What do crayfish eat at home? Cultivation and breeding features

Despite the fact that the meat of crayfish is not very popular, it is quite useful. It is believed that this product does not contain any harmful substances, since these arthropods are never found in polluted water. However, not everyone has time to catch these animals, so many people start to think about the arrangement of the farm to grow them. What do crayfish eat at home, their contents and other features, we will consider in today's article.

Short description

These valuable invertebrates belong to a group of decapod crustaceans. A distinctive feature of these animals is the presence of three anterior thoracic segments, fused with the head. Together they form the so-called cephalothorax.

Those who do not know that they eat crayfish at home, for sure, this and other information will be interesting. The head and body of the animal are covered with a shell, which is called carapace. Capture of food occurs through jaws formed from the three front pairs of thoracic limbs. The color of crayfish depends on the color of the bottom of the pond in which they live.

Which species are suitable for breeding?

On the territory of Russia and most European countries grow long-fingered, signal and broad-mouthed arthropods. Those who want to understand what they eat cancers at home, it does not hurt to find out that river individuals are not suitable for breeding. They bring a lot of trouble. In addition, in winter, they fall into a hibernation, which significantly inhibits their growth. The best for breeding are large blue or lacustrine cancers. These arthropods perfectly adapt to domestic conditions and grow quite rapidly.

For breeding, it is advisable to purchase sexually mature individuals, the length of which is at least eight centimeters. And for one male there must be two females. The latter can be distinguished by a broader abdomen and undeveloped first pair of limbs. Next we will tell you that they eat crayfish at home.

Cultivation in an aquarium

This method of breeding is suitable even for urban apartments. But its scale will be much less than in the pond. This technique has a number of significant advantages, including:

• Convenience of control over life and growth of pets.
• Possibility to strictly adhere to the desired temperature regime.
• Simple catching crayfish.
• Reduced amount of feed.
• Reduced wintering time.

Young animals, living in greenhouse conditions, grow and develop faster than their relatives. To ensure that your venture does not end in failure, you need to find the right aquarium. For the cultivation of crayfish, it is desirable to purchase a wide-bottomed container with low plastic walls. It is important that its volume is at least two hundred and fifty liters. The bottom of the aquarium must be covered with soil and pebbles. Also in it you can plant algae and put snags there. A little later, we will understand that eating crayfish at home.

Features of pond breeding

Just note that this is a fairly lucrative and uncomplicated occupation. This activity can be dealt with by any owner of a land plot on which there is a place for the construction of a reservoir. Preferably, the pond area is 25-60 squares, and the depth is 1-3 meters. At the bottom it is desirable to pour sand and stones so that animals can dig burrows.

For fattening and overexposure of young animals it is recommended to build separate concreted pools. It is important that the pond is equipped with a reliable water drain and a source of its replenishment. This advice is useful to those who do not know that they eat crayfish at home. The breeding of these arthropods in artificial reservoirs implies the mandatory availability of high-quality aeration and purification systems.

With the onset of cold weather, the inhabitants of open ponds must be caught and transplanted into an indoor pool. Otherwise, they may suffocate under the ice.

Requirements for an artificial reservoir

Before answering the question: "What do crayfish eat at home?", It is necessary to understand the criteria to which the pond intended for their maintenance should correspond. It is important that it has a shaded sandy shore and a rocky bottom suitable for digging holes.

It is strictly forbidden to equip a pond in a sunny place. It is desirable to conduct regular checks for the absence of pathogenic flora. To protect your farm from unauthorized crayfish, around the ponds you can install stretches with bells, and over them to stretch the net.

What to feed arthropods?

It's time to take a closer look at what the crayfish eat at home. The peculiarities of their nutrition consist in the fact that these herbivorous animals do not disdain carrion and various organic remains.

The basis of their diet consists of earthworms, greens, insect larvae, small snails and bottom fish. This is what arthropods eat in the wild. Those who are interested in eating river crayfish at home can be recommended to supplement the menu of these animals with grated carrots, fish, boiled potatoes, meat and ground parboiled grains. The average daily food norm should be 2% of the weight of the individual.

Food for cancers can be purchased in specialized markets, in greenhouses and in enterprises related to the fishing industry. That the food remains not spoiled, you can not leave them for long in the water. Undernourished food must be removed in a timely manner from the pond.

Features of reproduction and growth

Having understood that eating crayfish at home, you need to briefly consider another issue. The breeding season for these arthropods falls during the autumn months. Those who plan to seriously engage in the cultivation of these arthropods, it must be taken into account that from one sexually mature female, from thirty to sixty cubs can be obtained.

The mating period, beginning immediately after molting, lasts for several hours. Twenty days later the female lays eggs and for some time carries them on herself. To save all the offspring, it is advisable to plant the buckwheat in a separate aquarium. Before the first moult, the cubs will hold on to their mother, and after that it is recommended to separate it from the growing offspring.

The most common cancer diseases

Like any other animals, these arthropods are susceptible to various ailments. The cause of health problems may be overfeeding, insufficient aeration, dirty water, unchecked food, a violation of the temperature regime or infection.

Among the most common ailments that can catch cancers is the plague and the "porcelain" disease. All of them have a bad effect on the appearance of arthropods and on their ability to reproduce offspring. In some particularly severe cases, infection can lead to the death of a whole generation of cancers. Therefore, with the slightest suspicion of the occurrence of animal health problems, it is necessary to show the vet.

Useful recommendations

Those who decided to start breeding crayfish should provide them with conditions that most closely resemble natural ones. In addition, it should be understood that you are unlikely to be able to immediately grow a large number of individuals. Experienced experts recommend buying a few spacious aquariums to plant adults from young animals.

Mature arthropods should be kept in a separate pond, and it is desirable to leave them in their usual conditions. So you protect the younger generation from unnecessary stress and disease. In addition, it is important to observe the recommended population density.

To create a farm, you will need special equipment, including aquariums, swimming pools and ponds. It is desirable that the former be equipped with compressors, filtration systems and heaters for the incubation of eggs. Ponds should be oval in shape, since it is believed that it ensures proper gas exchange. At the bottom of the reservoir it is necessary to build shelters for its inhabitants. They can be made from stones, driftwood and debris of plastic pipes. You can not plant artificial plants in a pond or aquarium. Cancers can eat them and perish. These are the basic rules for keeping crayfish at home.