Foods For Crawdads

Natural Diet

• Crawdads are bottom-dwelling scavengers who subsist largely on a diet of aquatic plants, algae and the occasional dead fish. While they are capable of catching and eating small fish opportunistically, they are not natural hunters. They often collect small hoards of food in their burrows as insurance against lean times.

Store-Bought Food

• Since the natural diet of a crawdad consists mostly of plant matter, algae tablets are an excellent staple food. Supplementing these with the occasional sinking shrimp pellet will help ensure a balanced diet. Due to their omnivorous eating habits, crawdads find almost all fish food perfectly palatable, including basic flake food. However, be aware that relying too heavily on a single food, especially one that is not formulated for crustaceans, may run the risk of nutrient deficiency and illness.

Aquatic Plants

• Even when fed, crawdads will spend most of their time grazing on any plants they happen to find in their tank. Purposely adding appropriate plants to the tank will provide them with a steady and constant food source. Choose plants from their native habitat if possible, and plant them in pots or in the mud at the bottom of the tank. Plants which are simply thrown into the tank to float will rot and foul the water in short order.

Table Scraps

• Crawdads will eat most green leafy vegetables, as well as salad vegetables such as cucumbers, squash and even sweet potatoes. Drop single chunks or leaves of raw vegetables into the tank for the crawdad to gnaw on. Remove any excess food after an hour or so to prevent leftovers from fouling the water. Supplement this diet with the occasional scrap of raw fish or chicken to help keep your crawdad well-nourished.