Breeding crayfish in a pond in the country: recommendations from professionals. What OKVED to indicate when registering a business. Possible options include

Crayfish breeding is a relatively new business for Russia, but it has already proven its effectiveness.

About how profitable it is, what costs will be required to maintain it and what profit can be obtained, we will tell in our article.

Pros and cons of this business

Advantages:

material costs are required only for the start (organization of a breeding site for crayfish, purchase of special equipment and purchase of the crayfish themselves);
business expansion prospects are possible;
low competition and high demand;
minimum labor costs are required in the care process.

Flaws:

seasonality of business (from May to October);
delayed start: due to the peculiarities of the growth of crayfish, the period when your company will begin to receive maximum profit will be approximately 3-4 years;
significant financial costs to start a business.

As practice shows, even with the mentioned minuses, breeding crayfish can become very profitable. You just need to do everything correctly, not repeating the mistakes of others. Therefore, before proceeding with the implementation of the project, it is necessary to study its features in detail.

Where to start?

There is a very clear algorithm that has proven its effectiveness. Let's name the points, each of which we will then decipher. So, you need to do the following:

Choose the best way to breed crayfish. Each of them needs to be compared in terms of cost and the possibility of implementation in your conditions.
Think about the process of creating a farm. Develop a step-by-step plan that, step by step, will lead to the creation of a business.
Carefully consider what items of expenditure are present here. At the same time, it must be remembered that it is always worth having a small reserve of free funds for unforeseen expenses.
Define distribution channels. This is one of the key points: to determine how much this type of product is in demand in your area, city, region, etc.

Having carefully worked out each item, you will receive a guarantee that the business will be well-built and successful.

Crayfish breeding methods

There are currently four main methods:

Breeding crayfish in the factory, that is, in special large aquariums and indoors. This is the so-called closed method. Its advantage is that crayfish are provided with conditions under which they can multiply and grow around the clock, without falling into hibernation. That is, the efficiency of cultivation increases significantly. At the same time, it is not difficult to provide these optimal conditions.
The downside is the high costs both at the stage of starting a business and during its further development.
Breeding crayfish in a natural pond. This breeding method is the least expensive and easiest. Crayfish will have enough natural food (they are omnivorous creatures and therefore eat silt, algae and even garbage). But at the same time, difficulties may arise with controlling the composition of water, and crayfish are especially demanding on clean water. In addition, regular cleaning of the bottom will be required - at least up to two meters deep.
A natural pond may have a lack of oxygen in the deep layers, as well as the presence of a large amount of hydrogen sulfide, which adversely affects the well-being of the animal. In this case, the business will be practically unprofitable. The only way to implement it is if the pond has a natural inflow of water, that is, a river or stream flows into it. However, in this case, it is better to support the business at first with additional breeding of fish.
Breeding crayfish in artificial reservoirs, basement, special cancer pits etc. This is the so-called home method. It is considered a compromise between the above. In this case, you can fully control the quality of the water, its circulation and the conditions of the animals. At the same time, it is possible to control crayfish populations by separating them according to the age principle. Due to this, it is possible to increase the amount of goods at the exit.
The only disadvantage of this method is the significant cost of installing a special water circulation system and its further maintenance.
Breeding crayfish in an aquarium(optimum volume 250 liters). Such an aquarium should be equipped with systems for cleaning and supplying oxygen. You also need to lay out the bottom with snags, stones, river sand or gravel. It is not difficult to maintain the water temperature at 18-20 degrees all year round. This means that the growth and reproduction of crayfish will not slow down, which is guaranteed to give a high rate of finished products at the output.

Whichever breeding method you choose, the main thing is to provide the crayfish with the most natural and comfortable living conditions.

Creation and development of the farm

Consider the option of creating a cancer business on your own site. With this approach, you will be able to control all stages of breeding. First you need to dig a pit no more than two meters deep, no more than 60 square meters. m. Such ponds can be made 3-4 pieces, depending on the scale of the proposed business. The bottom of the pit should be lined with stones, clay and river sand.

Vegetation can be planted near water bodies to give them maximum naturalness. The optimum water temperature is 18-20 degrees. Such conditions for cancer are considered ideal.

At lower temperatures, the animals hibernate until spring. Accordingly, during this period they practically do not grow and do not multiply. And that means the cancer business is dying.

Next, with the help of a pipe, you need to make a drainage system. A strong fine mesh must be put on the pipe (it will not allow the crayfish to leave the pond). So, the basis for the pond is ready and you can pour water. Crayfish can be launched into this reservoir 10-20 days after the bay, when the necessary microflora is formed in the water. Water should be renewed every 3 weeks, but at the same time, no more than 30% of the total volume of water should be renewed so as not to greatly change the microclimate, thereby causing discomfort to the animals.

To organize a reservoir, you need to purchase a number of devices:

two aerators (required so that the water in the pond does not stagnate and thus the crayfish do not experience the negative effects of toxic waste);
oxidizer (it will provide creatures with a sufficient amount of oxygen);
oximer (measurement of oxygen concentration);
salt meter (determination of the amount of salts in the pond);
conductometer (a device for checking the operation of treatment facilities).

Crayfish for breeding can be purchased from suppliers. As a rule, females and males are needed approximately equally. It should be borne in mind that during the season the female manages to lay up to 100 eggs, but only half survive. That is, one crayfish manages to acquire offspring of 40-50 individuals. Thus, during the season, the number of animals in your pond will increase by an average of 40-50 times. A self-reproducing herd can be achieved on average after 5-6 years. The average term of cancer maturation is 2 years. During this time, it reaches a mass of 100-200 g and a length of 10-12 cm.

Despite the omnivorous nature of animals, they need regular feeding. Once every 2-3 days they should be fed with meat, fish, bread, feed, vegetables, earthworms, etc. They do not require any other care, and this is the beauty of the cancer business.

After the herd becomes self-reproducing, you can think about expanding the business and organizing new reservoirs. Indeed, despite the high demand, competition in this area is quite low.

Sale of products

Wholesale channels for selling crayfish should be carefully considered. First of all, this product will be of interest restaurants, cafes, eateries and supermarkets. And here regularity is important: only in this case it will be possible to talk about stable earnings. You should also pay attention to establishments where it is customary to consume alcoholic beverages. Crayfish will be in great demand there. This, for example, pubs, saunas and baths. It is also possible to negotiate retail sales to private individuals. At first, it can be acquaintances or neighbors, and then word of mouth will work - one of the most effective advertising strategies in our country.

However, finding customers is half the battle, the main thing is to keep them. And in this you will be helped by high quality products and prices - lower than in large retail facilities. You can gain a completely stable client base within a year.

In order to find out how much the animals are in demand in your area, just pick up the phone and call the above establishments. Cancers can be realized in three main states:

alive;
boiled;
boiled and frozen.

If everything is clear with the living, then for the other two, special equipment should be purchased with which they will be processed (boiled and frozen). And this is another one of the cost items, which refers to one-time.

When selling crayfish, you will definitely need veterinary certificate. To obtain it, you will need to bypass a number of instances and fulfill all their requirements.

The delivered goods must necessarily be packaged and labeled.

To do this, you need to buy a filling and packaging machine. Most often, crayfish are packaged in a hard plastic container filled with brine. It is also possible to pack in the form of a stretch film - it all depends on the final form of your product.

It should be understood that the main competitors in this business are Armenia and Kazakhstan, which carry out deliveries throughout Russia all year round. Accordingly, it is necessary to study the prices at which certain organizations purchase Armenian and Kazakh crayfish and offer a lower one.

Total costs and profitability of the company

Consider business income on the example of three artificial reservoirs that are built on an open site. For their creation and arrangement, on average, about 30 thousand rubles will be needed. We will launch 200 individuals into each of the three reservoirs (total 600). The cost of their purchase will average about 20 thousand rubles. Thus, the initial investment will be approximately 50 thousand rubles.

The purchase price of crayfish is approximately 180-200 rubles per kg. One crayfish weighs an average of 200 g. Thus, out of 600 individuals (400 females will breed 40 individuals each), about 16 thousand individuals can be obtained. This is approximately 3200 kilos of product. With the full sale of all goods, this will bring approximately 760 thousand rubles per season or 126 thousand per month. However, keep in mind that this is the total profit. To calculate the net profit, it is necessary to subtract all the costs that were invested for the project. Further growth in profits largely depends on what efforts you are willing to make. Calculations show that breeding crayfish is a fairly profitable and low-cost business. Of course, profitability can only be obtained from the second year of keeping these animals, but it's worth it. Dare, and you will succeed!

Crayfish breeding video

On the video - a story about a business built on the cultivation of these animals:

The demand for crayfish is equally high at any time of the year, which means that any business related to their breeding and sale will necessarily have a high profitability. We will talk about how to properly organize a crayfish breeding business.

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Required Documentation

Those who have firmly decided to devote themselves to this particular occupation, first of all, need to think about the official registration of their business. This will require either an LLC in accordance with the regulatory framework governing the breeding and marketing of crustaceans and mollusks. At first glance it sounds quite difficult, but in fact it can be considered one of the easiest stages of the whole event. In addition, now there is even an opportunity to completely get rid of unnecessary paperwork by contacting special intermediary firms that will not only help register an enterprise, but also provide initial legal support.

Choice of crayfish

In Russia, crayfish are represented by two genera: Far Eastern and European, however, only European crayfish has industrial value, so it is better to choose it for breeding. This genus of crayfish, in turn, is divided into two subspecies: broad-toed and narrow-toed crayfish. They differ significantly from each other in structure and habits, and cannot live in the same reservoir.

wide-fingered cancer is more fleshy, and less prolific than narrow-toed. When choosing a habitat, he prefers a rocky or sandy bottom, climbing into the gaps between stones or voids in snags, so this type of crayfish is very well suited for growing in artificial tanks.

narrow-fingered cancer, on the contrary, has a less fleshy body, but is much more fertile. If the female of the broad-clawed crayfish lays on average about 50 eggs, of which only 30 give offspring, then the female of this species is able to lay up to 300 eggs at a time, 200 of which can be workers. Narrow-clawed crayfish prefer clayey or silty sandy soil, in which they dig holes for themselves. This type of crayfish will feel great in open water.

Organization of the reservoir

Currently, the most popular are 4 main methods of breeding crayfish:

in an open artificial or natural reservoir (ponds, lakes);
in aquariums;
in pools (factory method);
in the cellars.

In this case, the future entrepreneur needs to build on his financial capabilities and rely on the combination of advantages and disadvantages of each of the listed methods.

Pond

This method is characterized by the greatest minimal labor input and relative cheapness. Crayfish grow in natural conditions, and all the concerns of the breeder are to prevent excessive overgrowth of the reservoir with algae, ensure its aeration and periodically drain part of the water (about 25–30%) from the pond, replacing it with fresh water. However, in this case, you will have to completely depend on the natural life cycles of crayfish, which means that you can forget about profit in the cold season.

Aquarium

An aquarium strikes the perfect balance between upfront business costs, production efficiency and ease of maintenance. In order to grow crayfish in this way, you will need to find a suitable room where you can easily maintain a stable temperature, as well as mount special racks on which aquariums will be installed. After that, it remains only to purchase equipment and get down to business.

Swimming pool

Growing crayfish in pools, or the so-called factory method, is the most efficient in terms of productivity. Thus, you can get a huge output of goods all year round, but at the same time, the initial costs of doing business are very high. Here you will have to rent a special room, purchase expensive equipment and hire skilled workers to service it.

Basement

The basement can be considered a lightweight version of the previous method. In this case, crayfish are grown in specially equipped pits, in which the optimal mode for their life is maintained. Often, several pits are equipped in the basement - for adult crayfish and for young ones, in order to ensure an uninterrupted production cycle. However, before settling crayfish in the basement, you need to take care of its good thermal and waterproofing. The presence of any traces of mold and fungus is also unacceptable.

Necessary equipment

To grow crayfish in ponds, you will need to purchase the following list of equipment:

aerator for reservoirs;
oximeter;
PH meters;
special pumps and pipes for draining and pumping water.

The purpose of the aerator is to circulate water and saturate it with oxygen, and PH meters and oximeters are used to diagnose the aquatic environment for acidity and the level of oxygen dissolved in it. The fact is that crayfish are very capricious in this regard and can only live in clean and oxygen-rich water. This must be taken into account.

In order to grow crayfish in closed tanks, you will need:

heaters;
aerators;
filtering installations;
PH and chlorine meters;
sterilizers (purification and disinfection of water);
automatic feeders;
electronic timers and automation systems.

In general, at home, you can get by with just filters, aerators and heaters, but a more or less large enterprise must be automated, otherwise its maintenance can become very troublesome with the growth of production.

Features of maintenance and care

Food

In nature, crayfish are not particularly picky in food. They are happy to eat algae, fallen leaves, various carrion, insect larvae, and are not averse to hunting snails, tadpoles, worms, mollusks, frogs, small fish and even small rodents. However, when breeding crayfish in artificial conditions, their diet needs to be made richer. It includes soaked grains of cereals, animal feed, boiled and grated vegetables, and always raw meat or fish, which will become the main source of protein for crayfish.

It is very important for the breeder to remember that cannibalism is not at all alien to crayfish, and when there is a shortage of food, they can eat weaker relatives. Therefore, food for crayfish should always be in abundance. If everything is in order with nutrition, then they acquire a marketable appearance by the third year of life.

reproduction

The mating season for crayfish begins in September and lasts until the end of October. The breeder needs to take into account the fact that the male fertilizes only two females, and if he comes across a third, he will simply eat it. Therefore, by the beginning of the breeding season, you should try to reduce the number of males and females in the aquarium to a ratio of 1:2. To protect offspring from voracious relatives, females with eggs must be moved to a separate tank, in which to maintain special purity and additionally saturate the water with oxygen. This will allow you to get the highest percentage of viable offspring.

Moult

In the first year of life, small crustaceans molt up to 6–8 times a year. Further, with a decrease in growth intensity, the frequency of molting also decreases, therefore, in the second year of life, molting occurs already 4–5 times, in the third - 2–3, and adult crayfish rarely molt more than once a year. During this period, it is especially important to provide crayfish with a rich and varied diet, since during molting they need additional food and, in case of its shortage, can begin to eat each other.

Temperature

When breeding crayfish indoors, the water temperature should be maintained within 18-20 degrees for adult crayfish and 21-23 for fry. If the temperature drops below 15 - the growth of crayfish will significantly slow down, and if, on the contrary, the water temperature exceeds the optimal values, it will become more difficult for crayfish to absorb oxygen and they can get sick.

Aeration

Contrary to popular belief, crayfish are very sensitive to water quality. Even in open reservoirs, it is advisable to install special aerators, and when breeding in pools and aquariums, this measure is simply necessary. The lack of oxygen causes a lack of appetite and a general decrease in activity in crayfish, and if these symptoms are ignored, then the crayfish can die.

Diseases

Cancer diseases can be conditionally divided into three groups:

invasive;
infectious;
diseases associated with violation of conditions of detention.

The second group of diseases is caused by pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Measures to combat them include effective purification and aeration of water, as well as the introduction of special probiotics into the diet of crayfish, which are also often used in the aquarium trade. The root cause of infectious diseases can be the entry of pathogens into the pond along with wild crayfish, the use of spoiled meat for feeding, or too high water temperature.

Improper housing conditions can also cause various diseases in crayfish. The most common problem here is the wrong acid-base balance of the water. Crayfish are very finicky in this matter and accept only neutral and slightly alkaline environments. In an acidic environment, they quickly become ill and die. Too soft water causes a lot of problems. The lack of minerals makes it impossible for the correct formation of the shell and the external skeleton, which causes deformities and even death of crayfish.

Growth of crayfish until the moment of sale

In open reservoirs, crayfish acquire a marketable appearance at about 4–5 years of age. For the most part, it depends on the climatic conditions of each particular region. But when grown in pools and aquariums with a constant temperature, this period is reduced to 2-3 years, after which the crayfish gain the required weight (about 50 grams) and begin to be of commercial value.

Sales of goods

A marketing strategy is a purely individual matter and in many respects it depends on the local characteristics of the market, as well as on the quantity of the product being produced. Small farms may sell live crayfish to small wholesalers, catering establishments, or distribute to friends, relatives, and acquaintances. You can also rent a separate trading place and sell products on your own. However, this can lead to additional hassle.

Large enterprises have more room to maneuver. They can supply products to large retail or restaurant chains in their region, or organize the export of frozen products to neighboring ones. Ready-to-eat crayfish meat is also in great demand. However, in this case, the owner of the enterprise will have to take care of setting up a separate production line.

Costs and payback

In order to establish this business and make it profitable, indeed, you will have to invest a lot of money, but the payback of such a business is also extremely high. Often it is possible to return the money spent already in the second or third production cycle. The amount of initial costs can be completely different. Everything depends on the method of production and its volume, as well as on the presence or absence of a ready-made material base for the future entrepreneur.

Growing crayfish in ponds will cost about $3,000-5,000. This money will be spent on equipping the pond, obtaining the necessary certificates, installing compressors, aerators and other special devices, as well as purchasing young animals.

Those who plan to grow crayfish in basements or aquariums may well meet $1500-3000. Much here depends on how suitable the future businessman already has the conditions for this business.

The factory way of breeding crayfish is of course the most expensive. Here you will need to find and equip a special room, bring communications, as well as purchase overall expensive equipment and hire employees to service it. $10,000 is the minimum you should be counting on.

Is it worth paying attention to this idea at all? Here everyone has to decide for himself. Fans of “light bread” are probably really better off not taking on this business, but those who are used to working will definitely like this business. The main feature of breeding crayfish is that it will no longer be possible to stop halfway, so here you either bring the matter to the end, or irretrievably lose everything that was invested.

In turn, for those who have already decided, we can advise the following:

never save on equipment;
do not save on the diet of pets;
always take young animals grown in artificial conditions, and not taken from the wild;
never downgrade.

Pros and cons of this field of activity

The main advantages of the cancer business include the following:

high profitability;
lack of fierce competition;
good prospects for further expansion;
stable demand for products;
minimum maintenance costs for an already established business.

Its most obvious disadvantages are:

laborious initial stage;
high financial costs;
long enough.

Growing crayfish at home brings its owner a guaranteed income, because the demand for them is constantly growing. With little competition, you can make big profits. Of course, you won’t be able to immediately count on large sums, because the payback of the enterprise begins in a few years. But despite this, the crayfish business is quite profitable.

Who is this business for?

Breeding crayfish is suitable for both rural and urban areas. Due to the fact that crayfish can be grown in various environments, for example, ponds or home aquariums, this business finds its fans. It is enough to decide how the habitat will be equipped, and having studied the necessary literature, you can organize a business that will bring a stable income to its owner for many years.

Crayfish breeding

Breeding crayfish at home for sale can be done in several ways:

in the basement;
in reservoirs;
in aquariums.

Growing in the basement

Growing crayfish in the basement has a huge plus - it's an underground climate, which is most welcome in this matter. They have a beneficial effect on the development of cancers. Any selected basement must meet the following requirements:

The temperature regime of the room where the lowest temperature indicator will not reach -1 degrees, but rather +15. At the first temperature value, the crayfish will not die, but they will not be able to multiply under such conditions, and in the second case, they can grow comfortably.
The presence of three containers, with a large volume. The material for these containers should be safe for crustaceans, plastic or plexiglass is considered the most suitable. At the bottom of each container, a certain habitat is created, as close as possible to the real one. To do this, sand, stones and clay are poured onto the bottom, the thickness of the clay layer should be sufficient for digging minks.
The presence of cleaning filters. The water in these containers must be purified within 24 hours. If the cleaning procedure is carried out manually, this slows down the growth of crustaceans, and small individuals generally die.
Complete set of equipment for catching and transporting crustaceans.
The presence of an oxygen generator with an oximeter.
Feed.
Artificial conditions of detention imply dense placement of all individuals, therefore, a situation often arises when large crayfish eat babies. To avoid this, large crayfish are transplanted into another tank. For this, the use of three containers is intended.

Growing in ponds

In order to breed crayfish in ponds or other bodies of water, it is necessary to comply with certain requirements and conditions of detention, otherwise the process will not bring the desired result.

Terms:

a lake or pond that will only be used for crustaceans. To populate the first batch of crayfish there, it is necessary to prepare favorable conditions for them, clean the reservoir, remove fish that are predators, and prepare a favorable bottom surface;
The reservoir is divided into three equal parts. As in the case of containers, each part is intended for a certain category of crayfish, in the first part - fry, in the second part - growing individuals and in the third part - adults;
Be sure to consider changing the water. For this, drain pipes and supply pipes are equipped. If there is a river nearby, then the replenishment of the reservoir can be done using a pump. Water changes should take place at least once a month. At one time, 30% of the entire reservoir should change, the same amount of water is added. A larger percentage is not recommended to be changed, otherwise the microclimate in the reservoir can be disturbed and the crayfish will die;
strict adherence to the density of planting individuals. The optimal amount per 1 sq. m. is 5–7 pieces. Usually there is an excess of these standards, but at the very beginning of the business, it is better not to rush and clearly fulfill all the requirements of the content.

Read also: How to start raising pigs as a business and how to succeed

For breeding, it is necessary to select fast-growing breeds that are specially bred for artificial maintenance. One female, during the season, brings about 30 individuals, which will reach a marketable appearance only after 6 years.

Benefits include the following:

small costs for the arrangement of a pond or reservoir;
thanks to the natural food in the pond, the consumption of purchased food is reduced;
during the entire period of growth, there is no large labor costs on the part of the owner.

But there are also disadvantages:

this breeding method is not suitable for all regions, but only for those where there are no severe winters, and the water will not freeze in winter;
long payback period of the business;
low density criteria per 1 sq. m.

Growing in an aquarium

Crayfish breeding in an aquarium as a business involves the creation of artificial habitats. A properly created microclimate, which will be constant regardless of the season, will allow you to receive a stable and uninterrupted income.

The crayfish farm is quite simple - you need to take care of aquariums, the capacity of which reaches 250 liters. At the bottom there are stones, sand, snags, this will bring the living conditions as close as possible to natural ones. For 1 sq. m. in conditions of aquarium breeding, 350 individuals are allowed.

To understand what factors affect the readiness of breeding females, the following should be noted:

The number of trace elements and the level of acidity in the artificial habitat. Usually, one aquarium is allocated for mating, the volume of which must be at least 200 liters. Mating time is autumn.
To get the long-awaited offspring, you must adhere to one rule: there must be twice as many females as males.
The female always carries the laid eggs with her on her paws, so the eggs are constantly in close contact with the mother. After the babies have appeared, they are immediately separated from large individuals in order to avoid their death. Some of the young die during the natural process of molting, and those that remain successfully grow to the desired size.

In order for the business to flourish, it is necessary to expand the volumes, and at home it is unlikely that a large number of such aquariums will be placed. The best place for breeding crayfish will be a home basement. Usually this place is littered with unnecessary things, and by equipping it for a business, you can get quite a lot of profit.

In the basement, the most favorable conditions for the reproduction and cultivation of crustaceans, additional heating and lighting are not needed, it is only necessary to equip special shelves on which aquariums will be placed.

Purchase and shipping

To start a business, you will need the crayfish themselves, which you can buy or catch yourself. The ideal option is to purchase crayfish larvae, but this is not always possible. More often it turns out to acquire adults and raise their offspring. In principle, it does not matter where you get the material for breeding, the main thing is that the proportion of male: female is 1: 2. It is better to postpone the time for buying crayfish until autumn, when the mating process begins, and you can easily distinguish where the female is and where the male is. Females will have eggs under their tails.

For the transportation of crayfish, the dark time of the day is selected, at this time it is especially comfortable for them. Special attention is paid to females with caviar, discomfort can negatively affect future offspring.

Wooden boxes are used for transportation. Crayfish are laid out on their backs in prepared containers. Depending on the height of the box, you can put several rows of crayfish, but no more than 20 pieces. for 1 decimeter.

Crayfish breeding as a business does not make a profit so quickly, but due to the low development of this niche, the competition is low.

An option with less investment is growing in aquariums, when keeping individuals in a pond, you will have to spend more money, but the benefits will be more noticeable.

This is a relatively young way to earn money, so there is no such strong competition in the market.

The cost of setting up your crayfish farm will not pay off so quickly.

But with proper planning, over time, you can get a stable income from this type.

Crayfish breeding business: where to start

For customers, the presence of registration gives more guarantees, and the farmer opens additional doors in the market.

Two options are possible here:

if only cultivation is planned, the business is registered under the OKVED code 01.21 (breeding of domestic animals);
for retail, 23 follows (retail sale of fish products).

In general, breeding crayfish as a business at home can be called a fairly profitable business.

Depending on the scale, it is possible to recoup the cost of arranging a farm within a year.

However, significant profits can be obtained after 4-6 years.

Breeding crayfish will not give tangible income so soon, but subsequently the benefits will only grow.

This niche is still little mastered, so the competition here is not so high.

Crayfish breeding business idea

Before looking in depth at the root of the idea of "cray farming as a business » you should consider all the pros and cons of growing them both in natural conditions and at home. This will allow you to better orient yourself in this case.

How to start a crayfish breeding business

The positives are as follows:

The process of breeding crayfish is one of the types of entrepreneurship that requires minimal costs;

Business requires only start-up capital, in the future it will not be necessary to spend large sums;

It is not necessary to closely monitor the life process of crayfish;

The implementation of crayfish practically does not cause problems, since they are in great demand;

Crayfish farms can be positioned as an "environmentally friendly business", which is very popular at the moment;

Disadvantages of the cancer business:

This type of business has a very long start period, from the start of opening to the process of selling products, up to 3 years should pass;

The payback period of the business is also long up to 4 years;

As you can see, there are fewer shortcomings in this type of entrepreneurship than positive aspects, but they are apparently very significant. This factor scares off many people, but if there is a great desire and interest in cancers, then you can try, wait a few years, and then with a competent approach, you can make good money.

Breeding crayfish at home for sale as a business is able to bring a stable income to the entrepreneur, since crayfish is a specific product and in great demand. This business niche is practically free, few people are engaged in this type of business, so the competition is minimal. It is not profitable for large enterprises to grow crayfish on a large scale, because later it is almost impossible to sell a large batch of products, because crayfish meat is an expensive product, and the payback period is very long.

There are several options for breeding crayfish. The most popular of them:

In open or closed water bodies (artificial or natural);

In aquariums or pools;

In basements;

In installations of the closed water supply;

Breeding crayfish at home for sale, basic requirements.

For cancer business at home, recirculating water supply installations are most often used. To do this, you need a separate room that is well heated, with a constant air temperature of at least 15 ° C.

To populate crayfish you need:

Three large containers made of plastic or plexiglass. The bottom of the tanks should be equipped as naturally as possible for its inhabitants - a layer of stone, sand and clay, thick enough so that the crayfish can make their own minks as in natural conditions.

Water purification filters to provide the farm with clean water. Manual cleaning of pools is not recommended, as small crustaceans may die at this time.

Instruments for catching and transporting crayfish;

Oxygenerator with oximeter;

Several containers are required in the first place in order to ensure optimal reproduction of crustaceans. Large crayfish need to be planted in time in another container after the appearance of small crustaceans, otherwise they will eat them. Adult individuals in the new environment adapt faster, but the young may die.

They feed crustaceans with meat, porridge, vegetables, there is also specialized food. Ordinary foods should be ground before giving them to crayfish.

Usually, blue crayfish are grown at home, since ordinary river crayfish grow for a very long time before they become marketable. You can buy this type of crayfish in special fish farms.

The number of crayfish with which to start the economy depends on the size of the farm premises, the volume of containers and its quantity. The number of males and females should be in a ratio of 1:3. To begin with, you should try to breed crayfish in a small amount, gain experience, and only after that try to expand the business. About 80 crayfish are placed in an aquarium with a volume of 300 liters.

Growing crayfish in conditions close to natural

The second way to breed crayfish is in an artificial or natural reservoir. This method can be used if there is a pond near the house or cottage. Breeding crayfish in a pond implies more natural conditions for their maintenance.

What is needed for this method, what work should be done:

Lake, natural or artificial pond, built independently or rented. Previously, the bottom of it must be cleaned, remove predatory fish;

The prepared reservoir must be divided into three parts - for crustaceans, for young individuals, for pre-sale individuals. Fences need to be made of durable mesh;

It is necessary to consider the supply of fresh and clean water to the reservoir, using pipes or a pump;

The natural planting density of individuals per 1 m 2 should be observed as much as possible - about 5-7 pieces. It is recommended to populate the pond first with crayfish species specially created for artificial keeping, and only then add simple river crayfish to them. It should take about 3 years before crayfish gain marketable weight, under favorable conditions.

Breeding crayfish in artificial and natural reservoirs as a long-term business process, therefore, the crayfish themselves are not cheap. It is best to start the brood with females of the best breeds of crustaceans. The best breeds of crayfish that can be used for brood are:

"Red Swamp", is characterized by small size, but good adaptability to all regions of their breeding. Not picky about care, the minimum water level in the pool with crayfish should be 15 cm;

"Cuban Blue", a breed bred artificially by breeders, grows rapidly within one year. Habitat sandy ponds with hard water, unpretentious care;

"Long-toed European", a prolific and fast-growing breed of crayfish, both in artificial and in natural conditions;

"Australian", this breed of crayfish is bought for restaurants, is in great demand, but is very demanding in care, it needs warm content and a large amount of water (20 liters) of water per crayfish, it grows well in pools;

"Marble", a single-sex breed of crayfish, a large individual, keep them in warm water with a temperature of up to 28 Cº.

You can buy the desired breed of crayfish for brood in fish farms, the cost of a female per piece is about $ 8. If you order in advance, you can purchase a ready-made herd of 500 individuals at a lower price of up to $ 5 per 1 piece. The most expensive female of the elite breed can cost up to $100 apiece. You can not buy crayfish, but catch them yourself in a river or lake, but then you have to wait up to 4 years until they grow up.

Before you start breeding crayfish, you should carefully study the features of their life activity - the necessary parameters of habitat, growth and reproduction.

Crustaceans prefer reservoirs with a dense sandy or clay bottom with the presence of limestone. Under natural conditions, crayfish hide from predators in snags, tree roots, fallen trees, stumps, and stones. In artificial reservoirs, it is also worth organizing such conditions for them.

Crayfish show sensitivity to different water quality, because they are also called indicators of water purity. Crayfish will not optimally reproduce and live in water bodies in the water, which contains industrial waste, chemical pollution, as well as a silty and cluttered bottom. Water for crayfish should contain a sufficient amount of oxygen - 5-7 mg / l, hydrogen - 7-9 mg / l. The temperature in the pond where the crayfish live should be 18-22 Cº. Young individuals require more heat - the water temperature is optimal for them up to 24 Cº.

Mating in crayfish takes place every year, but the periods in each region are different. Most often it is from February to March or from October to November. One male can fertilize up to 3 females. The female lays up to 500 eggs, but not all of them survive. In general, one female is able to give offspring up to 30 crustaceans.

Varied diet of crayfish- plant and animal foods, such as worms, small fish, mosquito larvae, algae. As a rule, crayfish do not hunt, but take what lies nearby, they grab the prey with claws and tear it off piece by piece. Cancer is able to eat up to 2% of the feed of its weight. You can buy specialized food for crustaceans, or you can feed them with porridge.

The threat to the life of crayfish living in natural habitats is predatory fish, muskrats, birds, otters. The most dangerous period for crayfish is the period of their molting, when they are without a shell. It is during this period that crayfish hide as deep as possible in snags, burrows, and come out of the shelter only to eat. The molting period is obligatory for crayfish - this is how they grow. If there is a lack of food in the habitat of crayfish, they begin to eat each other, the strongest survive. If crayfish live in natural conditions, they do not hibernate in winter. They simply become less mobile, burrow deeper into the bottom of the reservoir and continue to feed as usual.

In artificial favorable living conditions, when there are no predators nearby, there is always food, warmth, clean water - the cancer reaches its marketable weight in three years. This is why not many businessmen are willing to wait that long to establish a business. Of course, in nature, there are breeds of crayfish described above, which grow rapidly and are able to gain the desired weight in one year, and you can also buy already one-year-old crayfish for brood. Therefore, if there is a great desire, you can try to implement this business idea.