How to grow crayfish in an aquarium at home?

Farms for breeding crayfish in our time no longer surprise anyone. They successfully work and develop on the territory of the country and bring considerable income to their owners.

Choosing a growing method

The amount of profit depends on what method of breeding crayfish is used at the enterprise: in an aquarium, in a home pond or

In aquarium

Today it is possible to grow crayfish for sale not only in the countryside, but also in the city. Now city dwellers will smile with a grin and go to assess the size of their bath. Only now, crayfish are bred not in the bathroom, but in special large aquariums.

To begin with, it is better to rent a business premises and buy it out over time. Only after you have settled all the issues with the lease can you start buying aquariums. It is better to start with 10-15 pieces and if everything works out, then after a few months buy more.

Pros of breeding crayfish in aquariums:

1. Easier to control the condition of pets.
2. Less feed consumption.
3. Water temperature control, which contributes to the accelerated development of young offspring.
4. There is no long period of cold wintering, which makes it possible for young animals to grow more efficiently, and for an entrepreneur to get their first income faster by 3-4 months;
5. You can populate crayfish larvae into aquariums and save money on buying juveniles or adults.

The process of growing crayfish is quite capacious and it is possible to make a profit only a year after starting a business.

Crayfish breeding aquariums

Features of choosing a crayfish aquarium:

• The volume of the aquarium should be chosen from 250hp
• The walls of the tank should be made of strong plastic, or attached to the pool so that the metal does not come into contact with water.
• It is better to choose products with low (up to 1m.) Walls and a wide bottom. This makes it easier to care for crayfish and keep the bottom of the aquarium clean.

At the current stage, the cultivation of crayfish in the pool as a business has proven itself well in urban and rural areas, where there are problems with water supply.

At home (artificial reservoir)

Growing crayfish in an artificial reservoir is considered by many to be the easiest and most inexpensive option for starting industrial cultivation of crayfish. This option does not require a lot of investment. Provided that you have your own land: a summer cottage or a house in a suburban or rural area.

In order for a business to work, you must:

1. Build a reservoir (optimal depth 1-3 m) and lay out the bottom with large stones and create conditions for the crayfish to dig holes freely. Recommended water area 30-60 sq.m.
2. Make several concrete pools for overexposure and fattening of young livestock.
3. Start broodstock or larvae.
4. Stock up on the necessary feed.
5. Provide the farm with an additional source of water and a reliable drain so that water can be freely drained, if necessary.

Crayfish growing at home has its own characteristics. In an artificial reservoir, it is necessary to change the water every 2-3 weeks. For the winter, it is better to completely catch all the livestock so that the crayfish do not suffocate under the ice, or to build a reservoir, which immediately increases costs. If the crayfish successfully overwinter, then the additional costs for insulation can be compensated for by the broodstock, but you can only take risks if the depth of the reservoir is more than 2.5 meters.

The reservoir must not be built in a sunny place!

In a natural reservoir

The easiest and most affordable way to breed crayfish in the household is to run the broodstock or larvae in an ordinary natural pond. First you need to find a reservoir that meets the necessary requirements:

• the presence of a rocky bottom and sandy shores;
• a suitable bottom for the construction of burrows;
• the reservoir must be environmentally friendly and have shaded shores. It is good if weeping willows grow on the banks of the reservoir, which create shade and coolness.

When growing crayfish in artificial and natural reservoirs, the main problem of farmers is poachers, who not only spoil and steal livestock with the help of crayfish, but also greatly reduce the prices of products. The ways to deal with them are pretty simple:

• On your own and artificial ponds, you can stretch the net on the surface, put up stretch lines with bells and hire guards.
• You can create a group of farmers that will control the markets in the region and block the access of poachers to the wholesale buyer.
• Quality assurance of goods and regular delivery is something that all customers value and which poachers cannot guarantee.

To grow crayfish in a natural pond, you need to allocate money for the purchase of livestock and feed. With this method of cultivation, feed costs are significantly reduced, but there is no way to control the temperature of the water, as a result of which the crayfish will be 30% less in weight to their congeners that grew in a home pond or in an aquarium.

Preparatory work

Before investing a considerable amount in a business, you need to familiarize yourself with the cultivation of crayfish and the conditions for keeping them in practice. In order to better understand and see everything, you can ask for a visit to a similar farm and ask the owners as much as possible about the life and habits of their pets.

They will not reveal all the secrets to future competitors, but the idea of ​​work and how the farm should look like will already be there.

Today, there is a lot of literature and practical advice on the Internet that will help you cope with problems in the course of work, but the advice of professionals is always very valuable.

Preparing the place of residence

Crayfish live in burrows. This is their natural habitat and before buying broodstock, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for crayfish and bring them as close as possible to natural ones.

Rocky bottom, lots of sand, pebbles and algae are what will make crayfish feel at home in a new place.

If it is envisaged to grow crayfish in aquariums, then the day before the settlement of living creatures, it is necessary to start the entire system (if planting of algae is envisaged, then in a week, simultaneously with planting greenery).

Adult female crayfish can eat their larvae and juveniles. To avoid this, it is recommended to remove the adult livestock from the young. This will require additional containers (aquariums or pools).

Proper preparation of the place for keeping and growing crayfish will greatly facilitate the settlement process and make the adaptation of the mother liquor painless and comfortable.

Acquisition of Cancer Families

It is not worth buying a large number of breeding stock right away. If the farm is small, you can start with 100 females and 20 males. They can be bought from a farm that is engaged in a similar type of business or caught in a river.It is better to buy crayfish from specialists who can advise a disease-resistant and stress-resistant species and tell you how to properly care for it during the first months.

Among the industrial types of crayfish are distinguished:

• Australian crayfish (the fleshy species, requires special care, suitable for growing in aquariums, uses small fish, mixed feed, greens for food).
• Blue Kuban crayfish (fast-growing medium-sized species, does not tolerate temperatures above 26 degrees, loves rocky, sandy soils with a lot of snags and burrows, omnivorous).
• Marble crayfish (demanding on water temperature and prefers large aquariums, pools or artificial ponds). 20 adults will require neither less nor more - 100 cubic meters of water for their full growth and reproduction. The peculiarity of this species is that it reproduces by parthenogenesis (to itself, both the female and the male). Separation of adults from young animals is necessary.

Enterprise start

In order for a business to work and bear fruit, it is necessary to consider several important factors that are the key to success.

When to start breeding?

Starting a farm is very important in this type of business, as it is designed for the season and most types of crayfish do not tolerate overwintering.

The best time to start a farm is early April, with the arrival of the first heat.

By the beginning of summer, under the tail of each female, eggs will appear, which after 10 days will detach, and the process of laying eggs will begin in a new circle for the female. The offspring from these larvae will be ready for sale in a year. It is because of such a long period of growth that experts recommend starting the establishment of a farm with young crayfish, which can be grown and sold this year, leaving several individuals for reproduction.

When keeping crayfish in aquariums indoors, the question of the timing of the purchase of young animals or adult livestock is not particularly relevant. Since it is possible to constantly adjust the temperature of air and water.

Business registration

Every self-respecting entrepreneur and manufacturer registers his company before starting work. What does it do? Buyers are confident that they are clients of a reputable company, and for the entrepreneur himself - the opportunity to calmly sell their products on the market and cooperate with shops and wholesale companies.

This type of business is registered according to the OKVED code 01.21, which indicates that the company is engaged in breeding domestic animals.

For the right to retail trade, it is necessary to add another code 52.23, which indicates the right to retail sale of fish products and shellfish.

Purchase of feed

Crayfish happily eat compound feed, larvae, earthworms, greens, and small bottom fish. It will not be difficult to buy compound feed - it is always available on the economic market or feed mills, which are abundant in every city. It is not difficult to stock up on greens on your own, but you will have to look for suppliers of mosquito larvae and earthworms.

The earthworm is often found in greenhouse farms, and the mosquito larvae are raised by firms that are associated with the fishing business. Check with your fishing rod and tackle sellers who deliver the bloodworms to them, and arrange regular delivery with that supplier.

See also a video on the benefits of breeding crayfish

Summing up the result

In our country, this type of business is relatively young, since it is mistakenly believed that huge investments are needed to develop a crayfish farm. The fact that it takes about a year to wait for the first sale of a product is also not encouraging. But fears go away and everything falls into place if you understand the specifics of this business and calculate all costs and approximate incomes.

How long does it take from the start to the implementation of the finished product?

Growing crayfish is a business for people who work for results and know how to wait.

And you need to wait about a year from the first laying of the mother liquor and until the sale of finished products, if the livestock is grown in a pond.

With the aquarium breeding method or in indoor pools, where it is possible to control the water temperature, the sale of finished products is possible 3 months faster. This is due to the winter period, when crayfish are in a state of dormancy and eat very little. Indoors, this process can be regulated.

Estimated costs

You need a lot of start-up capital in order to launch a large farm with modern equipment, but you can start small and divide the development of your business into several stages. To get started, you need to draw up a business plan for breeding crayfish and focus on several important factors in the calculations:

• The cost of broodstock, which fluctuates from 200 to 1000 rubles per 1kg. depending on the type of crayfish and the season of purchase.
• Breeding method of crayfish: indoors in aquariums, in an artificial reservoir or in a natural aquatic environment.
• Purpose of the product: sale to broodstock, sale of live products on the market, processing.

For the device of one pond with an area of ​​60 sq. necessary 80-150 rubles (depending on depth). The bulk of the costs goes to drainage pipes, waterproofing materials, and the construction of a drain. For a year in this reservoir, if you run about females (80 kg of broodstock), you can grow up to 13,000 (about 3.5 tons) young stock, the market value of which ranges from 200-250 rubles per 1kg.

The minimum annual income from growing crayfish in a pond is 300-450 thousand rubles and fully covers the costs of constructing a pond, swimming pools, the purchase of feed and mother liquor.

In order to run this type of business indoors, you must:

1. A large, high (up to 4 m. In height) room (the price varies depending on the location);
2. Aquariums for keeping crayfish (optimal size - 2m wide, 3-4m long), sand and algae for filling the aquarium + compressors, pumps and thermometers for heating water. The cost of one aquarium, equipped with everything you need, fluctuates around the area 50 000 rubles.
3. we must not forget about food for crayfish. Bloodworms or earthworms are best. These can be purchased from wholesalers who work for fish fish shops. On average, about 20 thousand rubles.
4. And, of course, the crayfish themselves. One pool is designed for an average of 50 individuals (1 male for 4-5 females).

If there is no way to invest a lot of money, then you can try the old-fashioned, long-proven method and raise the population of crayfish in a small natural pond. In this case, you will have to spend only on the broodstock and additional feed. But in this case, alas, it will not work to control the reproduction and migration of your pets.

Profit calculation

Growing crayfish on a home farm is a rather long and laborious process, but the farmer receives a hundredfold for his labors. Even with the most costly method of growing crayfish - aquarium - all the costs for the purchase of equipment and broodstock are paid off after the first year of growing.

If the river method of growing crayfish is less costly, then when comparing "cost - profit", preference, nevertheless, should be given to growing crayfish in a home pond.

With the right approach, despite the considerable costs, the profit is about 300,000 rubles from a pond with an area of ​​60 sq. m. and several small pools or small bodies of water. With the aquarium breeding method, such a profit in one season is very difficult to achieve, even though the products are ready for sale several months faster.

The pitfalls of the crayfish business

Each business has its own secrets and pitfalls that must be taken into account in the work and included in the calculations of the business plan.

The following factors have a great influence on business development:

1. Crayfish hibernate under water, but do not hibernate. This means that strong freezing of water must not be allowed.
2. Not all types of crayfish tolerate cold water and are intended to be grown in a pond without heating.
3. We must not forget about infectious diseases. It is necessary to carry out preventive work in a timely manner and stock up on medicines.
4. The water for the pond or aquarium should be soft and free of salt.
5. Females with eggs should be immediately transplanted into a separate container and make sure that they do not eat them after they have laid eggs in the sand or mule.

If there is no experience in breeding crayfish, then it is better to start working with river breeding stock.

There are not so many pitfalls and they can only be recognized when working independently or if there is an experienced advisor nearby.

An entrepreneur should know everything about taxation. Read how much is

land tax in 2014.

The documents in the employee's personal file are kept for up to 75 years. Find out more in this article.

What is OKATO in the details of the enterprise? See here.

Where do crayfish hibernate?

In the natural environment, crayfish hibernate in their burrow. They do not fall asleep, like frogs, and even crawl out to hunt. But they are very slow and consume a minimum amount of energy, do not gain weight.

If a crayfish finds a place for wintering in a natural reservoir, then when building a piece pond, you need to take care of this and throw a lot of snags and large stones on the bottom, make mounds of sand and clay.

The business of breeding crayfish in our country is still quite young, and the demand for domestic products is growing every year. If you choose the right way of growing and competently approach the organization of the work process, then in a year you can already get the first result, and in a few years become the owner of a crayfish farm, which will supply quality products and broodstock not only to your region, but also to neighboring areas. ...

Every business is a cost, risk and excitement that is rewarded with profit and a dream come true. For a dream to come true, it is necessary to calculate all possible threats and only then start work.

With a competent approach to business and correct calculations, any idea can become an exciting and profitable project. Selling crayfish as a business will certainly meet your expectations of increasing your own budget - after all, such an activity brings good profits, but at the same time does not require serious costs.

Let's find out what features such an undertaking is characterized by and how expedient it is to build your own business in this area.

Information about the essence of the project

A crayfish farm is a rather specific business. Usually investments in it are minimal, but you can reach the threshold of self-sufficiency of the project only after some years - after all you need two yearsto raise the livestock and get offspring from it. True, in the future you can already count on a stable and regular income.

Keep this in mind when you plan to breed crayfish as a home business. You can find a video with reviews of entrepreneurs and specialists about such an unusual occupation in our review.

As a rule, the livestock is grown either in a natural reservoir or in its artificial analogue. Of course, renting any pond will become unprofitable, given that the first years you will not earn anything. And in the conditions of natural growth of arthropods, the period for the sale of the first batch of products can be delayed by five years.

Important! It is advisable for a beginner to pay attention specifically to the cultivation of crayfish on a farm in enclosed spaces. This will significantly reduce investments - after all, any structure can be used for such purposes.

However, with the above method, you should remember about the constant cleaning of the aquarium. Moreover, there should be several containers.Usually, adults live in one of them, fry in the other, and the third serves as a reserve for replacing water and cleaning the main reservoirs. It is also important to take into account that it is adult crayfish that are planted during reproduction, since young animals that are still unadapted to life often die when environmental conditions change.

Breeding crayfish at home would be a good business idea, because this niche is still empty today and a beginner has a high chance of success.

In general, the business of growing crayfish will require careful attention to its wards. These animals react very sharply to water pollution and temperature drops below 15 degrees. Therefore, you will have to think in advance if you can create similar conditions for them.... Although with all the seeming shortcomings and reservations, this business promises pretty good income at extremely low costs. Moreover, you can start a business simply as an individual, and you can register an individual entrepreneur when you start selling the goods directly. In addition, today this niche in the market is practically empty and the beginner has a high chance of success.

We are looking for a room

You can start a crayfish business by finding a suitable building for this. Experts advise paying attention to attics, basements and even garages. All these buildings will allow you to maintain the required temperature regime and place several containers there with suitable dimensions of the area. Of course, the best solution will be the premises that you own.But do not forget that the volume of one reservoir should be from 2.5 cubic meters. Therefore, the minimum set - three tanks - can be located in a building with an area of ​​50 sq. m... Moreover, you should analyze the condition of the room in advance and get rid of fungal infections, rodents and insects.

Growing crayfish in the basement is a good solution for a budding entrepreneur

By the way, growing crayfish in the basement is the best solution. So, you will be deprived of the need to carry out measures to warm the room, as well as equip it with a heating system. Wintering of arthropods provides for a temperature of five degrees Celsius, so the basements perfectly meet such conditions. In addition, it is necessary to equip the room with power supply. True, for an area of ​​50 sq. m. you only need one lamp with a power of about 200 watts.

Cooking a pond

So, the main equipment for growing crayfish is an aquarium or a pool system. The choice will only depend on the total area of ​​your premises. Remember, the minimum volume of one aquarium should be from 2,500 liters, and the location should provide free access for their maintenance. Of course, the tank is made of durable materials and reinforced with load-bearing elements so that the structure can withstand such a mass of liquid. A not bad, but rather expensive option for capacity will be the purchase of a closed water supply installation. True, making its analogue with your own hands, as a rule, will not be difficult and will significantly reduce costs.

One of the options for equipping a room for breeding crayfish at home

Separately, you need to talk about the structure of the pool system. Several reservoirs should be built, the bottom of each of them should be laid out with sand and small stones, and also populated with various plants. Since standing water is destructive for crayfish, each container must be equipped with a compressor, a purification filter and, if necessary, a heater. Consider a drain system for fluid replacement. A good option for a capital reservoir would be a pipe with a shut-off valve closed with a fine mesh, and if you choose to breed crayfish in an aquarium as a business, you can drain the water using a hose. In any case, the room should be equipped with a good drain.

A separate nuance will highlight the direct replacement of the fluid. Remember, you cannot completely change the water.Experienced entrepreneurs in such matters advise draining only a quarter of the total volume of the reservoir. This measure will prevent abrupt changes in the microclimate for arthropods, which can even lead to molting and a slowdown in development. To avoid hibernation of the livestock, powerful compressors and heaters can be used.

A constant temperature in the region of 16 degrees and the enrichment of the liquid with oxygen stimulates the activity of arthropods, and also prevents the onset of their molt. In addition, you can influence their growth by increasing the number of individuals living on one square meter to 350 pieces. Typically, the cost of one such aquarium will be about 30,000 rubles. If we talk about the cost of related equipment, here you will keep within about 110,000 rubles. This will include several filters, compressors, thermostats, fishing gear and other small accessories. That is, the approximate investment in equipment for breeding crayfish will amount to 200,000 rubles.

Features of the purchase of livestock

Another step towards the implementation of your idea, requiring some investment, will be the acquisition of arthropods. Of course, when planning a crayfish breeding business, it is advisable to find a supplier who can offer you their larvae rather than adults. True, today this is a rather difficult task for a beginner. Please note that the livestock is farmed and not caught in a pond. Remember, individuals recovered from their natural environment develop much more slowly, which will increase the payback period of the case. There are a few more rules for such a business as growing crayfish at home. The video below describes all these nuances in detail.

However, nevertheless, pay attention when buying that the proportion of the ratio of males to females is 1: 2. Remember, during mating, a male is only able to fertilize two females. He simply eats excess individuals.

It is optimal to purchase an adult livestock in November. It is at this time that spawning begins, so females can be easily distinguished by the presence of eggs. The issue of transportation will also become very important. Experts advise to carry out transportation in wooden containers, laying arthropods on their backs in rows... Moreover, the utmost care should be observed with females that have eggs.

If you acquire livestock during the spawning period, females can very easily be distinguished from males.

Considering that most often you can buy animals by weight, and not by the piece, buying a kilogram of large arthropods (10 pcs.) Will cost about 1,100 rubles. To populate one reservoir of 2,500 liters (the rest are reserves for young animals), you will need to purchase about 30 kg, which will amount to 33,000 rubles.

Features of the content

Growing crayfish as a business will be quite an attractive project due to the low running costs of caring for and feeding the livestock. These animals are very unpretentious in food and are almost omnivorous. Of course, arthropods prefer meat, but cereals, bread, cereals and hay can be used as additional complementary foods. The main diet can be formed from worms, bloodworms, shellfish and frogs.

Considering that crayfish are unpretentious in food and are omnivorous, feeding them will not bring large expenses.

Considering that crayfish are predominantly active at night, it is advisable to feed them late in the evening. In the morning, you should inspect the pond and remove food debris, as it will quickly contaminate the water and cause a lack of oxygen in it. It is optimal to purchase a special feeder for these purposes. When planning to breed crayfish at home for sale (video), remember that the payback rate of the entire project depends on the quality of the conditions of detention and care for them. Therefore, try to create the most comfortable conditions for them. As a rule, the monthly expenses for 300 pieces of arthropods will be approximately 3,500 rubles.

Attention! You can buy a fishery business plan from our partners for 990 rubles.

Final calculations

Of course, any idea must have a clear financial basis for trying to implement it. Therefore, here is a short business plan for breeding crayfish, including the contingent costs of organizing and running the business. The initial costs include the following items:

• preparation of tanks (3) - 90,000;
• equipment - 110,000;
• livestock (125 pcs.) - 33,000;
• transport and overhead costs - 17,000.

You can start a business when you have savings of 250,000 rublesand you also have a personal basement of 50 m2. Now let's consider the costs of two years of keeping individuals. They will look like this:

• food costs - 84,000;
• utilities - 156,000;
• minor expenses - 60,000.

Thus, the operation of the business for two years will cost about 300,000 rubles. We will find out how profitable the business will be. Each of the females you purchased (200 pcs.) Is capable of producing about 30 heads of offspring annually. So, in two years, you will be able to increase the volume to 9,000 individuals ready for sale. With the cost of a kilogram at 1,100 rubles, your revenue will be at the level of 990,000 rubles. The profit will be 690,000 rubles. and will allow you to recoup the entire project immediately after the implementation of the first third of the livestock.

As the approximate calculations of the business plan show, breeding crayfish for sale will be a profitable project.

As you can see, a project aimed at breeding crayfish, the business plan of which we reviewed above, is capable of generating considerable income. Of course, by investing your own funds for such a long period, you risk a little, but, on the other hand, during this time you will be able to establish supply channels and resolve all bureaucratic issues. So, experts estimate this activity quite highly from a financial point of view.

You can download a detailed business plan with calculations here.

Almost everyone has come across breeding of aquarium fish in their life: after all, this is the least "harmless" pet that you can afford even in a small city apartment. However, few people know that such a “aquarium” experience can easily be turned into a full-fledged profitable crayfish breeding business at home for sale. At the same time, the starting capital for such a mini-farm will require a minimum, and the profit from the sale of a river delicacy will become a constant source of additional income for the family.

Breeding crayfish: a brief background​

Our own experience of breeding crayfish in an aquarium for sale began with a trip to the sea. Perhaps, everyone who had a rest on the Sochi beach at the height of the season remembers the merchants "plying" along the shore with inviting shouts: "Beer, fish, crayfish" and "Hot crayfish, cold beer". By the way, for us, who grew up in the Volga delta of the southerners, crayfish were not something rare and unique: in the days of "stormy" youth, in an hour and a half we collected a bucket of these very arthropods in the nearest river, which became an excellent snack for foam.

However, the cost of crayfish (one hundred rubles - a piece) announced by the "coastal" merchant was a surprise: before that, the snack was always received free of charge and in unlimited quantities. The numbers involuntarily formed in my mind: there are about 60 crayfish in one bucket, at such prices it comes out 6000 rubles for an hour and a half of bathing with a mask. The result was so tempting that upon our return we decided to set up our own crayfish business.

Unfortunately, it soon became clear that only big troubles can be earned by directly catching crayfish from the river: most of the year they are prohibited to catch, while you can only take individuals that have reached a certain length, catch only with special crayfish, etc. And representatives of law and order, when they find a "live product" in the car, do not hesitate to measure each crayfish with a ruler in order to transfer the documents of the unlucky hunter to the court.

Therefore, the best solution was to breed crayfish in an aquarium: this way you can get income from their sale regardless of the season, and there are much fewer problems with obtaining the product (for example, in November you can catch crayfish, but doing it in ice water is not very pleasant).

Breeding crayfish in an aquarium as a business: what is required?​

Of course, to breed crayfish at home for sale, first of all, giant containers are needed for their habitation - aquariums or tanks.

Of course, you can buy a dozen large aquariums at a wholesale price in the "classic way", but in this case you will need a solid start-up capital. According to the minimum calculations, 10 aquariums for breeding crayfish with a volume of 250 liters each will cost the owner at least 200,000 rubles.

​

At the same time, containers designed for keeping fish are not very suitable for breeding crayfish: with standard dimensions, store aquariums have too little bottom area and excessive depth.

Since there was no opportunity to invest this amount in a potential business, an alternative solution was found. In most cases, regular glass 6 - 8 mm thick is used for the manufacture of aquariums. The cost of such glass is about 300 rubles / sq. meter, and standard dimensions: 2500x1600 mm.

​

Thus, to create an aquarium with overall dimensions of 1200 * 800 * 500mm (and a volume of 480 liters), two standard sheets are quite enough. As a result, 10 sheets were bought for five large aquariums ~ 12,000 rubles.

Since many craftsmen have had experience with a glass cutter since the Soviet past, who practiced the DIY style, we easily came to an agreement with a private master who, for 5,000 rubles, “ripped” all the glass we bought (in our case, the “specialist” turned out to be a neighbor on the garage, however, similar announcements are on every thematic portal).

​

And you can glue the aquariums in any private glass workshop: the approximate cost of the work in our case was about 10,000 rubles.

Thus, for keeping the crayfish, 5 aquariums were made (with a total volume of ~ 2400 liters), which cost about 30,000 rubles.

​

Of course, this method is not a "panacea", but it allows you to save up to 80% of the start-up capital.

In addition, when keeping crayfish at home, you will need to regularly monitor the purity of the water. In fact, crayfish are much less demanding on water quality than "standard" aquarium fish, so in order to save money, you can do without special equipment: it is enough to renew the water in the aquarium once a week. However, to manually scoop out 2,000 liters, it would take at least 10 hours to do this, so I also had to purchase five inexpensive circulating aquarium pumps ~ 10,000 rubles.

And, of course, to breed crayfish at home, the crayfish themselves are needed for sale. At the end of summer, about 5 buckets of crayfish (about 300 pieces) were caught from the local river, which were comfortably planted in all aquariums.

If you do not have the opportunity to catch crayfish on your own, we recommend that you make arrangements with local fishermen in advance. So, in our region, at the height of the season, you can buy a bucket of live crayfish at 500 - 600 rubles per bucket: in this case, the initial "herd" will cost the owner 3,000 rubles.

Thus, in order to start breeding crayfish as a business from scratch, you will need to invest at least 50,000 rubles (taking into account small operating costs). Of course, if you buy ready-made aquariums in the store and crayfish in the poultry market at an average price of 300 rubles / kilogram, the initial investment will be much higher.

Home farm for breeding crayfish: features of the content

​

In order for crayfish to feel frivolous and actively reproduce, they need to create habitats close to natural conditions.To fill the aquariums on the same river, we collected a couple of sandbags, algae, snails, as well as various driftwood and branches - to create natural "houses".

From experience, before sending river sand to the aquarium, it should be sifted through coarse gauze or a colander to filter out cigarette butts, bottle caps, broken glass and other unnatural "filler". Also, the soil should be thoroughly rinsed to "clean water" and, preferably, boiled - to exclude the possibility of infection.

In our case, five aquariums were successfully located in a three-room city apartment, so additional lighting and heating were not required. If you plan to organize a "farm" in the garage, basement or in the country, then you should maintain the ambient temperature of 15 - 20 degrees. At lower temperatures, crayfish will hibernate and will not reproduce.

Also, when breeding crayfish at home, you should take into account that these are quite "violent" animals, which, with a small space and a small number of shelters, will fight and eat each other. At the same time, crayfish are most vulnerable in the first days after molting (which in adults occurs a couple of times a year), so it is better to keep molting crayfish in the "isolator" for some time. The rule applies here: the more artificial burrows and greenery there are in the aquarium, the lower the percentage of crayfish will die during maintenance.

To gain weight quickly, crayfish (like any other animal) require abundant nutrition. In addition to professional feed, crayfish can be fed with natural plant and protein foods. In practice, almost all the "leftovers from the table" - cuttings of meat and fish, skins from vegetables, herbs and even bread - went to the diet of aquatic inhabitants. You can also make your own "blanks" of feed, which will help to significantly save on feed in the cold season:

• - Firstly, at the end of autumn it is worth digging up earthworms outside the city and sending them to live in a couple of buckets of earth: this free food will become a nutritious diet for crayfish.
• - Secondly, you can collect more different mollusks on the river bank and put them in a separate aquarium with a lot of greenery: in good conditions, river "shells" multiply quickly and can stably replenish the diet of crayfish.

Crayfish mate in autumn, therefore, by the beginning of spring, the "caviar" females can be identified visually. Since crayfish actively eat their own offspring, females need to be transplanted into a separate aquarium. However, when the larvae are able to swim on their own (after about 2 - 3 weeks from "birth"), adults should be removed from the young.

Breeding crayfish at home as a business: how much can you earn?​

In fact, the profit from breeding crayfish strongly depends on the conditions of their keeping and the scheme for selling the finished product.

Here it is worth considering the fact that when launching the first livestock, it is almost impossible to determine the percentage of females and males in a herd (especially since they practically do not differ externally).

So, if (at a minimum) out of 300 individuals launched into aquariums, 40% are females, and each female is capable of producing 25-30 crustaceans, then by mid-spring you will have about 3,500 young individuals.

For industrial purposes, such young animals under good conditions can be used in 18 - 20 months (that is, from the fall of next year) - at this age, 1 kilogram of live weight of crayfish contains about 20 individuals.

Thus, in two years (from the moment the first crayfish are launched to the sale of young animals), you will receive 125 kg. crayfish. With an average market value of 500 rubles / kg, the profit will be 90,000 rubles. In this case, the next livestock will be "ready" in a year, respectively, the income will double.

In addition, you can more accurately select the “primary herd”: if you have 70% of females, then the income from the sale of offspring will already be 150,000 rubles.

Where to look for product distribution channels?​

Of course, the ways of selling crayfish for different regions will differ significantly. And the "cancer" business with us in connection with the move lasted only a few years. Therefore, here is the implementation scheme "worked" for us personally:

1. After receiving the first offspring, I really wanted to quickly "recapture" the funds invested in aquariums and the winter maintenance of crayfish. Since it is not difficult to acquire a new “herd” in our area, we decided to sell almost all adults. And the most effective way to sell was suggested to us by the same trader who shouts "Beer, fish, crayfish" on the Sochi coast: they put all the crayfish in ice water and in one night transported them to the Black Sea resort, where they were gladly received by the owners of private cafes at the "wholesale »The price is 40 rubles / piece. After that, with the same owners of small beach cafes, you can agree on a regular supply of crayfish throughout the tourist season.

Total net profit for 300 crayfish (including gasoline consumption) amounted to 10,000 rubles.

2. Another equally effective sales channel for the product will be regular customers, who can be “acquired” through acquaintances and with the help of advertisements. At the same time, ordinary paper advertisements on billboards near bus stops and grocery stores "work" much better here. However, when working with regular customers, you have to take into account many factors, including when the "clients" have a salary, special events, etc. Naturally, the greatest demand for crayfish is on the May and New Year holidays - during this time it is possible to sell most of the young growth raised during the year.

3. In addition, it is worth walking around the city cafes and drinking establishments: in most cases it is not difficult to negotiate with the bar owners about the regular supply of crayfish. However, it is only worth communicating in such a way with small individual entrepreneurs: in large restaurants, your product is unlikely to withstand the competition.

You can also sell crayfish "directly": on the market and in private grocery stores. At the same time, you can offer the buyer both a “live product” and a cooked snack: the cost of boiled crayfish is about 1.5 times higher than that of a raw product. In addition, if you do not have the opportunity (or desire) to trade "with your own hands", you can offer your goods to "professional" market sellers, but in this case, ~ 30% of the profit will remain with the intermediary.

Breeding crayfish as a business: advantages and disadvantages​

Of the obvious advantages of breeding crayfish at home, it can be noted:

• - high efficiency of such a business: in two years the number of crayfish will increase at least 10 times, while the demand for this product remains stable regardless of the season and the world economy;
• - lack of competition: in our country they are practically not engaged in breeding crayfish - the most active lovers of gourmet snacks prefer to fish the product directly in the river, and the rest have to replace crayfish with more expensive shrimps;
• - the ability to start a business "from scratch" without experience and specialized equipment.

In addition, the "cancer" business is profitable gastronomically: at any time of the year you will have fresh crayfish on your table.

However, such an economy has a number of significant disadvantages:

• - firstly, to start a business, you will need a lot of start-up capital;
• - secondly, crayfish will bring the first profit only a year after the creation of the farm;
• - and finally, breeding crayfish will require regular physical labor from the owner: you need to clean aquariums, prepare food, plant crayfish, etc.

Incredibly tasty and tender crayfish meat is a favorite delicacy of many people. Despite this, today its production is far from being developed everywhere.Due to the high demand for the product, it is worth considering artificial breeding of these animals. Depending on your approach to growing crayfish in the basement, this activity can be a hobby or a source of income.

Basement preparation and buying crayfish

Growing crayfish in the basement has one important plus - underground conditions are great for their successful growth. Therefore, first you need to carry out minimal preparation of your basement and purchase crayfish.

Arrangement of the basement and aquariums

The basement chosen for the truss should be clean and dry. It should be free of fungus and pests. If upon examination you find them, be sure to solve the problem. Use a smoke bomb, trap system and insecticide to completely eliminate rats and insects. Make minor repairs if necessary to avoid recurrence. Keep in mind that you can start growing crayfish only 2 weeks after the completion of any chemical treatment.

The good news is that in most cases, the basement does not require additional insulation. In winter, crayfish live well at a temperature of + 5-7 ° C. In summer, it should be at 20 ° C. If temperatures often drop below these levels, cover the walls and floor with insulating materials.

Crayfish do not need a lot of light to grow successfully. For additional room lighting, only 1 200 Watt bulb is needed. Place it in the center of the ceiling.

When all the necessary conditions are created, install a multi-tiered shelving system in the basement. You will place your aquariums on them. The volume of each aquarium must be at least 250 liters. Put some sandy soil on the bottom, and then lay out driftwood and stones. In them, crayfish will hide during sleep.

If the basement space allows, then instead of aquariums, you can use a pool. Keep in mind that you will need 2 pools to grow your crayfish. One will contain adults, and the other will contain adolescents. If they live in the same pool, there is a high probability of the death of the young. Adult animals can behave aggressively and eat smaller congeners even in the absence of food shortages.

Your mini farm is now ready to go. All that remains is to buy crayfish and transport them to aquariums.

Purchase and transportation of crayfish

It is ideal to acquire crayfish larvae, but most likely you will not succeed. Buy adults, and raise their offspring yourself. You can buy crayfish anywhere, as long as there are 2 females for 1 male. The best time to buy is autumn, when the mating season begins. At this time, crayfish are easy to distinguish - the females will have eggs under the tail.

A kilogram of crayfish will cost from 500 to 750 rubles. The exact cost depends on their size and grade. You can avoid these costs by catching animals in the water.

Transportation home is best done at night, when it is cooler. Particular attention should be paid to the transportation of those crayfish that have eggs. Use wooden crates for transportation. In them, the crayfish are laid on the back in several rows. It is important that their number does not exceed 20 pieces per 1 decimeter.

Young growth.

Fry can be carried in large, tight plastic bags. The volume of water should be about 2/3 of the bag. There should not be too many fry. They use up oxygen quickly, so transfer them to the aquarium within 24 hours.

Breeding principles

In order to successfully breed crayfish, you need to know all the information you need about their lifestyle.

Food

Basically, crayfish feed on plant foods. Basically, plants that are next to their reservoir become her. But in natural conditions, they often eat carrion, insect larvae, and even small snails.

At home, animals receive all the nutrients from a special feed.You can also feed crayfish with soaked grains, boiled and grated vegetables (carrots, potatoes and cabbage). The source of protein for them will be raw fish and meat. Calculate the required amount of food based on the fact that its volume should be 2% of the animal's body volume.

Molting

In the first year of life, molt occurs 6-8 times. In the second year, the number of molts is 4 or 5, and in the third year only 3. More adult individuals molt 1-2 times a year.

Molting means the growth of the animal. It takes off the old shell, which becomes small for it, and builds up a new one. At this time, the cancer is very vulnerable and can become prey for its congeners. For this reason, it is important to provide all cancers with adequate nutrition and proper care.

Reproduction

Mating usually takes place in early autumn - in September or early October. The male fertilizes two females at once, if he comes across a third, he will eat it. This fact should be taken into account when purchasing crayfish. Stick to the recommended ratio of 2 females to 1 male.

First, the eggs are located under the tail of the female. Later, it moves to the carapace and attaches itself next to the legs. For the development of embryos, the female regularly rinses the eggs with water, so filter it at least several times a week.

The female with caviar under the abdomen.

The larvae will emerge from the eggs in 2 months. Over the next 2 weeks, the female shelters them from all kinds of dangers until they grow up and become independent. On average, about 12-15 crustaceans are born in a female at a time. More than 20 is extremely rare. At home, up to 60 crayfish can be obtained from one female per year.

Juveniles are very sensitive to the quality of the water and in particular to how much oxygen it contains. If in natural reservoirs filtration and gas exchange occur independently, then additional aeration is required in a home aquarium.

After the larvae appear, crayfish need more food than before. Be sure to diversify their diet with compound feed or zooplankton. It will provide accelerated growth and development of larvae.

Growing crayfish in artificial conditions allows you to speed up the process of their reproduction. To do this, you need to prevent them from hibernating. Organize intensive renewal and oxygenation of the liquid through the use of special equipment. Also increase the density of crayfish to 350 per sq. m. Give them enough food to help them gain weight and grow quickly.

Possible diseases

The main diseases of domestic crayfish are infections and parasites. The most dangerous of these are burn disease and plague. To avoid the spread of parasites and the spread of infections, filter the water regularly and do not feed spoiled meat to crayfish.

In addition to disease, temperature extremes, improper or excessive nutrition, and dirty water can be to blame for the massive decline in the crayfish population.

Business planning basics

To grow crayfish from a simple hobby into a business, you will need a large room and 2 swimming pools, each of which is at least 25 square meters. m.

About 200 crayfish should be populated in such a space. Their total weight will be 30 kg. In a year and a half, each individual will grow up and double its weight. In addition, they will have offspring, which you will transfer to the second pool.

Study the product market in advance.

If you are planning to sell meat, arrange in advance with cafes, restaurants and shops for its supply. It is believed that such a business will begin to bring big profits only after 5-6 years of its existence. But given the small investment and time costs, such a project duration cannot be regarded as a serious drawback.

Pros and cons of home breeding of crayfish

The unambiguous advantages of home breeding of crayfish are:

• quick results;
• suitable basement conditions;
• ease of care.

The only real drawback is the limited space due to the rather small area of ​​the aquariums. In an ordinary basement, you will not be able to organize industrial production. But your family and friends will always have ecologically clean and tasty meat.

Thus, from a technical point of view, breeding crayfish at home is not difficult. If you do everything right, the first generation of crayfish will have healthy offspring. In about a year, their cultivation will begin to generate real income.