home Audience 3 Growing crayfish as a business. Requirements for an artificial pond. Equipment for crab farming

Growing crayfish as a business. Requirements for an artificial pond. Equipment for crab farming

Breeding crayfish at home brings a stable income, which is ensured by stable demand. Competition in this business is weak. Large fish farms do not want to work closely with crustaceans, since initial stage payback does not give the desired profit with large volumes of investment. Sell large quantities in short time quite complicated: the most tender crayfish meat is an expensive product that can be offered to a limited circle of customers.

Let's look at two ways to organize a crayfish business. Let's call the first one “home production”. The second method involves breeding in conditions close to natural.

Breeding crayfish in RAS

The essence of the business idea for breeding in a RAS (Closed Water Supply Unit): technology for breeding crayfish indoors.

Conditions for keeping:

The presence of a room or a separate building where in the winter the air temperature will not drop below -1°C (but better - not below +15°C; in the first case, the crayfish will remain alive, in the second, they will continue to grow and gain weight).
At least three large-volume containers made of safe material (metal will not work, take plastic or plexiglass); Stones, sand and clay are poured onto the bottom (the layer should be sufficient for digging holes). Polypropylene pools for RAS will cost $400/piece.
Purification filters (a farm for breeding crayfish must be provided with clean water 24 hours a day, and with frequent manual changes of water, claw-shaped crayfish grow and reproduce poorly, and small crustaceans may even die).
Devices for catching and transporting crustaceans.
Oxygenator with oximeter $1500.
$300 worth of food lasts for six months.

Why do you need several containers?

IN artificial conditions The stocking density of individuals is too high. Naturally, large and strong crayfish They will eat the small ones. To prevent this from happening, after the appearance of new offspring, adult individuals are planted separately. NOT SMALL, BUT BIG. Adults adapt faster to new conditions. Babies can die.

What to feed? Pieces of vegetables, meat, and some cereals are suitable. There are also special feed for cancer.

What species to breed? Crayfish take too long to become marketable. The best option for a home farm is blue crayfish. We purchase them from a specialized fish farm.

How many individuals should I start raising crayfish at home with? It all depends on the size of the room, volume and number of aquariums. The ratio of males to females is 1:3. It is better to start with a small number of individuals. Observe, gain experience, and then expand the business. In a 300 liter container you can add, for example, 80 individuals.

Breeding crayfish in the country

The essence of the idea: breeding crayfish in ponds and other natural bodies of water.

Conditions for keeping:

your own lake, made independently or rented (it needs to be cleaned, freed from predator fish, and the bottom prepared);
the reservoir will have to be divided into three parts with a strong mesh or a separate nursery pool will have to be built (in one part the crustaceans are born, in the second they grow, in the third they gain pre-sale weight);
we will have to figure out how to ensure the change of water in the lake; these can be drain and supply pipes; if a river flows nearby, you can install a powerful pump;
the planting density of individuals is 5-7 per square meter (in practice, these figures are exceeded, but at the very beginning of your activity it is better to comply with the natural requirement).

It is better to start growing with fast-growing breeds specially bred for artificial reservoirs. Then you can add river fish too.

To gain commercial weight, cancer patients need an average of at least three years (under ideal living conditions). Don’t believe it when they say: I hooked it in the spring, caught it in the fall and sold it. This business pays off only over time. If crayfish grew quickly, they would cost pennies.

Crayfish of the best breeds for brood

In this business, success largely depends on the correct choice of the breed of cancerous females, especially in the initial stages. The most interesting of them:

The Cuban Blue is an artificially bred breed of fast-growing crayfish that reaches adult weight in less than a year. The Cuban Blue is not picky in its diet. It reproduces well in sandy ponds with hard water.

"Australian" is the most popular breed among wholesalers and restaurants. Requires luxurious and warm conditions for keeping. One individual needs 20 liters of water. But the Australian crayfish is very well adapted to pool growing.

The "European Longfingered" is a fast-growing and very prolific breed. Bytsro reproduces both in artificial and natural reservoirs.

"Marbled Crayfish" - Large-sized single-sex breed. Reproduces by parthenogenesis ( female cells develop without fertilization). But to keep this breed you will need a water temperature of +28 degrees.

"Red swamp crayfish" is a small, but well-adapted species on all continents except Australia. It is not fussy about maintenance, and the minimum water level for maintenance is only 15 cm.

Crayfish for brood are sold by fish, farms by weight and even by piece for an average of $5 per female. They also offer broodstock on request (300-500 individuals at $3/piece). The cost of females is the most expensive breeds can reach $100. You can also catch crayfish for free in natural reservoirs, but they will grow up to 4-5 years.

What do crayfish need?

To successfully grow crustaceans, it is necessary to take into account their natural habitat, reproduction and growth conditions. Let's outline the main points:

Crayfish love reservoirs with a low-silt, dense bottom (sandy, clay), where calcareous rocks are present. A prerequisite is the presence of roots, snags, fallen trees, stones where you can hide from predators.
Crustaceans are very sensitive to water quality. It’s not for nothing that they are considered indicators of the cleanliness of a reservoir. They will not live and breed where there is waste from industrial production, chemicals, where there is a lot of silt and litter.
The water should be rich in oxygen (5-7 mg/l) and hydrogen (7-9 mg/l). Adults feel great at temperatures from +18 to +21 degrees. Small crustaceans need more heat - 21-24 degrees above zero.
Crayfish mate annually. Time varies by region. As a rule, this is the end of October - November or the end of February - March. One male can fertilize up to three females. She lays from 110 to 480 eggs. Of course, not everyone survives. One female produces up to 30 crustaceans per year.
Crayfish feed on both plant and animal foods. These can be mosquito larvae, worms, small, “trash” fish or weak specimens of medium-sized fish and algae. Crayfish don't hunt. They grab whatever is nearby. They hold the prey with their claws and bite off one piece at a time. The volume of food is 2% of your own weight. There is a special feed for crayfish, but they are not picky eaters. Crayfish can be fed with regular porridge.
Predatory fish, waterfowl, otters, and muskrats prey on all species of the crustacean family.
Cancerous individuals that have shed are most at risk. The lack of a shell makes them vulnerable. Therefore, during this period, cancer tries to hide deeper. And it only comes out in extreme cases when it's time to eat. But molting is required. At this time, cancerous cells grow.
If there is not enough food, crustaceans eat each other. The strong eat the weak.
In nature, crayfish do not hibernate in winter. They burrow deeper and continue to feed as before.

If the conditions are suitable (a good body of water, enough food, warmth, no one to hunt), then the cancer reaches an “edible” form by three years. This circumstance stops many businessmen. But there are breeds of fast-growing crayfish breeds that reach adult sizes within a period of up to 1 year, such as the “Cuban Blue”. In addition, in specialized stores you can purchase one or two year-old crustaceans for brood.

Ways of implementation

The most difficult thing in the cancer business is raising this very cancer. Implementing it is easy. For example, you can hand over finished products to a wholesale buyer, so as not to worry about transportation, storage and sanitary documents. Even with low wholesale selling prices, profitability will remain firmly above 100%. There will always be customers for this product. Offer clawfish live weight.

grocery stores;
restaurants, cafes;
beer bars, points;
to individual individuals.

Retail cost live weight is $10/kg. (this is about 5-7 pieces of small sizes). The grown products are easy to cook and sell ready-made. The popularity of this snack even exceeds the popularity of fish and pizza.

The idea of growing crayfish may come to mind various reasons. This is both a desire to earn money and simply to eat tasty organic food. pure product. The meat of these arthropods is not only a delicacy, but also useful product. It contains a minimum of calories and a maximum of elements necessary for the body: sulfur, calcium, vitamins E and group B. Crayfish can be bred in ponds (natural or artificial) or in aquariums.

In order for crayfish to take root and reproduce well, the reservoir must be from 1.5 m to 3 m deep. Its bottom is sandy or rocky. There must also be conditions for animals to dig holes. Optimal quantity ponds - at least three with an area of at least 30 m2. Two of them are intended for fattening, and one for raising fingerlings. Insulating the pool ensures accelerated growth of crayfish, because at subzero temperatures, crustaceans hibernate or even die. No less important is the indicator of water purity and acidity. To do this, the water must be running and the pH must range between 6.5 and 8.0. This can be ensured by a drainage system and pumps. Change the water every 2-3 weeks, but no more than 30%, so as not to disturb the natural microclimate. Buy breeding stock from specialized commercial enterprises. The pond is populated with adults with eggs at night, being careful not to damage the offspring during transportation. You can also release the fry, but no later than the second half of August, so that they have time to acclimatize. For each male there should be two or three females, which he will subsequently fertilize. The planting density is small - six to eight pieces per 1 m2.

It is better to keep large crayfish separately from young animals, as they are capable of devouring their offspring. Only at 3-4 years of life do animals reach marketable weight. In captivity, crustaceans feed on mixed feed, chopped vegetables and grains, algae and worms that can be found in a pond. Feeding is done at sunset, because crayfish are nocturnal inhabitants. Breeding crayfish in artificial aquariums guarantees a continuous process of animal growth. Purchase containers on the market or make them yourself from non-toxic material: plastic, polypropylene or plexiglass. Arrange the bottom with sand and small boulders to create a familiar environment for your pets. In addition, you will need air aerators, an oxygenator, a salinity meter, a thermometer and oximeter, heaters and a water filtration system. In aquariums, crayfish molt not once a year, but 3-4. This means that they will gain marketable weight faster than their relatives from open water bodies (crayfish only grow when they shed their shells). Regardless of how you raise crayfish, they need to be protected from disease and infection. Strictly control temperature regime, change the water on time, saturating it with oxygen. Do not overfeed the livestock.

As you can see, growing crayfish in open reservoirs is a less expensive activity, but animals grow slower than in aquariums, because no one has canceled seasonality (at least in central Russia). Plus, this business requires considerable investment, the payback period of which is 3-4 years.

Since ancient times, crayfish have been considered a delicacy. Thanks to their delicate taste, crayfish dishes are very popular among a huge range of consumers. If 20 years ago crayfish were available only in the summer, mainly for residents of southern latitudes, now, thanks to their cultivation on an industrial scale, this delicacy can be on everyone’s table.

Given the great demand for crayfish, the business of growing them is considered one of the most profitable.

Advantages and disadvantages of this activity

Business has the following undeniable advantages:

Firstly, it does not require large financial investments at the initial stage. The cost of one kilogram of live crayfish is 400-500 rubles. If we're talking about about breeding on an industrial scale, it is necessary to equip a pond, purchase aquariums, as well as a water filtration and heating system, since for normal life For crayfish, the optimal water temperature is 18 degrees Celsius.
Secondly, crayfish as a gastronomic product are in constant demand. Therefore, there are no problems with the sale of products.

The only disadvantage of this business is that the reproduction of crustaceans is carried out in the autumn season. Thus, the first profit is possible no earlier than a year after the organization of activities.

Where to begin?

First you need to register your organization as .

At the registration stage, in the documents submitted to the tax office, you should indicate 01.21 “Breeding of domestic animals”. For implementation finished products you must enter code 52.23 " Retail fish, crustaceans and molluscs."

If you have not yet registered an organization, then easiest way This can be done using online services that will help you generate all the necessary documents for free: If you already have an organization and you are thinking about how to simplify and automate accounting and reporting, then the following online services will come to the rescue and will completely replace an accountant at your enterprise and will save a lot of money and time. All reporting is generated automatically, signed electronically and sent automatically online. It is ideal for individual entrepreneurs or LLCs on the simplified tax system, UTII, PSN, TS, OSNO.
Everything happens in a few clicks, without queues and stress. Try it and you will be surprised how easy it has become!

Breeding conditions

Home option

Breeding crustaceans at home should begin with preparing the premises:

The ideal option is a spacious room that will be fully equipped for this business. The air temperature should not fall below 18 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, the crayfish will hibernate or die.
Perfect as a container for breeding aquariums with a capacity of 250 liters. They must be made of glass or plastic. Should be avoided metal structures, since upon contact with water in which crayfish live, compounds harmful to these animals are formed. They may get sick and die. Avoid securing aquariums in racks or other similar structures. The fact is that breakdowns or failure of aquarium elements are inevitable.
It is better to purchase an aquarium with a bottom water supply, as well as equipped with filters and microcompressors for water aeration. All this can be bought at pet stores. The price of such equipment is 50-60 thousand rubles. Gravel, sand, pebbles and other small elements should be placed at the bottom, which will be used by crayfish as a shelter.
The main advantage of breeding in aquariums is the ease of monitoring water quality and maintaining optimal conditions for crayfish. Having created ideal conditions, you can count on rapid growth of their population, as well as a reduction in embryonic development by 3-4 months. Planting density of crayfish in aquariums – 50 units per 1 square meter.
It is best to stock up on not one, but several aquariums. The growth of the crayfish population leads to the fact that they begin to destroy their own kind. Large individuals eat young animals. To avoid the death of the crustaceans, they should be placed in another aquarium. After they appear, you should not change the water for several days, as small crustaceans may go unnoticed by you.

You can feed crayfish with any food. They eat plant and animal foods wonderfully: porridge, potatoes, carrots, leftover fish, meat and other food products. It is best to place food in a specially designated area. The main thing to remember is that overeating animals has a negative impact on their health. So it is better to underfeed them than to overfeed them.

The main disadvantage of breeding at home is the small volume of cancer products. This method does not reach industrial scale. But you can use crustaceans for food for your household, friends and relatives. Also aquarium method breeding is well suited for growing crayfish larvae. In aquariums they develop much faster than in the natural environment. Constantly maintaining temperature and oxygen balance will help prevent the death of larvae.

In the ponds

This method is economically feasible, as it does not require large expenses. Crayfish feel great in natural reservoirs with fresh water. When organizing such breeding, follow these tips:

You can use natural or specialized ponds, reservoirs in dachas or other land plots. Much attention You should pay attention to the quality of water and soil in the reservoir, since the success of your enterprise depends on this. Crayfish prefer clay or sandy soil with the presence of silt.
For the full development of animals, they need houses that will be located in the ground. If the density of the clay is low, then the crayfish will create their own burrows. However, it is better to ensure that the pond contains stones, driftwood, pebbles and other natural elements that can be used by crayfish as shelter.
Water quality also plays a big role. It is necessary to monitor the temperature of the water in the reservoir, as well as maintain an optimal level of oxygen in it. If we take natural bodies of water as the basis for business, then the amount of oxygen in them is present in sufficient quantities. Indoor and specialized ponds require special equipment to supply the water with oxygen. Water temperature should not be below 17 degrees Celsius. When the temperature drops, natural suspended animation of crayfish occurs.
Considering this property Crustaceans, central Russia is best suited for breeding. Northern latitudes are unsuitable for this business. If maintained year-round the necessary conditions for the growth and development of animals, their population will increase much faster.
Another important nuance is the nutrition of crayfish. For rapid growth and significant weight gain, it is necessary to place specialized feeders with food. Of course, crayfish in ponds can feed on algae, plants or animal waste. But in such conditions they gain weight over several years. Therefore, the process of growing them and making a profit can take 3-4 years.
Regular catching of adult crayfish from small individuals is also important. A dedicated network is best suited for this.

The only drawback of growing crayfish in ponds is that their population density in these reservoirs is small and amounts to 8-10 crayfish per 1 square meter.

In the basement

This method is practically no different from growing at home. The only peculiarity is that the premises are not a living space, but a basement. As a rule, all houses have a basement. There is no need to use heaters, since throughout the year the air temperature here is the required 17-18 degrees Celsius. For lighting, one 200-watt light bulb is sufficient, which is best placed in the center of the ceiling.

Aquariums and other containers in which crayfish will be grown should be placed on prepared racks. After completing the preparatory activities, you can safely purchase crustaceans and populate your aquariums with them.

Buying crayfish

Acquiring crayfish larvae is quite a difficult task. Therefore, it is best to buy adults. There is a small point to take into account: There should be two females for every male.

To breed large specimens of crustaceans, you need to purchase blue crayfish. They quickly gain weight, so they do not need long and painstaking cultivation.

The cost of 1 kilogram of adult animals ranges from 200 to 1000 rubles, depending on their size. Of course, purchase costs can be kept to a minimum: to do this, you need to catch them yourself in the nearest pond. But crayfish demand long term care and will be ready for sale only after 3-4 years of breeding.

Care and feeding

Caring for crayfish requires compliance with the following rules:

Maintaining normal water temperature. For adults it is 17-20 degrees Celsius. Rapid growth of larvae is possible at a temperature of 23-24 degrees Celsius. At low temperature crayfish become lethargic, eat poorly and grow more slowly. The lower the water temperature, the more likely it is that animals will go into suspended animation.
Optimal amount of oxygen in water. In natural reservoirs, the oxygen content in water is balanced. For aquariums and closed reservoirs, forced aeration is required, which is provided by compressors.
Disease Prevention. Cancers are susceptible infectious diseases, which lead to a reduction in the number of adults and the death of young animals. Preventive measures aimed at maintaining optimal temperature and composition of water, as well as the necessary diet, will help to avoid them.

Crustacean nutrition

IN natural conditions Crayfish are herbivores, but also consume animal remains, such as carrion, worms and other organic matter. In captivity, they can be fed with porridges from various cereals, boiled chopped potatoes and carrots, meat, and fish. To ensure that the amount of food is sufficient, you should use a simple formula: amount of food = weight of crayfish*2%.

Product sales channels

The demand for crayfish is explained by the fact that their meat is considered a gourmet product. Therefore, the main consumers of these products are establishments Catering. These include restaurants, cafes, and retail chain companies. To ensure regular profits, preference should be given to long-term supplies. This requires the conclusion of contracts.

The sale of crayfish is possible among ordinary consumers - friends, relatives, acquaintances. Sales in city markets are also possible. In our country, relaxation in bathhouses, saunas, and bars is becoming increasingly popular, where crayfish serve as an invariable snack for beer. Therefore, you can also occupy this niche in your city, having previously discussed the terms of delivery with the heads of these institutions.

Thus, the amount of profit is directly related to the amount regular customers who are guaranteed to purchase your products.

Total costs and expected profitability of the company

To calculate profitability, let’s take the option of breeding in a natural body of water - a pond. An area of 25 square meters can accommodate 200 individuals weighing 30 kilograms. Therefore, the feed volume will be 600 grams. After 1.5 years, the weight of the crayfish will double. Thus, the cost of feed will be 4,000 rubles. Provided that the cost of sold live crayfish will be 400-500 rubles per kilogram, then the total profit for 1.5 years will be 26,000 rubles.

Larger profitability indicators are possible in the 5-6th year of operation of the farm. However, entrepreneurs specializing in the breeding of crustaceans note that the profit with each year of operation farm increases and reaches 300%.

Video about crustacean farming

The following video describes in detail the details of raising these animals:

Many of those who have at least once tasted crayfish meat have become true fans of it. delicate taste. Crayfish meat is popular and not cheap, there is a demand for it all year round. Therefore, the idea of breeding crayfish for business deserves close attention. In Russia, the cultivation of crayfish on an industrial scale is practically undeveloped, and the demand for their meat remains invariably high. Before the revolution in Russia crayfish grown under artificial conditions, crawfish meat was imported to many European countries at that time. Today, the main suppliers of crayfish to the world market are China, Spain and Turkey, where they are not found at all.

Almost any body of fresh water is suitable for this, except those that are swampy or silted. Fish ponds are also suitable, but populated with non-predatory crucian carps, carps, etc. Breeding crayfish in ponds as a business is made difficult by the harsh conditions of the Russian winter. When the temperature environment becomes lower than optimal for the life of crayfish, they go into suspended animation (hibernation), stop eating and do not gain weight at all. If the pond freezes to the bottom, the crayfish will die.

Under natural conditions, crayfish grow slowly, gaining marketable weight and length (40–50 g, 9–10 cm in length) by approximately the fifth year of life. That is, another disadvantage of this method of growing crayfish is that profits are made in the sixth year of the business’s existence. In natural ponds, the population density of crayfish is low: 8 animals per square meter. But there is practically no initial investment in such a business. Breeding and growing crayfish in a pond has a number of advantages; the pond is a sustainable aquatic system that itself is cleaned and renewed. And you can save significantly on aerators and filters, as well as on food, since crayfish feed on natural plankton, algae and the larvae of various insects.

Business of breeding crayfish in aquariums

Breeding crayfish at home is possible, but technically difficult. You will need a frameless aquarium with a volume of 250 liters or more. Soil is poured onto the bottom of the aquarium, and driftwood and stones are also placed to cover the crayfish. This method of cultivation allows them to prevent hibernation at a constant optimal temperature, as well as intensive aeration and filtration of water. Under such conditions, the stocking density of crayfish is increased to 350 animals per square meter and ensures rapid weight gain.

The only drawback of this breeding -limited area, large industrial volumes will not be achieved. But they proceed as follows: crayfish larvae are raised in an aquarium until they become so-called fingerlings, and then they are released into the RAS pool or simply into the pond. The quality of water in the aquarium should be strictly controlled so that the larvae do not die, and also so that they develop faster.

Growing crayfish in the basement

Basements are used to store unnecessary things, but it is wiser to try to get additional income from the use of this space, which is not used for housing. Growing crayfish in the basement will not require additional insulation: for these animals it is enough when the temperature does not drop below +7 degrees, and in the summer they stay within 17–20 degrees. To illuminate the basement, you only need one 200 W bulb in the middle of the ceiling. In the basement, install multi-tiered shelving to house aquariums.

Breeding crayfish at home

For those who are not strapped for money and are planning to make crayfish as a business generate significant income, we advise you to organize a farm for breeding on an industrial scale.

Where to buy crayfish

It is not often possible to purchase crayfish larvae, so you will have to purchase adult animals and raise the young ones yourself. You can buy crayfish at any place where they are sold. For every two females there is one male. The mating season for crayfish begins in the fall, and at the end of spring, females differ from males by the presence of eggs under the tail. Depending on the size of the animals, a kilogram of live crayfish costs from 300 to 500 rubles, but you can avoid these costs by catching animals yourself in the nearest pond.

What do they eat

Crayfish are herbivorous animals, but in natural conditions they do not disdain a variety of organic remains and carrion. Insect larvae and small ones also serve as food. When artificially bred, the diet of crayfish is made up of steamed crushed grain, boiled potatoes and grated carrots, and the source of protein is fish and meat. Daily norm food – 2% of weight.

How do they reproduce?

Crayfish mate between September and October. Males fertilize two females in a row, and when they come across a third, they eat her. This determines the recommended ratio of females and males in the reservoir. First, the eggs are placed under the female's shell, and later she lays them, and the eggs are attached under the tail to the shell and abdominal legs. For proper development The embryos are constantly cleaned and washed with water. The larvae hatch from the eggs after two months. For another three weeks the female hides them under her tail from everyone possible dangers, until they turn into independent crustaceans. IN natural conditions habitat, each female on average raises 12 young crustaceans. At home, the number of offspring from one female is increased to 60 crustaceans per year.

Shedding

In the first year of life, young crayfish molt eight times, in the second year the number decreases to four to five, and in the third to three to four times. Adult crayfish molt 1–2 times a year. During this period, the cancer sheds its old shell, which becomes tight, and at the same time the animal grows. The molting period in the life of a crayfish is important; at this time it becomes vulnerable and represents easy prey for both birds of prey and fish.

Important points about growing crayfish

Temperature. 17–20 degrees are considered optimal for adult crayfish. For rapid development of larvae, approximately 23 degrees is required. When it is lower, crayfish eat poorly and grow worse, and in winter they go into suspended animation (hibernation);
Aeration. Young crayfish are sensitive to the quality of water and the oxygen content in it. When growing in a country pond, gas exchange occurs in a natural way, since the surface area of the pond in relation to the depth is large. Pools and aquariums require forced aeration;

For the full functioning of a crayfish farm, it is necessary to properly equip and select a place for them. Options for arranging successful crayfish breeding on a farm:

Aquariums. Aquariums are used that are equipped with a filtration system, heaters for incubating eggs and compressors. When water quality is constantly monitored, the loss of larvae is minimal and they develop quickly;
Swimming pools. From the incubation aquarium, young crayfish that have become independent are transplanted into one pool, and adolescents into another (or several). As they mature, young crayfish are sorted into different tanks, where they grow to the fingerling stage, and then they are released into special indoor ponds;
Ponds. Two or more of these are made for breeding crayfish. Area 25 sq. m, and a depth of 2 m. For gas exchange, it is recommended to arrange elongated ponds. When it is possible to dig a number of ponds on a farm, it is recommended that two or three of them be covered. Plus, when the water in the ponds is running, it’s good to have a river nearby. If there isn’t one, drill water wells. At the bottom of ponds, shelters are needed: stones, fragments of ceramic or plastic pipes, driftwood, etc. In covered ponds they arrange intensive cultivation young-of-the-year crayfish. Use one of them as a “mother cell” - permanent residence of the brood stock. In open ponds, crayfish grow naturally. Separation is necessary to expand the range to produce crayfish different weights and size, they will vary in price.

Implementation

With a constant shortage of crayfish, persistent demand and low competition, one of the main advantages of this business is the absence of problems with the place of sale. The sale of crayfish is negotiated with bars, cafes and restaurants; in many cases, we immediately talk about wholesale supplies. They offer live crayfish to relatives, neighbors, friends, acquaintances, etc. Few people know that salted crayfish caviar is almost as good in nutrition and taste as red caviar. And the chitinous shell of animals is a valuable raw material for various types production.

Business plan for crayfish farming

A business plan for a crayfish farm looks something like this:

When the farm has a pond of 25 square meters. m natural origin, it is optimal to place 200 young-of-the-year crayfish with a total weight of 30 kg. Feed consumption for this number of animals is 600 g. per day. After a year and a half, each crayfish weighs twice as much, during which time the cost of food will reach four thousand rubles. Please note that crayfish reach marketable weight in 2–3 years (in an equipped farm) or 4–5 years (in natural conditions). On the market, a kilogram of crayfish costs 450–500 rubles; in a year and a half you will get 26 thousand net profit. This figure may seem small, but taking into account the fact that the proposed business does not require start-up capital investments, the profit is tangible. Children or old people can handle the work on a crayfish farm. Tangible profits from the crayfish breeding business appear in the sixth to eighth year of existence, and increase in subsequent years. Long-term income generation is a disadvantage of this business.

Paperwork

Register as an individual entrepreneur. Many farmers recommend completing the paperwork immediately after receiving the first catches and accessing the opportunity to sell and make a profit. This will allow you to get rid of such problems: over such a long period of time, legislation changes, you will not have to deal with reporting during the initial breeding of the population.

There will be no differences in registering and registering a business from any other farm. The only thing that is required to sell the product is the presence of documents on the sanitary inspection of the farm, as well as a veterinary certificate, which confirms the safety of crayfish for consumption. In practice, obtaining such documentation does not require large expenditures both in terms of finances and time, taking into account the fact that in this activity a month of waiting is not critical for the further development of the business. All that is required is to allow employees of the sanitary and epidemiological station to enter the farm territory, ensure water intake and examination, and also provide the animals for veterinary control for inspection.

Industrial cultivation of crayfish is not popular among domestic businessmen. Large enterprises working in the field of aquaculture try to avoid this direction, since the long payback period does not justify significant investments in setting up a crayfish farm. As a result, the high demand for products is partially satisfied by catching crustaceans in natural reservoirs, however, the size and quality of these individuals leave much to be desired.

In such a situation, one can consider breeding crayfish at home as a business that brings in a small but stable profit. In addition, a farm of this scale does not require intensive care: the entrepreneur’s daily tasks are limited to feeding the pets once and checking the water quality. Finally, modern equipment makes it possible to grow not only the familiar crayfish, but also larger, heat-loving species, the high market value of which serves as an additional incentive for beginners.

Business Features

The simplest way to organize a business is considered to be breeding crayfish in a pond: to set up a farm, an entrepreneur just needs to rent or purchase a plot of land with a natural reservoir. The pond basin is cleared of debris, populated with young animals, and after 5–6 years a self-reproducing population is obtained.

Of course, one cannot expect any significant income in this case: the simplified methodology completely excludes the possibility of controlling the parameters that are most important for the growth of the herd, which include chemical composition and water temperature, feeding ration and stocking density. Therefore, experienced farmers prefer intensive crayfish breeding technologies, which involve the construction of artificial reservoirs with a partially or fully controlled environment. Advantages this method are obvious:

An entrepreneur can receive his first profit in 12–18 months;
Individuals grow much faster, and within a year they reach a weight of 100–150 g;
When placing aquariums or pools in heated rooms, you can buy heat-loving crayfish species that are highly productive for breeding at home;
Thanks to control over reproduction and incubation, the survival rate of young animals increases to 85–90%.

The business of growing crayfish is characterized by certain advantages and disadvantages: in order to draw a conclusion about the feasibility of implementing this idea, the entrepreneur must consider them in their entirety, taking into account, first of all, factors that can turn into an insurmountable obstacle for him. Listing positive sides, it is necessary to mention that:

There are several methods for breeding crayfish at home for sale, and some of them are quite loyal to the amount of investment;
During the work process, the entrepreneur’s expenses are limited to payment utilities and purchase of feed at the rate of 0.5 kg per individual per year;
Caring for crayfish requires virtually no time or physical effort;
An entrepreneur need not be afraid of competition, since in Russia few farmers are involved in the implementation of the business idea of crayfish breeding;
Demand for products remains high regardless of the season.

The main disadvantage of this type of activity is considered slow growth crayfish: representatives of common river species reach commercial sizes within several years. Besides:

Setting up a crayfish breeding farm using intensive technologies requires significant investments;
In open reservoirs, at water temperatures below 17°C, crustaceans stop growing and hibernate, so the business is seasonal;
Regardless of the method of cultivation and the type of crayfish, a return on investment should not be expected earlier than in 3-4 years.

Species for breeding

An entrepreneur who wants to buy live crayfish for breeding must take into account factors such as the growth rate and marketable size of individuals, consumer demand and climatic features of the region - the domestic buyer perceives some quite edible crustaceans exclusively as a decoration for the aquarium, and keeping heat-loving species in the conditions of the Middle Zone only possible in closed heated tanks. In general, the following are suitable for growing using intensive methods:

Breeding methods

Popular methods for keeping crustaceans can be divided into two groups: the first involves the creation of identical natural conditions for breeding crayfish, while the second focuses exclusively on achieving maximum productivity through the formation of an artificial environment with optimal parameters for the development of the population.

Open ponds

Breeding crayfish in a pond is characterized by high labor intensity at the initial stage: it is necessary to dig out several reservoirs with flat walls on the site and equip them with water circulation systems. The area of each can be 0.01–0.1 hectares with a depth of up to two meters. The bottom should be lined with clay, covered with sheets of polypropylene or plastic film, and then a layer of sand and stones should be poured on top, under which the crayfish can build their shelters.

In the future, the entrepreneur’s tasks are reduced to periodic monitoring of water quality, timely aeration and algae removal. It is also recommended to regularly feed pets, since with high planting densities, the volume of natural food supply may be insufficient. When listing other requirements for artificial ponds, it is necessary to mention that:

In order to avoid the death of livestock, reservoirs should under no circumstances completely freeze, so in cold climates it is advisable to deepen them to 3.5–4 m;
To prevent flowering and growth of microalgae, up to 30% of the total water volume must be replaced every two weeks;
Drainage ditches should be dug along the perimeter of the ponds, as well as strengthening the shoreline and creating shade by planting grass and trees.

Advantages of the method:

The cost of maintaining the reservoir is minimal;
The water in the ponds is partially aerated and purified through natural processes;
The development of a natural food supply allows you to save on the maintenance of crayfish.

Flaws:

In open water, crayfish grow quite slowly;
Acceptable planting density is no more than 5–6 pcs/m²;
It is impossible to control the temperature and chemical composition of the water;
To fill the ponds you need a constant source of water supply;
It is necessary to think over ways to drain ponds - you cannot simply pour hundreds of tons of water into the garden or yard;
It is difficult to remove young animals after breeding broodstock;
In winter, crayfish do not gain weight.

Aquariums

You can start breeding crayfish in an aquarium not only in the village, but also in urban conditions - just choose a room in which the temperature does not drop below 19–21°C. Here, several wide aquariums with a capacity of about 250 liters each are installed, filled with soil and plants, and then equipped with microclimate and water quality control systems.

As a business, breeding crayfish for sale in an aquarium involves large-scale investments - the cost of a tank equipped with everything necessary is commensurate with the cost of equipping a pond with an area of 90–100 m². Therefore, this method is mainly used to contain decorative species, or for raising fry before planting in open ponds.

Advantages of the method:

Availability of an automated control system;
Ability to maintain any given temperature;
Thanks to the heating of water, crayfish do not go to winter;
The permissible planting density is up to 30 pcs/m².

Flaws:

High cost of equipment per unit of production;
Aquariums need to be cleaned regularly, water and plants changed.

RAS installations

Special equipment for breeding crayfish is more cost-effective and practical than ponds: for example, under natural conditions, individuals reach marketable weight in 3–4 years, while in closed water supply installations this period is halved. Moreover, the ability to regulate the parameters of the aquatic environment in a RAS makes it possible to breed Australian crayfish and other productive species that grow to the required size in just 12–18 months.

Commercially available installations are equipped with equipment that makes it possible to purify water from impurities and waste residues, subject it to disinfection, heat it and saturate it with oxygen. They are placed in any insulated rooms where the temperature does not drop below 10°C: in a home farm, basements or sheds can be used as such.

Advantages of the method:

Water consumption is limited to the initial filling of the crayfish tanks and minor level adjustments after evaporation;
The growth rate of pets does not depend on the season and outside temperature;
The operation of the installation is fully automated;
The vital activity of the herd is perfectly controlled - females can be removed for spawning, fry can be sorted and crayfish can be kept separately for sale;
The planting density of adults is up to 25 pcs/m², fry - up to 250 pcs/m².

Flaws:

High cost of equipment;
The air humidity in the room increases significantly;
The operation of the installation is accompanied by the consumption of electricity.

Farm in the basement

The advantages of intensive crayfish breeding technologies fully compensate for the costs associated with setting up a farm: the productivity of a RAS installation with a capacity of 2 m³ is equivalent to the productivity of an open pond with an area of 80 m². In a small insulated basement 5x10 m, you can place five such installations and by breeding Australian red-clawed crayfish, you can annually obtain at least 120–130 kg of products. In the process of preparing the premises, the following must be taken into account:

The basement must be dry, free from fungus and mold, with concrete floors and walls. When pests are detected, it is necessary to use sulfur bombs and aerosol insecticides. It should be noted that crayfish can be introduced into pools only 12–14 days after treatment;
For active life, crayfish practically do not need light. In the basement it is enough to install several lamps at the rate of 5 W/m² and organize the duration of daylight within 10–11 hours;
The room must be equipped with an exhaust ventilation system, since the evaporation of water from the pools increases the humidity level.

Farm equipment

A farmer planning to buy equipment for breeding crayfish should know that fish tanks with a capacity of 2–3 m³ with high walls are not suitable for these purposes: their filling is accompanied by excessive water consumption, and operation is inconvenient due to the great depth. Therefore, for growing crayfish, special RAS are used, which are a frame with six polypropylene pools installed on it in three tiers. In this case, five containers with dimensions of 2000x830x250 are used for keeping the herd, and the sixth contains:

Circulation pump;
Biological filter;
Ultraviolet sterilizer lamp;
Heating elements;
Compressor for aeration.

An entrepreneur who has at his disposal five such three-tier RAS installations can organize the work of the farm as follows:

One pool is designed to support a broodstock of 30 animals (20 females and 10 males) with a stocking density of 18–20 pcs./m²;
Four tanks are used for seeding females for the incubation period and subsequent rearing of fry at a stocking density of 200–250 pcs./m²;
Four installations with five tanks each are used to maintain a commercial herd of 830 animals with a stocking density of 25 pcs./m².

Farm arrangement

Name	price, rub.	Qty	Amount, rub.
Three-tier RAS	116000	5	580000
Oximeter	12800	1	12800
Universal measuring device	1400	1	1400
Shelters for fry	2,9	900	2610
Shelters for young animals	7,7	900	6930
Shelters for broodstock	12,5	50	625
Feeders	150	50	7500
Lamp	1200	5	6000
Exhaust fan	3200	1	3200
electronic scales	2000	1	2000
Total:			623065

Considering the functional purpose of the equipment, it should be mentioned that:

An oximeter is used to measure the degree of oxygen saturation of water;
The universal measuring device is a conductometer, salinity meter and thermometer combined in one housing;
Shelters for adult crayfish and fry can be made from propylene pipes, cut into pieces 15–20 cm long;
Electronic scales are used to weigh feed and control the weight of livestock.

Breeding conditions and technology

Studying the species characteristics of crustaceans, one can notice that breeding Australian crayfish at home seems to be more profitable: firstly, they grow much faster than the well-known narrow-toed crayfish, and secondly, their cost on the market is three times higher than the price of crayfish. The step-by-step technology for growing the red claw species is as follows:

Purchased fry or adults are planted in RAS tanks;
Crayfish are raised to reproductive age;
Females with eggs are placed in free pools;
After a month, the fry are left in incubators, and the females are returned to the herd;
After two months, the grown young animals are distributed among the tanks.

After a year, the crayfish reach a weight of 130–150 g. Some of them are selected for the tribe, and the rest are sold wholesale or retail.

To create conditions comfortable for crayfish, it is necessary to adhere to the recommended values of the most important parameters of the aquatic environment at all stages:

Chemical composition of water

Purchasing young stock

When choosing where to buy crayfish for breeding, novice entrepreneurs often go to the supermarket or the nearest market, or collect fishing gear and try to catch specimens for the breeding stock in the nearest body of water. Meanwhile, these methods can hardly be considered effective:

Crayfish caught in wildlife, grow very slowly;
The natural environment is not sterile, as a result of which there is a danger of catching infected individuals;
When delivering to retail outlets, carriers are not bothered by creating ideal conditions for crayfish, which leads to drying out of the gills and oxygen starvation;
Stores most often receive rejected specimens that are not suitable for breeding.

Therefore, when searching for suitable suppliers, it is better to contact private breeders and specialized nurseries: here it is advisable not only to make sure that crayfish do not have diseases, but also to get advice regarding their breeding.

You can buy Australian crayfish and representatives of other heat-loving species for breeding at a price of 120 rubles per adult, while the cost of an ordinary narrow-clawed crayfish is 400–500 rubles per kilogram. In the process of forming a herd, you should adhere to a 2:1 proportion - in other words, the number of females should be twice the number of males.

Feeding

When using intensive technologies, there is usually no natural food supply in the pools, and therefore, in a business plan for crayfish breeding, it is necessary to provide for the costs associated with the purchase of feed. To formulate the diet of animals in an artificial environment, use:

Crushed corn, wheat, barley;
Minced fish and meat, bone meal;
Boiled mashed potatoes or carrots;
Steamed hay;
Oak or beech leaves as a natural antiseptic;
Larvae, insects, worms.

However, with a large population, it is more advisable to use ready-made mixed feed - as practice shows, crayfish willingly eat mixtures intended for salmon and carp fish. The daily feeding rate is 2% of body weight for commercial stock and 5–6% for spawning females: thus, the annual supply of food for raising crayfish is determined at the rate of 530–550 g for each individual.

Composition of feed for crayfish

Ingredient	For young animals	For adults
Wheat bran	–	25 g
Broken wheat	–	15 g
Sunflower meal	15 g	20 g
Soybean meal	15 g	20 g
Fish flour	35 g	5 g
Feed yeast	10 g	5 g
Bone flour	–	5 g
Powdered milk	20 g	5 g
Sunflower oil	5 g	2 g
Premix for fish	1 g	1 g

Reproduction and growth

In nature, crayfish mate in the fall, after which the female sticks the eggs under her tail and carries them during the winter. In heated reservoirs this pause is absent, so the breeding cycle lasts two months instead of six.

Depending on the species, the clutch volume is 100–500 eggs, most of of which dies. As a result, 40–60 larvae are born, which quickly gain weight, and within a month they acquire the ability to feed on their own. Under natural conditions, the survival rate of fry usually does not exceed 15–20%, while in RAS tanks, with abundant nutrition, up to 90% of the brood can be preserved.

During growth and development, crustaceans molt periodically - up to six times in the first year of life, and then two to three times annually. Due to the fact that this process does not occur simultaneously in the entire population, different stages growth, both small and larger individuals find themselves in the pool at the same time. To avoid cannibalism, it is recommended to place the latter in other tanks.

The molting stage itself is very dangerous for cancer: being left without a shell, covering gills and teeth, it becomes completely defenseless against aggressive relatives. Therefore, molting individuals tend to make a hole for themselves or find another shelter: the farm owner must provide them with this opportunity by placing pipe scraps, clay shards and stones on the bottom of the aquarium.

Paperwork

Unlike other types of agricultural business, the activities of a crayfish farm within the framework of private household plots can only be carried out when selling products to friends, since the sale of crayfish on the market or to other entrepreneurs requires the issuance of appropriate certificates. Therefore, the work of the enterprise should be legalized in the form of an individual entrepreneur or peasant farm; To avoid paying insurance premiums and completing unnecessary reporting, it is better to submit documents to the Federal Tax Service after receiving the catch.

From a legal point of view, crayfish farming can be presented as one of the industries Agriculture in the field of aquaculture. This means that the owner of a cancer farm is allowed to choose the Unified Agricultural Tax as a tax system at a rate of 6% of the total profit.

Moreover, in accordance with the law and sanitary requirements, retail stores and catering establishments purchasing products from a farmer may require such accompanying documentation as:

Sanitary passport of the vehicle used for transporting crayfish (can be obtained by contacting the veterinary station);
Declaration of conformity (issued by Rosselkhoznadzor);
Form No. 2 (can be obtained after providing samples of water and products to the veterinary service department);
Certificate of conformity GOST 50380-2005 (issued by both Rosselkhoznadzor and private certification bodies).

Investments

Work organization large enterprise requires knowledge that can be acquired as a result of practical activities and studying the experience of other entrepreneurs - for example, by watching the video “Raising crayfish at home”:

Video on the topic

To organize the operation of the farm, the entrepreneur must first prepare the premises and install the required number of RAS units here. Then you should resolve the issue of food supply and buy crayfish for breeding: prices for adult representatives of productive species are in the range of 90–120 rubles per head.

The main expenses during the year will be associated with replenishing the stock of feed and paying for electricity: each installation consumes up to 700 Wh during initial heating of water and 250–300 Wh during operation.

Annual expenses

Expected earnings

Crayfish farming as a business - profitable or not? To determine the profitability of a crayfish farm, it is necessary to estimate the annual production volumes: for an enterprise using five RAS installations of the type described above, after an annual feeding, the output will be at least 830 individuals with a marketable weight within 150 g. Accordingly, the total weight of the herd will reach 124.5 kg.

Australian crayfish of the indicated sizes on the market is valued at 1,500–1,600 rubles per kilogram when sold live: the farmer’s total income in this case will be 199,200 rubles. Taking into account the amount of current expenses, we can calculate the annual profitability and payback period of the enterprise:

Economic parameters of a crayfish farm

Conclusion

Obviously, it is hardly advisable to consider raising a small population of crayfish as a source of main income: as calculations show, to make a profit of over 1 million rubles per year, an entrepreneur must have a whole complex of RAS installations with a total area of 200 m² or a pond farm with an area of up to 1600 m² .

The second task that a beginning farmer must solve is organizing sales: despite high level demand, only large stores have equipment for selling crayfish, and only a few catering establishments include dishes from them on the menu. At the entry level this problem is solved by selling products to private clients they know and refer, but increasing production volumes requires a qualitatively different approach. The solution may be to work closely with fish shops or open your own point of sale, supplemented by a full-fledged virtual representation.
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