Detailed Explanation of Key Points in Freshwater Crayfish Farming Techniques

Freshwater crayfish is also known as the red swamp crayfish. Its meat is tender and rich in nutrients, containing the 8 amino acids essential to the human body, while its fat content is relatively low, and it contains relatively large amounts of tropomyosin and paramyosin, with a high edible portion. Freshwater crayfish widely inhabit freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, ditches, rice paddies and other waters. Benthic organisms, plankton and various aquatic plants are all suitable feed, and they grow well in these waters.

Water body selection

Freshwater crayfish have strong vitality and can be farmed not only in ponds, rice paddies and pits in front of and behind houses, but also in some barren waters, barren beaches and fishery-suitable barren lands that are not suitable for cultivation and aquaculture. 

Water body treatment

For each 667 sq m of pond, use 10-15 kg of quicklime for sterilization and disinfection. During the farming process, attention should be paid to controlling relevant water quality standards, mainly that transparency must be maintained at 20-25 cm. 

Transplanting aquatic plants

Freshwater crayfish prefer shade. It is best to plant forage grasses such as water peanut and ryegrass along the pond edges, and to grow an appropriate amount of water hyacinth and water spinach on the water surface, and plant hornwort and similar plants on the bottom. This not only facilitates activities such as feeding and molting by the crayfish, but also reduces them eating each other. 

Stocking shrimp fry

There are two ways to solve the problem of shrimp seed: one is to directly stock berried shrimp, and the other is to stock juvenile shrimp. The source of shrimp seed is direct capture from waters such as rivers, ditches, ponds and rice paddies, or purchase from the market. Generally, for each 667 sq m of water surface, stock 40-60 kg of berried shrimp, or 80-120 kg of juvenile shrimp. According to this standard, the adult shrimp yield per 667 sq m can reach 400-600 kg. Stock berried parent shrimp in April. 

Feed feeding

Freshwater crayfish are omnivorous and prefer plant-based feed. To reduce farming costs, feed should be mainly plant-based, such as fresh aquatic plants, water peanut, water spinach, bran, rice bran, or semi-paste-like straw from crops such as barley, wheat, broad beans and rice. If conditions permit, adding some animal-based feed, such as crushed snails, small miscellaneous fish and animal offal, will make them grow faster. If feed is sufficient, juvenile shrimp can reach market size 30-40 days after stocking. 

Water quality management

Freshwater crayfish have strong disease resistance and basically have no diseases, but they have relatively high requirements for water transparency. Therefore, 50-100 silver carp and bighead carp can be stocked per 667 sq m to regulate water quality. During the farming period, generally every 15-20 days, dissolve 10-15 kg of quicklime per 667 sq m in water and splash it, to help freshwater crayfish molt. 

Precautions: Generally starting in June, use shrimp baskets or ground cages to harvest. Large ones are sold, and small ones are returned to the pond. In this way, harvesting can continue until the end of October.