayfish in ponds

The first way to breed crayfish is in ponds. Any body of water is suitable for cultivation, except for swampy or silty. You can grow crayfish in fish ponds that do not have predatory fish. With the open method of breeding, the winter cold, characteristic of Russia, is strongly affected. At temperatures below 17 ° C, crayfish hibernate (anabiosis), stop eating and gain weight, they can even die if the pond freezes to the bottom.

The pond is a sustainable aquatic system that renews itself and cleans itself. You can save a lot on filter system equipment and aerators. Crayfish feed on algae, plankton, insect larvae in the pond, so much less food is required. The growth of crayfish in natural conditions is slow, the commercial mass is recruited only by the 5th year of life. Profit is possible not earlier than the sixth year of business. The stocking density of crayfish in natural ponds is low - 8 animals per m². The advantage of this breeding is the minimum initial investment.

For breeding crayfish in ponds, the middle zone of Russia with a temperate climate is best suited

Method #2. Breeding crayfish in aquariums

The second way to grow crayfish in aquariums at home. A frameless aquarium > 250 l is suitable for this. Soil is poured at the bottom of the aquarium, stones and snags are placed to hide the crayfish. Crayfish in an aquarium do not hibernate, but this requires an optimal constant temperature (for crayfish 17-21 ° C, for larvae 18-23 ° C), water filtration and intensive aeration (water saturation with oxygen). The planting density of crayfish can be up to 50 animals per 1 m², and they quickly gain weight, as well as a reduction in the time of embryonic development by 3-4 months.

The disadvantage of breeding crayfish in an aquarium is a limited area. Industrial volumes cannot be achieved. You can grow crayfish larvae in an aquarium to the so-called "yearlings", then place them in a pond or a RAS pool (circulating water station). Strict control of water quality is needed to increase the survival rate of larvae.

Method #3. Growing crayfish in the basement

The third breeding method is a modification of the second, except that it is not a residential area. The temperature in the basement is maintained at an optimal level of 17-20ºС, so the basement does not need to be additionally insulated. A 200 watt bulb is enough for lighting. In the basement, multi-tiered shelving structures are installed on which aquariums are placed.

Video lesson: “Business idea. Breeding crayfish at home »

The video presents ways to breed crayfish, evaluate this business niche, payback period and profitability.

Setting up a crayfish farm

Where to buy crayfish?

It is difficult to find crayfish larvae, so adult animals are bought, and young animals are grown on their own. For every two females, one male is bought. In autumn, the mating season begins for crayfish; at the end of spring, females are easily distinguished from males by the presence of eggs under the tail. The price of a kilogram of crayfish, depending on the size, is 300-500 rubles. In order to reduce the cost of the purchase, you can catch them yourself in the pond.

Crayfish nutrition

Crayfish are mainly herbivorous animals, although in natural conditions they can eat carrion and organic remains. They also feed on small snails, earthworms, insect larvae. With artificial breeding, the diet of crayfish is usually made up of steamed chopped grain, boiled potatoes and grated carrots, and meat and fish as a source of protein. The daily norm of food is 2% of the weight of crayfish.

How they breed

The mating season of crayfish is September-October. Males fertilize two females in a row, they eat the third. Therefore, the ratio of males and females in the reservoir should be 1:2. First, the female's eggs are under the shell, then she lays them, the eggs are attached to the shell under the tail and abdominal legs. For the proper development of the embryos, the female washes the eggs with water to clean them. The larvae hatch from the eggs after 2 months. For another 3 weeks they hide under the tail of the female from possible dangers, until they turn into independent crustaceans. Each female grows under natural conditions an average of 12 young crustaceans. One female does not have more than 20 offspring per year, but at home, 1 female can grow up to 60 crustaceans per year.

Moult

Young crustaceans molt 8 times in the first year of life, 4-5 times in the second, and 3-4 times in the third. Adult crayfish molt 1-2 times a year. When molting, the old shell is shed, which becomes cramped for the cancer, while the animal grows. The molting period is very responsible, the crayfish becomes vulnerable and is an easy prey for predatory fish and birds, for its relatives.

To obtain a substantial income of crayfish, it is better to breed on an industrial scale. This will require the following equipment:

• Aquariums. Aquariums are equipped with a filtration system, compressors, heaters for caviar incubation. In order for the departure of larvae to be minimal, and they develop quickly enough, the quality of the water is constantly monitored.
• Pools. For incubation, young crayfish that have become independent are transplanted from the aquarium into one pool, and other (or another) pools are intended for adolescents. Young crayfish, as they grow older, are sorted into different pools, where they grow to the stage of underyearlings. Then they are released into special indoor ponds.
• Ponds. There should be at least 2 ponds, more is better. The minimum pond area is 25 m², depth is 2 m. Elongated ponds are preferable for better gas exchange. If it is possible to dig a lot of ponds on the farm, then it is better to make at least 2-3 of them covered. Water, if possible, should be running, so it is good if there is a river nearby. If there is no river, water wells can be drilled. We need shelters at the bottom of the ponds: fragments of plastic or ceramic pipes, stones, driftwood, etc. Underyearling crayfish are intensively reared in covered ponds. One of the ponds is used as a "mother liquor" - for the residence of the broodstock. In open ponds, crayfish grow naturally. Separation allows you to expand the range of crayfish: they are obtained in different sizes and weights.

Sale of crayfish

The key problem of the business is the sale of crayfish. The main consumers are fish markets, cafes, restaurants, baths, saunas, sports bars. The success of the business is in creating a wide distribution network. In addition to crayfish meat, salted caviar is on sale, which in some places is not inferior to red caviar in taste. Chitin shell has antiseptic properties and is used as a valuable raw material for cosmetic and medical companies.

Financial plan

Consider a rough business plan for a crayfish farm. If there is a pond of natural origin with an area of ​​25 m², it is optimal to place 200 underyearling crayfish with a total weight of 30 kg in it. The daily feed consumption for such a number of crayfish is 600 gr. The weight of each crayfish will double in a year and a half, with a maximum of 4,000 rubles spent on food. The cost of a kilogram of crayfish on the market is 450-500 rubles, in a year and a half we will get 26,000 rubles. net profit without large financial investments. If industrial production of crayfish is carried out, then the payback will be 3-4 years. The only drawback of the crayfish breeding business is the long-term income.

Evaluation of the attractiveness of a business by a magazine website

Business Profitability	(2.5 out of 5)	Business Attractiveness 2.7
Project payback	(3.0 out of 5)
Ease of starting a business	(2.8 out of 5)
Growing crayfish as a business is a profitable business. To organize a micro-business in a country house (in a pond) or at home (in aquariums), the costs will be minimal. The first profit will appear in ~1.5 years. For industrial breeding of crayfish, significant costs are required for the organization of aquariums, heating systems, oxygenation of water, electricity and food.

The figures in the table are conditional and reflect data for one indoor pool (8x4 sq. m) and one open pit.

Crayfish breeding as a business: pros and cons

Breeding crayfish is a promising occupation for home production. Such products are in demand, but, unfortunately, not on an industrial scale. Abroad, crayfish entrepreneurs earn millions, although competition there is quite high.

Of the existing methods of breeding crayfish, it is best to choose an indoor artificial reservoir. It is less expensive than indoors and more controllable than a natural pond. Therefore, starting a business from scratch, give preference to this particular method, provided that you have your own piece of land.

The business development process involves three stages:

1. Arrangement of a reservoir.
2. Mastering the intensive method of breeding crayfish:

• selection of a fast-growing species;
• providing the necessary diet;
• compliance with the technical condition of the aquatic environment.

3. Development of a product implementation plan, which includes:

• mastering the correct transportation of live goods;
• catch of crayfish;
• conclusion of agreements with various retail outlets on deliveries.

The advantages of such a business include:

1. Significant investment is required only at the initial stage. The amount depends on the expected scale of the activity. It can start from 20,000 rubles, or from one and a half million.
2. Production has prospects for development and expansion. With accumulated experience in breeding crayfish, there will be chances to scale up the business and make more profit.
3. Cancer breeding does not require large human resources. The hardest part is the beginning. A lot of effort will be needed to lay the "foundation" for organizing, studying and registering an enterprise. When the business is already established, work on the farm will not cause big problems.
4. The specifics of the business is such that there are no competitors. In comparison with European countries, the niche in the production of crayfish in our country is not occupied. So, there will be no problems with the sale of products.

Cons are present only when breeding in a natural habitat, these include:

• payback period, tk. it is delayed for 3-4 years;
• growth retardation of underyearlings due to hibernation;
• seasonality of product sales.

How to start breeding crayfish?

If you decide to breed crayfish for profit, then keep in mind that this applies to farming. Start by writing a business plan and start looking at issues such as payback period, risk, costs, expected profit. This will give a clear picture of the implementation of the plan. In business, no one will give a 100% guarantee of success - it depends on many reasons.

Crayfish: choice and purchase

Of the prolific and undemanding, long-clawed crayfish are suitable for keeping conditions. Unlike broad-toed, they gain weight faster. The growth of individuals is influenced by the temperature regime of the reservoir. The further south the range, the more prolific they are. On average, a female can lay from 60 to 230 eggs in one fertilization.

It is undesirable to buy them from Kazakh or Altai producers, because the difference in climate and the distance of transportation make the products unsuitable for profitable breeding in other latitudes. It is better to catch crayfish in nearby water bodies using a baited trap cage.

The number of individuals is calculated by the area of ​​the reservoir. In order for reproduction to be intensive, it is necessary to adhere to the optimal planting density of sexually mature individuals. It is 6 pieces per 1 sq. m., of which two males are required.

It is important to observe the parameters of the aquatic environment, which, in terms of chemical composition, meet all the requirements for the favorable development of the life of females and fry. Otherwise, the density should be halved.

Breeding methods

Crayfish can be bred in three ways: in open natural or closed artificial reservoirs, as well as in specialized closed nurseries.

It is necessary to pay attention to the following points of each of the methods:

1. Natural breeding conditions are equipped farms for growing crayfish in a natural environment. The peculiarity of this method is that individuals are dependent on hibernation. Profitability in such conditions is much lower. In a state of suspended animation, crayfish do not grow, which affects the profitability of the enterprise.
2. Closed rooms with artificial containers (aquariums, baths, pools) - exclude hibernation of individuals. This method of breeding requires significant financial investments in the purchase of equipment, as well as maintaining the climatic conditions for the life of crayfish. In aquariums, they grow all year round, after 1.5-2.5 years (depending on the species) they reach commercial standard sizes.
3. Artificial, covered by the type of greenhouses, reservoirs. This is the most optimal form of keeping crustaceans in terms of payback. The period of growth from eggs to salable specimens takes 1.5 years. At the initial stage, the farm requires investment in the construction of pools and equipment to maintain optimal conditions of the aquatic habitat.

Creation and development of the farm

Breeding crayfish on the territory of your site, take care of the water supply or create a natural cycle of water purification. Dig several holes with a depth of 2 to 5 m, an area of ​​​​30-60 square meters. m.

Running water is not a prerequisite, but a drainage system will be needed. Change the water after 2-3 weeks, but not all - about 30% of the total volume is enough. So the natural habitat will not be disturbed, and the water will be purified.

Lay stones at the bottom, you can even chipped bricks with hollow holes (burrows), pour a 10 cm layer of coarse sand. Make clay banks, plant vegetation.

To bring an artificial reservoir closer to the natural habitat of crayfish, build streams with thickets of hornwort, jara, elodea, etc. Driftwood and stumps can be a favorite refuge for arthropods, but they pollute the water. In such conditions, it is good to breed the broad-toed (Astacus astacus) species and the long-toed (Pontostacus lepto-dactylus) species.

To breed crayfish in aquariums, you will need a room with heating and lighting. It can be natural or completely artificial - it does not matter. This method will require large financial investments, but the profit grows many times. In open water crayfish molt once a year, and in aquariums from 3 to 5. This indicates that they grow three times faster.

In order to bring the living conditions in closed reservoirs closer to optimal, you will need:

• cleaning filters (no need to change water);
• aerator (air compressor), the temperature in the aquarium should not fall below 17 ° C, otherwise the pets will go into hibernation;
• oxidizer for water enrichment with oxygen.

Please note that in order to breed crayfish in a factory (indoors), it is best to visit someone's farm, where you can see everything with your own eyes and get answers to your questions. The advice of practitioners will be more useful than the mountains of theoretical literature - you will avoid many mistakes.

Purchase of feed

Feed requirements depend on where the crayfish are grown. In open reservoirs where there is vegetation, they find food on their own. You can feed them during the appearance of small crayfish. Care should be taken to determine if they need to be fed or not. In winter, crayfish are not eaten.

In the factory, feed must either be purchased or prepared by yourself. They eat cereals from various cereals, boiled grains, carrots, potatoes, herbs, soybeans, etc. The diet must include fish waste, for example, capelin heads.

To achieve maximum growth, it is better to purchase products that are used by fish farms or special food for crustaceans.

Now this is not a problem - many manufacturers produce ready-made nutritionally balanced feed. If you calculate the need for them for a year, you will see that this is a very small amount.

Note that care must be taken to ensure that food does not remain in excess in the water. As it decomposes, it releases toxins from which it can die. a large number of individuals.

To avoid an overabundance of feed, feed it in special feeders. The amount of necessary food is taken from the calculation of the weight of pets - this is 0.2%. Feeding is carried out every two days in the evening or morning, as during the day the crayfish hide in burrows. For different ages of crayfish, a diet with additives is selected that accelerates their growth.

Sale of products

Selling products shouldn't be a problem since you don't have a factory with tons of stuff. After registering the IP, the ways for sale to shops, bars, restaurants, markets are open. It is possible that customers themselves will come to the farm for a batch of crayfish. You only need to catch the right amount and get a veterinary certificate.

The financial component of the business

In business, financial profitability is taken into account in the first place. When you have to start a business from scratch, there is a big risk that the representation on paper of all stages of development will diverge from the realities of life. To reduce the risks, you need to start with the purchase of small batches of females, feed, equipment, etc. Gradually, gaining experience, expand production. Consider what awaits you on the way to the implementation of your plans.

Cost of opening and maintaining

It is impossible to talk about exact figures, since the amount of costs depends on many components of the business: the method of breeding and the scale of production.

If you decide to engage in crayfish breeding on a serious scale, then you first need to register your activity with the tax office as an individual business. This, in turn, will make it possible to legally purchase the necessary equipment from the manufacturer at the best prices, and in the future to have documentation that allows you to sell the goods.

To sell a batch of goods to shops, bars, restaurants, you will need a product certificate, which you will not receive without registration.

As an entrepreneur, you will have to pay tax as an agricultural producer. It will be most advantageous to issue an ESHN (Single Agricultural Tax). The cost of expenses must be calculated independently, having collected the necessary information on the prices of purchased equipment, feed, and design.

With a closed breeding method, despite the large investment, you can make a profit after 2 years. Depending on the type of crayfish, special feeding for accelerated growth, compliance with the technological process of purification and oxygenation of water, the profitability is 300%. That is, for every ruble spent, you get 3.

Initial investment includes:

1. Polypropylene sheets for wall cladding of 1 pool - from 20 to 25 thousand rubles.
2. Aerator for enriching water with oxygen - 5.5 thousand rubles.
3. Oxidator for supplying oxygen to under-ice water - 12.5 thousand rubles
4. Filter for cleaning - from 20 to 26 thousand rubles.
5. Oximeter for measuring oxygen content - 12 thousand rubles.
6. Salt meter - 1.5 thousand rubles.
7. Conductometer for pollution control - 1.5 thousand rubles.

Total: the total cost is 73,000 rubles. Add to this other expenses, feed, electricity, which is about 12 thousand rubles. The final figure is 85,000 rubles.

Size of future income

The profitable part of the production will depend on the experience and knowledge of breeding profitable crustacean breeds. Under favorable conditions for business development, the profit from the sale of products will allow:

• for the first year - to return the invested funds, expand production, lay promising projects for the next season;
• for the second year - profit increases by 3 times;
• for the third - profit increases by 5 or 6 times, and then exponentially.

Please note that before you open your business, you must think through everything to the smallest detail.

An important factor is the type of bred crayfish. For example, a long-toed (leptodactylus) can gain up to 200/300 g of weight in a year, and a tropical gloom - 150 g.

Payback period

Starting from 500-700 females in a year, you can get about a ton of products, subtracting losses, unforeseen illnesses and circumstances, in 2 years you can recoup the investment and make a profit.

The type of cancer and proper care play a big role, then incomes will be maximum. Estimate the prices yourself (because they are constantly changing). With a competent approach to business, you will become a millionaire for 2-4 years of the existence of the farm.

All figures given in the article should be considered as conditional. They are provided as an example and may differ from yours. Calculate according to data that is acceptable for your region and the chosen way of doing business.

Breeding and growing crayfish as a business at home in our country is only gaining momentum, and due to the unsatisfactory environmental situation and water pollution in our rivers, the number of crayfish is constantly decreasing, only properly organized crayfish farms can correct the situation.

In addition, our beer lovers are less and less fond of the usual fish as a snack, and more and more of crayfish!

Almost all over the world, on all continents, they breed crayfish. This business is so popular because there is no need for large investments even at the very beginning of this business, while the costs are reduced in the future, and sales grow from year to year.

Crayfish breeding as a business is not only a global production: at first it can be organized on a small scale, for example, even in ordinary home conditions. It will certainly bring income after a certain time, if you adhere to all the long-established standards for breeding crayfish. This is one of the best business ideas, low cost but requires some knowledge and diligence.

Organization of a crayfish breeding business at home

What reservoirs are suitable for breeding

You can breed crayfish in ordinary reservoirs that were dug specifically for this purpose or were used for breeding fish. Running water is optional. It is much more important that crayfish have the opportunity to build burrows in which they will spend most of their time. The bottom should be lined with small stones, gravel or clay.

Difficulties of breeding in aquariums

Some start breeding crayfish at home in large aquariums. However, if you are going to breed them for business, then aquariums will not be enough, they are only suitable for mastering and learning the processes of growing and breeding. There are other difficulties in growing these crustaceans in aquariums.

Firstly, the number of crustaceans bred in aquariums will be small, and secondly, many problems are associated with maintaining biological balance in such a small volume. The water must be constantly purified and the young must be isolated from the older ones to prevent cannibalism. Sometimes crayfish are kept in the same aquarium with fish, but you need to know that only some breeds can get along with crayfish without harming them and not being eaten themselves.

Video "How to breed crayfish at home"

Video breeding crayfish at home

Breeding in pools

If you still decide to add fish to crayfish, then you need to choose from those breeds that prefer to be closer to the surface, bottom fish, for example, some breeds of catfish so beloved by aquarists can be eaten by them. In turn, it is not necessary to keep expensive breeds and squids with them.

Indoor pools can be an ideal option, in which you can organize all the necessary conditions for year-round keeping of crayfish. In such reservoirs, they will be constantly active, eat well and grow quickly. From 3-4 similar pools, you can get about half a ton of crayfish for sale.

Don't expect big profits in the first year. First you need to grow a broodstock, and then expect them to receive crustaceans and subsequent profits.

The purchase of already adult females can significantly accelerate profits. But they are quite expensive, but if you have the appropriate finances for growing crayfish, you can try.

Pond breeding

If you are going to start breeding crayfish in ponds, then you should understand that this is a rather lengthy process, because due to the low temperature, the crayfish will be inactive, eat poorly and, accordingly, grow slowly.

If you have a suburban area, then you can dig a suitable pond. But it is worth thinking in advance that in addition to free space, bulk material, special equipment is also needed.

The depth of the reservoir should be at least one and a half meters, the minimum area is 30 m2, these are the minimum dimensions, but they are enough for a small livestock. This is a small reservoir and in order to save money, it can be dug out manually in a few weeks, but if you have a friend with a personal excavator, then it is better to entrust this work to him.

Digging a reservoir for breeding crayfish is not necessary in the form of a pool. The shape of the pit, in which there will be a spherical bottom, is more suitable for our case. For effective business, you will need not one, but two, even better, three or four such reservoirs.

As mentioned above, the bottom should be lined with stones or large pebbles, which must be sprinkled with river sand.

Sometimes a reservoir can overflow with water, so you need to worry about arranging a drain in advance. It's easy, just install the pipe, at the end of which there must be a net. If there is no grid, then your wards will have the opportunity to leave the reservoir and, of course, die.

Various garden vegetation sits along the edge of the reservoir, which plays not only the role of decor, but will also strengthen the banks, preventing them from collapsing.

For the winter, reservoirs are insulated, otherwise the water will freeze, and its inhabitants will die.

Conditions of detention

After your reservoir is ready, you just have to fill it with water and launch crayfish into it. The quality and purity of water is of great importance. If the reservoir is not flowing, then the water in it should change as it gets dirty - this is about once every 2 weeks. If the reservoir is equipped correctly and a drainage system is provided for, then this is not difficult. The pipe is opened, the old water is drained and new water is poured.

It is not necessary to drain all the water; a 1/3 update is enough. This will be enough to enrich the water with oxygen, while not disturbing your pets or disturbing the biological balance.

In our latitudes, crayfish can be bred (depending on the onset of cold weather) for about 7-8 months a year. However, this time should be enough. One female can usually give a couple of hundred crustaceans, but a few dozen usually live to large sizes.

Often, breeding crayfish at home is hampered by such an unpleasant phenomenon as crayfish cannibalism. Adult individuals perceive small crayfish as food and eat them with great pleasure. In particular, females are prone to this, which for a long time, carrying eggs, are in one place, as a result of which they often starve.

To prevent this phenomenon, females at this time need to be transplanted to another place i.e. a special incubator and as soon as the crustaceans hatch, they are removed from it, thereby increasing the number of surviving young.

The diet of small crustaceans is the same as adult crayfish:

• meat;
• dead fish;
• bread;
• vegetables.

There is a special food for small crustaceans on sale - this, of course, is an ideal option and growing crayfish will be more successful.

The composition of such feeds was developed by specialists and tested in practice, it includes:

• raw fats;
• cellulose
• digestible proteins;
• crude proteins;
• minced fish and flour;

Where to buy crayfish for breeding and what

Specifically, for breeding, mainly female crayfish will be needed, but males are also needed. Some crayfish breeders buy legged females that already have caviar. On average, to grow one ton of crayfish, you need to buy about four hundred females. Naturally, if you are just starting to breed, then there is a lot of this amount, for the first time fifty is enough.

You can also catch crayfish on your own in their natural habitats. Ponds of small size with well-established water exchange and aeration are the best place for further breeding of embryos in females.

You can buy crayfish for subsequent breeding at special enterprises that breed breeding stock for sale.

You can also do it even easier, namely, place an order for raklov, which you can meet at any grocery market that sells their production.

Breeding crayfish as a business - provides for savings at all stages.

Breeds of crayfish and features of their cultivation

Australian

In order to breed the Red Claw Australian, special conditions are required. This is the most "meaty" breed. Breeding is possible only in closed water bodies, and additional heating is required. Very often they are bred at home in aquariums, while their volume should not be less than 100 liters. This is enough for the normal maintenance of 3-4 individuals.

They have a need for periodic rises to the surface and this must be taken into account when arranging a reservoir. Burrows, various shelters and various snags should be provided in advance. They need these shelters for eating, resting and for the period of molting, which can occur anywhere, but then the cancer needs to hide somewhere.

They are unpretentious in food: they eat dead fish, aquatic vegetation, combined feed, bread.

You can plant fish with them, but not all breeds are suitable. It is better to buy fast-growing inexpensive species for these purposes, because there is a huge likelihood of overeating and the frequent death of fastidious fish. Ordinary guppeshki may be the best solution.

blue cuban

This type of crayfish is exceptionally unpretentious. Sizes are average. The water temperature is not more than 26C, the hardness is high. They feed on everything they can find at the bottom. Attacks on fish that swim close to them are not uncommon. If they are properly fed and properly cared for, then after six months the young reach the size of adults. In a reservoir in which Cubans are kept, the soil should be sandy, the vegetation should be coarse. Filtration and aeration of water is required. Crayfish of this breed, like all crustaceans, love to hide in various grottoes, burrows and shelters.

Marble

Marble, like the Australian, needs special breeding conditions: water temperature 20-28C, filtration and aeration. Abundant feeding. But the big advantage is that in a 100 l. can contain about twenty individuals. Reproduction is parthenogenesis. If anyone still does not know what it is, then in short this is a same-sex method, when cancer is both a female and a male. The larvae hatch on the abdomen for about a month. The young growth grows up to 15 cm. After the birth, the fry must be planted, otherwise the adults will definitely feast on them.

Business setup costs

Equipment and containers for breeding crayfish

For breeding crayfish in open-type reservoirs, insulation is still needed, since freezing of its lower layers is unacceptable.

It is more profitable to breed crayfish in pools or aquariums, but at the same time, at first, investments will be required to purchase specialized equipment:

But do not be afraid these are the costs of the first initial stage. Already next year they will be significantly lower and you may already be able to start making the first profit. As a result, the crayfish breeding business is profitable, and the payback period is 2 years.

More about equipment

If you decide to organize your own small crayfish farm, then additional equipment should be purchased to increase profitability. As you know, crayfish are creatures quite dependent on the conditions in which they are kept, as a result of which a logical conclusion suggests itself, the better conditions you organize for them, the sooner and better they will be able to repay you with good growth.

To fully equip the pond you will need:

• Thermal insulation equipment. It can be greenhouses, both specialized industrial production, and their own design. Greenhouses are needed to maintain the optimum water temperature for crayfish.
• To keep the water in the pond, you need a reliable frame, and it is better if it is made of polypropylene.
• The compressor is needed so that water stagnation occurs in it, otherwise the growth of crayfish may slow down or even stop altogether.
• An oxidizer, especially in winter, is needed to saturate the water with oxygen. You need to install it already in the fall and do not wait until the ice crust begins to cover the reservoir.
• A filtration system is needed in any case, including if water is replaced in a timely manner, since in any case, food residues and excretion of crayfish will accumulate at the bottom, which rotting and decomposing will pollute the water, which will negatively affect not only growth, but and shellfish health.

When breeding crayfish in aquariums, you need a special filtration system, as well as heating and compressor systems.

This video explains how a crayfish farm works and what needs to be done to speed up their growth.