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How to Breed Crawdads

Crawdads, also referred to as crawfish or crayfish, are a member of the lobster family. These crustaceans lives mostly in freshwater, although a few varieties can survive in saltwater. Because crawdads do not have a lengthy lifespan, they typically breed quickly. Placing male and female crawdads together should result in quick mating.

Things You'll Need

Male crawdad
Female crawdad
2 small aquariums
Aquarium heater
Small bowl
Water
Hole-filled sacks
Plastic aquarium house
Flake fish food

Instructions

- 1
  Place both a male and a female crawdad into a small aquarium tank. Place an aquarium heater in the tank to maintain a temperature of about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. When the male is ready to mate, he will flip the female over and do so.
- 2
  Observe the tank daily to see when the female lays eggs. This typically occurs about 20 days after mating. She will gather the eggs under her tail. When this happens, place a small amount of water in the bowl and gently scoop her up with the eggs. Place both in the second tank, with the temperature set at 80 degrees.
- 3
  Place hole-filled sacks, such as those that potatoes and fruits come in, in the tank. This will give the babies a place to hide as they hatch and mature. Place some type of plastic aquarium housing in the tank for the female crawdad to hide as well. Sprinkle flake fish food around the tank two or three times a day for the female and the babies to eat.
- 4
  After a few weeks, split the crawdads into groups of no larger than 20 crawdads in different containers. Provide hiding places in each container. After about another month, separate them into groups of no more than 10.

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