How to farm crayfish?

Crayfish is an important aquaculture species in China's freshwater waters. It has strong adaptability, high reproductive capacity, a varied diet, fast growth, tender meat and rich nutrition. It has good market demand and aquaculture benefits. So how to breed crayfish? Let’s learn more about it below.

1. Pond construction

Crayfish breeding ponds should be located in well-ventilated, sunny, quiet, conveniently drained and unpolluted places. The pond area should not be too large, generally 1-3 acres is appropriate, and the shape is preferably rectangular. The depth of the pool water should be maintained between 1-1.5 meters, and the silt at the bottom of the pool should not be too thick. And anti-escape nets should be set up around the pond to prevent crayfish from escaping.

2. Pond cleaning and disinfection

The commonly used method is quicklime disinfection, which can be divided into dry disinfection and water disinfection. Dry disinfection means using 60-80 kg of quicklime per mu, spraying it all over the pond, and then filling it with new water after drying it in the sun for 3-5 days. Water disinfection means using 125-150 kg of fresh quicklime per mu based on a water depth of 1 meter. The fresh quicklime should be dissolved in water and then sprayed evenly over the pond.

3. Shrimp fry stocking

When releasing the pigs, they must be of uniform size, have complete appendages, be free of disease and injury, and be released all at once. Before stocking, wash the fish in 5% salt water for 5-10 minutes to kill parasites and pathogenic bacteria. For purchased shrimp seedlings, as they are transported long distances away from water, they should be soaked in pond water for 1 minute before entering the pond, then placed aside for 2-3 minutes, and then soaked for another minute. This should be repeated 2-3 times to allow the seedlings' body surface and gill cavity to absorb enough water before being released into the pond, which can increase the survival rate.

4. Feeding

You can feed them crushed snails, river clams and an appropriate amount of plant-based feed, such as wheat, bran, corn, etc. The daily feeding amount should be based on the requirement that the crayfish are full and have finished eating without leaving any leftover bait. Generally, medium and small crayfish are fed 15%-20% of their body weight, while adult and large shrimps are fed 5%-10% of their body weight.

5. Water quality control

Maintaining good water quality is essential for the growth of crayfish. In addition to regularly changing the water source, it is also necessary to control water quality parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia nitrogen, nitrite, etc. In addition, it is necessary to regularly clean up impurities and leftover bait in the pond to keep the water clean.

6. Daily management

Carry out inspections once every morning or evening to observe changes in pond water quality, understand the lobster's eating and activity conditions, and adjust the amount of bait fed. And clean up the silt and debris at the bottom of the pool in time to keep the bottom of the pool clean.



In general, the breeding of crayfish seems simple, but in fact there are many tricks involved. The key points include pond construction, seedling release, feed feeding, water quality management and other aspects. Any mistake in any link will affect the final breeding efficiency and economic benefits.