Breeding crayfish at home brings 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:

1. 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).
2. 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.
3. Purification filters (the crayfish farm must be supplied with food 24 hours a day clean water, and with frequent manual changes of water, claw-shaped ones grow and reproduce poorly, and small crustaceans may even die).
4. Devices for catching and transporting crustaceans.
5. Oxygenator with oximeter $1500.
6. $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 will eat 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 may die.

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

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 right choice breeds of cancerous females, especially in the initial stages. The most interesting of them:

"Cuban Blue" is an artificially bred breed fast growing cancer, which 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 its maintenance, and the minimum water level for maintenance is only 15cm.

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Predatory fish, waterfowl, otters, and muskrats prey on all species of the crustacean family.
7. 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.
8. If there is not enough food, crustaceans eat each other. The strong eat the weak.
9. 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 already in finished form. The popularity of this snack even exceeds the popularity of fish and pizza.

Breeding crayfish on a private plot is a simple and profitable business. To raise arthropods at home, you need to acquire a reservoir and maintain minimal comfortable conditions for its inhabitants. Experts give recommendations on where to start and how best to build the process of growing crayfish. Video tips will help you understand in more detail.

Basics of crayfish breeding. Preparatory work

The entire process of growing crayfish can be established with minimal financial investment. But you will have to be patient. Crayfish grow over 2-3 years. Accordingly, starting from scratch, until this time you will not receive either delicious meat or profit. But you will need to constantly feed the animals and care for them.

The efficiency of the process is influenced by the quality of the crayfish used for reproduction:

1. For breeding, it is better to use purchased purebred individuals. Crayfish caught in a regular reservoir grow more slowly.
2. Adult arthropods should be purchased. You can raise young animals on your own.
3. The optimal ratio of males and females for good offspring - 1:2.

For breeding it is better to use purebred crayfish

It is calculated: to get 1 ton of crayfish, you need to buy 400 females. For a beginner in water management, 40 pieces will be enough for the first time. They are sold in specialized fishing companies. This to a certain extent guarantees the authenticity of the type you have chosen.

Advice. You don't have to buy males if the females have eggs on legs.

How to properly equip a pond

Water is the natural habitat of crayfish. For home breeding, both natural and manually created reservoirs are used. Good housing for arthropods has the following qualities:

• area - 30-60 sq. m;
• depth - 1-3 m;
• optimal heating is not lower than +18 °C, otherwise the crayfish will go into hibernation;
• The water is completely renewed every 2-3 weeks.

Attention! You cannot renew more than 30% of the volume of a reservoir at a time. This will lead to disruption of the microclimate.

The advantage of natural reservoirs is the presence of a clay or sandy bottom with a silt cushion: it is in such conditions that crayfish dig their burrows and create a comfortable microclimate. The downside is that the growth rate of crayfish is slowed by 3 times.

Pond for growing crayfish

Aquariums are most often used as artificial places. This is quite expensive: you will most likely need several containers. Maintaining the correct temperature in them is easier, but more expensive. You can install filter units at the inlet to the aquarium and save yourself from the need to manually refresh the water.

Advice. People who decide to start breeding crayfish for sale choose aquariums. All costs for additional equipment are covered by rapid growth crayfish

The best types of crayfish to breed at home

Having equipped a place for growing, proceed to purchasing a living base for propagation. The following varieties are popular among crayfish lovers:

• Australian. Has a good layer of meat. It is grown only in buried artificial reservoirs. Comfortable volume for 3-4 individuals - 100 l. Inside, you should equip many holes and shelters for feeding, resting, and molting. They eat dead fish bread crumbs, algae, special food.
• Blue Cuban. Small looking. It is unpretentious, except that it needs a water temperature of about +26 °C. The water itself must be hard. It is also necessary to equip many shelters in the reservoir. The species develops to adult in just six months.

Blue Cuban crayfish

• Marble. Large and meaty. Capricious about leaving. Requires water heating to +20…+28 °C, relatively large amounts of feed. The comfortable volume of the reservoir is 100 liters for 20 individuals. In reproduction, one individual acts as both a female and a male. Fry should be removed due to the risk of cannibalism.

Attention! The initial purchase of crayfish for breeding is not the last. To get a full-fledged herd that can independently reproduce its numbers, periodic purchases will be needed over 5 years.

Crayfish Care

The main features of caring for a herd of crayfish will help you get full-fledged and healthy individuals:

1. Separate and transplant each new young generation to another pond.
2. In the spring, catch the females and transplant them into another container. This will help prevent cannibalism and maintain the size of the colony.
3. The optimal temperature for females is +22 °C or slightly lower.

Crayfish are known scavengers. Their diet includes fish remains and algae. However, when breeding at home, animals should be supplemented. To do this, use vegetables, boiled meat, plankton, larvae, worms, the same algae and fish. You can buy special food at a pet store.

Attention! You can't overfeed crayfish. It's better not to feed.

The ratio of 1:2 males and females is relevant based on physiology. One crayfish can fertilize only two females. If after that he sees another one, he will probably decide to eat it. After fertilization, the layer of eggs is located under the shell of the female. By the end of next spring it moves to its hind legs. On average, about 20 young crayfish emerge from the eggs of one arthropod, although at home, experienced breeders reach 60.

Breeding crayfish for sale is a profitable business

An important sign of normal development of livestock is molting. Cancer sheds its shell, which has become too small for it, and acquires a new one. Young individuals do this about 8 times a year. In the next 365 days of life, this number is reduced to 5, then to 3-4. Normal indicator cancer growth - weight about 50-60 g and body length about 10-12 cm by the end of the second year of life.

Additional equipment for crayfish breeding

Greater efficiency can be achieved by improving the living conditions of animals. To do this, for example, you can equip a pond with an air compressor. The device will prevent water from stagnating in the pond. An oxidizer will do a good job. In autumn, the device is installed at the bottom of natural reservoirs and in winter saturates the water with oxygen.

For open ponds, stakes and lakes in cold weather, the installation of greenhouses is relevant. They retain heat, maintaining a normal temperature level for crayfish. Farmers also use various filters to keep the pond clean, and polypropylene frames to retain water in the pond.

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Classmates

Breeding crayfish at home is quite profitable business. However, this activity requires thorough preparation.

How to breed crayfish? It is not so difficult. First you need to create artificial reservoirs for keeping crayfish.

This is not so simple: you need to understand that it is impossible to breed young animals in the open air.

After all, even the largest breeds reach ten centimeters in length in two whole years!

And for an individual to reach the required size, at least 3-4 years must pass.

Having arranged an artificial pond in the open air, in the spring you will find in it dead crayfish: It is simply unrealistic to protect this place from freezing in winter.

Those who claim that you can start breeding crayfish in the spring and put them on sale in the fall are amateurs and dreamers: crayfish do not grow at lightning speed.

Therefore for breeding crayfish at home, of course, you need a room of a sufficiently large area. If you are serious, you can even build such a room. The main condition for this is that the temperature should not be lower than 1 degree Celsius. The ideal option would be if the thermometer does not fall below 15 degrees: under such conditions, the crayfish will not hibernate and will grow faster.

Next step There will be a purchase of two or three containers for keeping crayfish. If they are not available for sale, you can make them yourself.

Must be remembered that the reservoir should be made of a material that is harmless to crayfish, so plastic or plexiglass is suitable for these purposes, but a metal container should be categorically abandoned. You should not secure the containers “tightly”: breakdowns, blockages are possible, or you simply want to change the “house” for crayfish to a more voluminous one. Therefore, when starting to engage in a new business, it is better to refrain from permanently installing reservoirs for the first couple of years.

You will not need several containers in order to grow many crayfish at once, as it might seem at first.

The fact is that, despite the absence of enemies (frogs, fish, snakes) in the artificially created environment, crayfish have the bad feature of eating their own kind.

Yes, yes, a larger individual eats young animals. And in the cramped conditions in which they will be, this cannot be avoided. This is why several containers are needed: adult crayfish are separated from young ones. Mature individuals adapt well to new living conditions, unlike young animals, so small crustaceans must be left in their usual habitat.

Transplanting crayfish does not take much time: together with an assistant, approximately a thousand individuals can be transplanted in just an hour. By the way, when offspring appear, you cannot change the water in the container for some time: microscopic young animals can simply be washed into the drain hole.

Remember: Growing crayfish at home requires not so much investment as hard work and patience. Provide the most comfortable temperature for rapid growth of crayfish.

Equip the pond, bringing the conditions in it closer to their natural ones: sprinkle the bottom with clean river sand and put some stones. Watch your diet. Crayfish eat everything: fish, larvae, worms, frogs, plants, porridge, etc. However, know that it is better to underfeed the crayfish than to overfeed them.

What expenses will you have to make to organize a business of this kind? Buy some crayfish first. Yes, just buy it, not catch it in the river. Ordinary crayfish are not suitable for breeding: they grow very slowly and, accordingly, their breeding will simply be unprofitable.

It's better to buy the most large breed – blue crayfish: They grow quickly. Funds will also be needed to purchase water filters (so as not to change the water frequently) and handheld devices for catching and transplanting crayfish.

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* The calculations use average data for Russia

1.Project summary

The goal of the project is to open a farm for breeding crayfish using an intensive method in the conditions of Central Russia (Lipetsk region). The essence of the method is to create artificial reservoirs with a total area of ​​1000 square meters. m. Crayfish are bred in indoor (wintering) and open ponds, where the crayfish are provided the necessary conditions for breeding. The farm's productivity per year is up to 3 tons of products ready for sale. The main product of the farm is long-fingered crayfish, the most common in these latitudes.

Financial calculations for this business plan are based on an average bill of 500 rubles. Project performance indicators are given for a five-year period of work. The payback period from the start of the project (design and construction) is 41 months.

To implement the project, taking into account working capital, 6,294,000 rubles will be required. For this purpose it is planned to attract 3 million rubles. own funds and 3,294,000 rubles. borrowed money. The loan term is 36 months, interest rate- 18%. Deferred payment of the first payment is 3 months.

*for 2 years of work

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The project preparatory period (construction, obtaining permits, etc.) will be 3 months. The farm will bring its first income within 12 months from the start of work. The planned capacity will be reached within 3-4 years of operation.

2.Description of the industry and company

According to research by the marketing agency Discovery Research Group, the volume of crustacean consumption in Russia is growing at a rate of 2-14% annually. The growth in demand is due to an increase in domestic production and imports. Products on the market are presented in four main types: chilled, frozen, ready-made and canned. Products from foreign manufacturers predominate (about 51%), mainly from countries such as China and Canada. About 52% of Russian production is represented by “Frozen crustaceans”. Based on the results for 2014, the volume of the crustacean market decreased by 13% - the impact of sanctions and counter-sanctions was felt.

If we talk about freshwater crayfish, it is difficult to determine production volumes with accuracy. Basically, crayfish from the Rostov region predominate in the country, Krasnodar region And Altai Territory. Boiled and frozen crayfish is almost never produced on an industrial scale in Russia, and production occurs through natural fishing. Often, the catch and trade of crayfish occurs outside the legal framework and without veterinary documentation, and the quality of the products leaves much to be desired.

The difficulty of artificially breeding crayfish is that it takes about 4-5 years for the crayfish to reach marketable weight. At the same time, crayfish spend the winter in mid-latitudes for a long time. During the hibernation period, they do not feed, and the growth processes stop for 5-7 months, as a result of which the sales deadline is significantly delayed, and the entrepreneur who decides to breed suffers losses.

In connection with this circumstance, an intensive cultivation method was chosen for the successful implementation of the project to open a crab-breeding farm. This method involves the creation of indoor reservoirs, as a result of which the production time for a batch of goods is reduced to 1.5-2 years. Crayfish are sold at a high selling price of an average of 400 rubles. per kg wholesale and 550 rub. retail.

So, the goal of the project is to open a farm for intensive breeding of crayfish in the conditions of central Russia with the aim of their subsequent sale wholesale and retail. The implementation of this business idea includes the following stages:

1.Construction of artificial reservoirs for growing crayfish with a total area of ​​1000 square meters. meters. About 300 sq. meters of reservoirs are indoor pools, the remaining 700 are open pools for growing crayfish in natural conditions.

2. Crayfish breeding method intensive cultivation, including providing all necessary procedures for this (water filtration, feeding, etc.).

3. Formation of a market for selling products to wholesale and retail customers.

The farm's production capacity will be 3 tons of crayfish per year. The crayfish farm is located on a suburban area of ​​2000 square meters. meters on the territory of the Lipetsk region, which is owned. The organizational and legal form of this business is individual entrepreneur (individual entrepreneur). Since crayfish farming in ponds falls under agricultural activity, the Unified Agricultural Tax (USAT) was chosen as the form of taxation. Notification of the transition to the Unified Agricultural Tax is submitted within 30 days from the date of registration or before December 31 of the year preceding the transition.

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The business organization does not provide for any hierarchically complex management structure. The project owner and his family members are responsible for the management and maintenance of the farm. No staff or hired personnel are required.

3.Description of services (goods)

The farm's main product is long-fingered crayfish. Habitat of this cancer very wide and extends from the Atlantic coast of Europe to the Urals and Siberia. Under natural conditions, the long-clawed crayfish leads a bottom-dwelling lifestyle; its feeding type is characterized as semi-carnivorous. It is distinguished by its unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention, oxygen regime, and quickly reaches marketable weight. The optimal temperature for growth is considered to be 22-25°C. The basis of food consists of plants, organic remains, fish fry, tadpoles, and insects. The size of a long-clawed crayfish in the first year of life is about 7-8 cm with a weight of 10-15 g, two-year-old crayfish are about 12 cm long and weigh about 70 g. Large crayfish can reach a weight of 100 g or more. In nutritional terms, the average meat yield of commercially sized long-fingered crayfish from claws and abdomen is 17.5%. In terms of its taste, crayfish often surpasses marine crustaceans, for example, lobsters, crabs, shrimp, and lobsters. Crayfish meat contains up to 16% protein and no more than 0.5% fat.

The average wholesale price is set at 400 rubles. per kg, retail price - 550 rub. kg. This price category is below the average market indicators for the region, which amount to 450 rubles. for purchasing in bulk and 600 rubles. retail. In general, in the region the price per kg of crayfish varies from 300 to 900 rubles per kg. In addition to selling crayfish, it is planned to organize an additional crayfish delivery service. Full list products and services sold are presented in Table. 1.

To avoid financial costs, the first crayfish for the farm are caught naturally. Crayfish are transported in small boxes measuring 60x40x30. Crayfish are placed in boxes in rows (up to 5 rows) with their backs facing up. Each row is laid with gauze. Juveniles are transported in double-walled plastic bags with a capacity of 40 to 60 liters, which are 1/3 filled with clean water.

Table 1. List of products and services sold

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Another competitive advantage is the availability necessary documents, confirming the quality of the products sold. This is a sanitary passport for a car for transporting crayfish (the car is owned by the project organizer), a veterinary certificate of form No. 2, certification in accordance with GOST R-50380-2005, a declaration of conformity. Due to the time and financial costs of obtaining veterinary documents, crayfish trade is often carried out illegally by competitors. In connection with this fact, one of the methods of combating unscrupulous competitors is to call veterinary inspectors in order to destroy illegal products that can harm the health of consumers.

4.Sales and marketing

The sales market consists of wholesale buyers, which mainly include restaurants in Lipetsk, located in the historical part of the city, as well as beer establishments. The clients of the former are the category of the population with an income level above the average, the clients of the latter are a broader layer of the middle class. Depending on the size and location of the catch, prices for live crayfish in Lipetsk range from 300 to 900 rubles. per kg. In particular, city residents have the opportunity to purchase not only local, but also Don, Altai, Kazakhstan and Sevan crayfish. The problem is that they do not reach the tables of townspeople and residents of the region immediately, but after quite a long transportation, which cannot but affect their quality. At the same time, not all products have the appropriate quality certificates, and prices do not correspond to the quality offered. The need of city and region residents for quality products that are worth their money is obvious.

Mostly, crayfish are purchased purposefully, since crayfish are often an indispensable attribute to beer and cheerful company. Among the key requirements that buyers make are an acceptable, not inflated price, adequate to the size of the crayfish, as well as their “freshness”: preference is given to mobile and active individuals rather than slow ones. In addition, it is important appearance cancer. A healthy crayfish has a uniform color, no spots, and the shell and claws should be free of cracks and growths.

Sales of crayfish to wholesale buyers (restaurants and cafes) occur according to agreed volume conditions. Delivery to wholesale customers is free. Retail crayfish can be purchased directly from the farm through pickup or delivery.

Two main methods have been chosen as methods of attracting buyers: direct telephone sales and posting information on the Internet. The latter, in particular, provides for the placement of free advertisements on specialized websites and the creation of a farm group in social network In contact with.

5.Production plan

The crayfish farm is located 10 km from the city limits of Lipetsk, in rural areas. The enterprise is within transport accessibility; there is an asphalt road nearby, which is easy to reach in any direction. Land plot represents 2000 sq. meters. The surface of the site is flat, without slopes or depressions.

Production technology involves the implementation of several points. Let's take a closer look at each of them below.

1. Catching and landing. At the initial stage, crayfish are caught in a natural reservoir in August-September (before the mating period) in the volume required for production. Planting in a reservoir takes place at a density of 5-6 crayfish per 1 square meter. meter. One male can fertilize 4-5 females.

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2. Creating conditions for spawning. About a month after catching (in October-November), the long-fingered crayfish begins spawning. During this period, females are placed in separate pools. This is done to ensure that relatives do not destroy the young animals. The female bears up to 40-50 fry.

3. Care. After the second molt, the juveniles are caught and transplanted into the brood pond, and small crustaceans are raised to become fingerlings weighing 7-10 g. Yearling crayfish are caught and transplanted into feeding ponds, where the stocking density is lower than in the previous reservoir. At the end of the second year of life, crayfish reach a mass of 40-50 g with a length of 9-10 cm.

3. Providing breeding conditions in an artificial reservoir. When breeding crayfish, water quality, oxygen levels (at least 5-7 mg/l) and hydrogen (7-9 mg/l) are monitored. In this case, water exchange should be 50 l/min per 1000 sq. meters of water area. The reservoir also provides a natural environment, that is, river plankton, algae, insect larvae, etc.

4. Feeding. Crayfish are considered omnivorous, so the choice of the most in favor of any particular food is not a determining factor. However, crayfish can eat feed made from grain, wheat bran, vegetables, fish, meat, milk powder, grass meal, etc. The contents of ingredients for different age categories of crayfish are given in Table. 2. Daily norm output ranges from 0.2% to 2% of the total mass of crayfish. For females during the spawning period, this rate increases by 0.7-1%, and then a month later decreases to 0.3-0.7%. In winter, crayfish do not grow or move, so they do not need food. It is also necessary to ensure that the feed does not remain until the next feeding and does not pollute the pond. To track the amount of food eaten, special feeders are used.

Table 2. Composition of feed for different age categories of crayfish

To grow crayfish, you will need to equip 1000 square meters. meters of area. Of the 20 ponds, 10 are indoor ponds (300 sq. meters), the rest are open (700 sq. meters). Open ponds have a larger volume. Ponds are created in a strictly rectangular shape. Construction of ponds and provision of necessary communications will cost about 3.5 million rubles. Polypropylene is used for lining indoor ponds. The costs of equipping a crayfish farm are shown in Table. 3.

Table 3. Equipment costs

Work to ensure the functioning of the farm is carried out by the owner of the project and his family members. The costs of the main period include the purchase of feed, energy costs, and other expenses (fuels and lubricants, veterinary).

6.Organizational plan

The preparatory period will be 3 months. Crayfish harvesting for cultivation is planned to take place in August and September before the mating season begins. The crayfish farm does not have a management structure as such. Management and operations are carried out by the owner, who is assisted by family members. If necessary, hired workers are hired to perform one-time work.

7.Financial plan

The cost of the project, taking into account the construction of the farm, its equipment, as well as working capital, will amount to 6,294,000 rubles. The costs of the main period include: payment for electricity, purchase of feed and other consumables (hydrogen peroxide for oxidizers, transportation costs, etc.). To implement the project, it is planned to attract 3 million rubles. own funds and 3.29 million rubles. - borrowed money. The loan term is 36 months, the interest rate is 18%. Deferred payment of the first payment is 3 months.

The average bill for farm products at retail is 550 rubles, wholesale – 400 rubles. The financial indicators of the project from the moment the farm began operating - revenue, cash flow, net profit - are given in Appendix 1. Calculations are made taking into account seasonality. The crayfish farm receives its main profit from May to October.

8.Evaluation of project effectiveness

The project to organize a farm for breeding crayfish is in demand due to the need to satisfy the demand among the population for quality products produced in the region. Due to the length of time it takes to grow crayfish (they reach marketable weight in 1.5-2 years), the farm will begin to make its first profit 15 months after the start of the project. The payback period from the start of the project (construction and design) will be 41 months. The discounted payback period will be 45 months. The main indicators of the project's effectiveness are given in Table. 4.

Table 4. Project performance indicators

9.Risks and guarantees

This project is fundamentally new for the region, and therefore certain risks arise in its implementation. The main difficulties are associated with the preparatory period and the long period of launching production capacity, associated with the slow growth process of cancer. However, risk reduction is influenced by the population’s need for these products at a price below average and quality above average. Demand is characterized by significant elasticity when prices fall. A description of the risks and force majeure circumstances that an enterprise may encounter is given in Table. 5.

Table 5. Assessment of project risks and measures to prevent their occurrence or their consequences

10.Applications

ANNEX 1

Main financial indicators of the project in a five-year perspective

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Nowadays you won’t surprise anyone with crayfish breeding farms. They successfully operate and develop throughout the country and bring considerable income to their owners.

Choosing a growing method

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

In aquarium

Today, crayfish can be grown for sale not only in rural areas, but also in the city. Now city dwellers will smile with a grin and go to evaluate the size of their bathtub. Only they breed crayfish not in the bathroom, but in special large aquariums.

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

Advantages of breeding crayfish in aquariums:

1. It is easier to control the condition of your pets.
2. Less feed consumption.
3. Control of water temperature, which contributes to the accelerated development of young offspring.
4. There is no long period of cold wintering, which makes it possible for young animals to grow more efficiently, and for an entrepreneur to receive their first income 3-4 months faster;
5. You can stock crayfish larvae in aquariums and save on the purchase of young animals or adults.

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

Aquariums for breeding crayfish

Features of choosing an aquarium for crayfish:

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

At the present stage, growing crayfish in pools as a business has proven itself well in urban environments and rural areas where there are problems with water supply.

At home (artificial pond)

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

In order for a business to work, it is necessary:

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

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

The pond cannot be built in a sunny place!

In a natural body of water

The simplest and affordable way breeding crayfish at home - release the uterine tribe or larvae into an ordinary natural pond. First you need to find a body of water that meets the necessary requirements:

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

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

• On your own and artificial ponds, you can stretch a net over the surface, install streamers with bells and hire watchmen.
• It is possible to create a group of farmers that will control the markets in the region and block poachers’ access to wholesale buyers.
• Guaranteed product quality and regular delivery are what all customers value and what poachers cannot guarantee.

To grow crayfish in a natural pond, you need to allocate money to buy livestock and feed. At this method growing, food costs are significantly reduced, but there is no way to control the water temperature, as a result of which the crayfish will be 30% inferior in weight to their relatives who grew up in a home pond or aquarium.

Preparatory work

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

They won’t reveal all their secrets to future competitors, but they will already have an idea of ​​the work and what the farm should look like.

Today there is a lot of literature on the Internet and practical advice, which will help you cope with problems during your work, but recommendations from professionals are always very valuable.

Preparing your place of residence

Crayfish live in burrows. This is their natural habitat, and before purchasing breeding stock, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for the crayfish and bring them as close to natural as possible.

A rocky bottom, a lot of sand, pebbles and algae are what will allow crayfish to feel at home in a new place.

If you plan to grow crayfish in aquariums, then the day before the animals are introduced, you need to start the entire system (if you plan to plant algae, then a week before, simultaneously with planting greenery).

Adult female crayfish can eat their larvae and young. To avoid this, it is recommended to separate adult livestock from young animals. To do this, you will need additional containers (aquariums or swimming pools).

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

Acquisition of cancer families

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

Among the industrial types of crayfish there are:

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

Start of an enterprise

In order for a business to work and bear fruit, it is necessary to take into account several important factors which are the key to success.

When to start breeding?

The beginning of establishing a farm plays a very important role in this type of business, since it is designed for a season and most types of crayfish do not tolerate wintering well.

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

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

Business registration

Every self-respecting entrepreneur and manufacturer registers his enterprise before starting work. What does this give? Buyers have confidence that they are clients of a reputable company, and the entrepreneur himself has the opportunity to calmly sell his products on the market and cooperate with stores and wholesale companies.

Registration of this type of business is carried out according to OKVED code 01.21, which indicates that the enterprise is engaged in breeding domestic animals.

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

Purchase of feed

Crayfish happily eat feed, larvae, earthworms, greens, and small bottom fish. It is not difficult to purchase compound feed - it is always available at the farm market or feed mills, of which there are plenty in every city. It’s not difficult to stock up on greens yourself, but you’ll have to look for suppliers of mosquito larvae and earthworms.

The earthworm is often found in greenhouses, and mosquito larvae are grown by companies that are associated with the fishing business. Ask fishing rod and tackle retailers who supplies them with bloodworms, and set up regular deliveries with that supplier.

Watch also the video about the benefits of crayfish farming

Let's sum it up

We have this type The business is relatively young, as it is mistakenly believed that the development of a crayfish farm requires huge investments. The fact that it takes about a year to wait for the first sale of a product is also not inspiring. But fears go away and everything falls into place if you understand the features of this business and calculate all the costs and approximate income.

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

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

And you need to wait about a year from the first planting of the queen cell to sale finished products, if the livestock is raised in a pond.

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

Estimated Costs

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

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

For the construction of one pond with an area of ​​60 square meters. necessary 80-150 rubles(depending on depth). The main part of the costs goes to drainage pipes, waterproofing materials, and drainage construction. In a year in this reservoir, if you start about females (80 kg of breeding stock), you can raise up to 13,000(about 3.5 tons) of young animals, the market value of which ranges from 200-250 rubles per 1 kg.

The minimum annual income from growing crayfish in a pond is 300-450 thousand rubles and fully covers the costs of constructing a pond, pools, purchasing feed and queen cells.

In order to start this type of business indoors you must:

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

If you can’t invest a lot of money, then you can try the old-fashioned, long-proven method and raise a population of crayfish in a small natural pond. In this case, you will only have to spend money on breeding stock and additional feed. But in this case, unfortunately, it will not be possible to control the reproduction and migration of your pets.

Profit calculation

Growing crayfish on a home farm is a rather long and labor-intensive process, but the farmer receives a hundredfold for his efforts. Even with the most expensive method of growing crayfish - aquarium - all costs for the purchase of equipment and breeding stock are recouped after the first year of cultivation.

If the river method of growing crayfish is less expensive, then when comparing “costs - profits”, preference should still be given to growing crayfish in a home pond.

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

Pitfalls of the crayfish farming business

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

The following factors have a great influence on business development:

1. Crayfish go underwater for the winter, but do not hibernate. This means that the water should not be allowed to freeze strongly.
2. Not all types of crayfish are tolerated cold water and are intended for cultivation in a pond without heating.
3. We must not forget about infectious diseases. It is necessary to carry out timely preventive work and stock up on medications.
4. Water for a pond or aquarium should be soft and free of salt.
5. Females with eggs should be immediately transferred to a separate container and care should be taken that they do not eat them after laying the eggs in the sand or mule.

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

There are not so many pitfalls and they can only be recognized if independent work or if there is an experienced adviser nearby.

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Where do crayfish spend the winter?

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

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

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

Every business involves costs, risks and excitement, which are rewarded with profit and the fulfillment of dreams. For a dream to come true, you need to calculate everything possible threats and only then start working.

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

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

Information about the essence of the project

A crayfish farm is a rather specific business. Typically, investments in it are minimal, but you can reach the threshold of self-sufficiency of the project only through some years- it’s necessary two years to raise livestock and get offspring from it. True, in the future you can count on a stable and regular income.

Keep this in mind when you are planning a crayfish farming business at home. You can find videos with reviews from entrepreneurs and specialists about this unusual activity in our review.

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

Important! It is advisable for a beginner to pay attention specifically to growing crayfish on a farm indoors. This will significantly reduce investments - after all, any buildings can be used for such purposes.

However, with the method described above, you should remember to constantly clean the aquarium. Moreover, there should be several containers. Typically, one of them houses adults, the other – fry, and the third serves as a reserve for replacing water and cleaning the main tanks. It is also important to take into account that during reproduction it is adult crayfish that are removed, since young animals that are not yet adapted to life often die when environmental conditions change.

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

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

We are looking for premises

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

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

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

Preparing the pond

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

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

Separately, we need to talk about the design of the swimming pool system. Several tanks should be built, the bottom of each of them should be lined with sand and small stones, and also populated with various plants. Since standing water is destructive for crayfish, each container must be equipped with a compressor, a cleaning filter and, if necessary, a heater. Consider also a drainage system for replacing fluid. A good option for a permanent reservoir would be a pipe covered with a fine mesh with a shut-off valve, and if you choose to breed crayfish in an aquarium as a business, the water can be drained using a hose. In any case, the room should be equipped with good drainage.

We will highlight the direct replacement of the fluid as a separate nuance. Remember, you cannot completely change the water. Entrepreneurs experienced in such matters advise draining only a quarter of the total volume of the tank. This measure will prevent sudden changes in the microclimate for arthropods, which can even lead to molting and slower development. To prevent livestock from hibernating, you can use powerful compressors and heaters.

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

Features of livestock procurement

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

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

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

If you purchase stock during the spawning period, females can be very easily distinguished from males

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

Content Features

Growing crayfish as a business will be a fairly attractive project due to the low ongoing costs spent on caring for and feeding the stock. These animals are very unpretentious in food and are practically omnivores. Of course, arthropods prefer meat, but cereals, bread, cereals and hay can be used as additional complementary foods. The main diet can be formed from worms, bloodworms, mollusks and frogs.

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

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

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

Final calculations

Of course, any idea must have clear financial grounds for attempting to implement it. Therefore, we will present for you a brief business plan for crayfish breeding, including the conditional costs of organizing and running the business. The initial costs include the following items:

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

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

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

Thus, operating a business for two years will cost about 300,000 rubles. Let's find out how profitable the business will be. Each of the females you purchase (200 pieces) is capable of producing about 30 offspring annually. So, in two years you will be able to increase the volume to 9,000 individuals ready for sale. With a kilogram price of 1,100 rubles, your revenue will be at the level of 990,000 rubles. The profit will be 690,000 rubles. and will allow the entire project to be repaid immediately after the sale of the first third of the livestock.

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

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

You can download a detailed business plan with calculations here.

Incredibly tasty and tender crayfish meat is a favorite delicacy of many people. Despite this, today its production is not developed everywhere. Due to the high demand for the product, it is worth considering artificial breeding of these animals. Depending on your approach to growing crayfish in the basement, this activity can become your hobby or source of income.

Preparing the basement and purchasing crayfish

Growing crayfish in the basement has one important advantage - underground conditions are perfect for their successful growth. Therefore, to begin with, you will need to carry out minimal preparation of your basement and purchase crayfish.

Arrangement of the basement and aquariums

The basement chosen for the farm must be clean and dry. It should be free of fungus and pests. If you find them during inspection, be sure to solve the problem. Use a smoke bomb, trap system and insecticides to completely eliminate rats and insects. If necessary, carry out minor repairs to avoid them. reappearance. Keep in mind that you can start growing crayfish only 2 weeks after completing any chemical treatment.

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

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

When all the necessary conditions have been created, install a multi-tiered shelving system in the basement. You will place aquariums on them. The volume of each aquarium must be at least 250 liters. Place some sandy soil on the bottom, and then arrange driftwood and stones. The crayfish will hide in them while sleeping.

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

Now your mini-farm is ready to start. All that remains is to purchase crayfish and transport them to aquariums.

Purchase and transportation of crayfish

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

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

It is better to transport home in the dark, when it is cooler. Special attention You need to pay attention to transporting those crayfish that have eggs. For transportation, use wooden boxes. In them, crayfish are laid on their backs in several rows. It is important that their number does not exceed 20 pieces per 1 decimeter.

Young growth.

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

Breeding principles

In order to successfully breed crayfish, you need to know everything necessary information about their way of life.

Nutrition

Crayfish mainly feed on food plant origin. Mostly plants that are located next to their pond become it. But in natural conditions they often eat carrion, insect larvae, and even small snails.

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

Shedding

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

Shedding signifies the growth of an animal. It throws off the old shell, which becomes too small for it, and builds up a new one. At this time, the cancer is very vulnerable and can become prey for its relatives. For this reason, it is important to give all crayfish adequate nutrition and care for them properly.

Reproduction

Mating usually occurs in early autumn - in September or early October. The male fertilizes two females at once; if he comes across a third, he will eat her. This fact should be taken into account when purchasing crayfish. Follow the recommended proportion: 2 females to 1 male.

First, the eggs are located under the female's tail. Later it moves to the shell and attaches next to the paws. To develop the embryos, the female regularly washes the eggs with water, so filter it at least several times a week.

A female with eggs under her abdomen.

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

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

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

Growing crayfish in artificial conditions allows you to speed up the process of their reproduction. To do this, you need to prevent them from hibernating. Organize intensive renewal and saturation of the liquid with oxygen through the use of special equipment. Also increase the density of crayfish to 350 individuals per 1 square meter. m. Give them enough food so that they quickly gain weight and grow.

Possible diseases

In addition to diseases, temperature changes, improper or excessive nutrition and dirty water may be to blame for the massive decline in crayfish populations.

Basics of business planning

To turn crayfish breeding from a simple hobby into a business, you will need a large room and 2 swimming pools, each with an area of ​​at least 25 square meters. m.

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

Study the market for your products in advance.

If you plan to sell meat, agree in advance with cafes, restaurants and shops about its supply. It is believed that such a business will begin to generate large profits only after 5-6 years of its existence. But given the small capital investments and time costs, such a duration of the project cannot be considered as a serious drawback.

Pros and cons of home crayfish breeding

The clear advantages of home crayfish breeding are:

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

The only real disadvantage is the limited space due to the rather small area of ​​the aquariums. It is not possible to organize industrial production in an ordinary basement. But your family and friends will always have environmentally friendly and tasty meat.

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