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How to Farm With Freshwater Crayfish

A crayfish is a 10-legged crustacean that closely resembles a lobster or shrimp. They also go by the name of crawdad, crawfish, or mud bug and naturally grow in shallow, weedy swamps and ponds. More crayfish are grown in the U.S. than any other crustacean. For smaller farms, crayfish can be easily raised in an aquarium allowing for year-round spawning. This method provides a simple way to maintain the crustaceans and monitor their development.

Things You'll Need

Large aquarium
Dechlorinated water
Crayfish of both sexes
Leafy green vegetables
Fish food
Rocks
PVC pipe
Clear plastic tubing

Instructions

- 1
  Locate a swamp or pond closest to your home. Gather as many crayfish as you prefer, placing them in a cooler filled partially with pond or swamp water. If you prefer not to catch your own crayfish, you can purchase them from a pet or bait store.
- 2
  Collect or purchase an even amount of female and male crayfish. Male crayfish are typically larger and have bigger claws than female crayfish.
- 3
  Fill an aquarium with dechlorinated water with a pH of 5.8 to 8.2, making sure there is at least 6 inches of water depth. Chlorinated water could potentially kill the crayfish.
- 4
  Furnish the aquarium with rocks, flowerpots, PVC pipes, clear plastic tubing, etc. in order to create hiding places for the crayfish. Plastic plants will also provide additional visual barriers.
- 5
  Place the crayfish in the aquarium, covering the tank in order to prevent the crayfish from escaping.
- 6
  Feed the crayfish every other day or so with leafy green vegetables, sinking pellet foods, flake food, algae pellets, or frozen seafood such as clam, squid and fish.

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