Breeding Crayfish

In the text below I shall try to give a short overview of some of the basics when breeding crayfish. Particular species may have other behaviours and demands. It should be said that my main experience as an aquarist is with relation to fish, but I shall try to convey what little knowledge I have.

Sexing Crayfish

Sexing crayfish isn't always easy. The genital openings are located in different places on the body depending on whether it's a male or a female. Males have their genital openings behind/under their posterior pair of legs. Females have their genital openings under the third pair of legs counted from the posterior. However, many individuals have a male as well as a female genital opening, making the sexing much more complicated. But these are always either male or female; usually male but you can't be sure.

Mating and egg carrying

In aquariums, spawning is possible any time of year. The male makes a little sperm packet and places it on the female's stomach. The female then spawns her eggs, passing them through the sperm packet so that the eggs get fertilized. It is not uncommon for the female to lose a claw during this process. She then places the eggs under her tail where they will be kept until they are ready to be released. How long this will be depends on the water temperature and the species, but it will be at least 4 weeks. A lot of other factors can also affect the length of the egg carrying period, such as water quality, and food supply and quality. The mother will watch over the young for a short time after birth.

Fry

The fry are very small when they are born but are fully developed miniature crayfish. Fry are usually detritus feeders, which means that they will feed on any decomposing plant parts and food leftovers they can find while scouring the bottom. Vegetable food is preferred and they can be fed boiled lettuce leaves that are left to decay in the aquarium. Be aware of the water quality. Fry are often very cannibalistic and a large aquarium is required if you want a higher number of fry to survive. Sorting fry for size may help the survival rate.

Breeding

Now you know about their breeding behaviour and how to raise the fry, but how can you get them to breed in the first place? Well, first of all you have to give them the right environment and good food to get them in a condition in which they can spawn. Some species also need different triggers to breed. These triggers may be a change in the amount of light and number of light hours, a change in temperature, change of circulation, etc.

Feeding

Crayfish usually accept most kinds of food, and I would recommend feeding them a diet based on boiled lettuce, sinking pellets, shrimps, and once or week or so, fish meat. This will get them in good condition and help the female survive the spawning period since she usually doesn't eat while she is carrying eggs.

Housing/environment

Many crayfish species can be kept in relatively small aquariums, but I recommend using larger aquariums since this lowers the pressure on the females by the males. The aquarium should be decorated so that a lot of hiding places of suitable size are provided. Hiding places can be created using rocks, roots, flowerpots, coconuts, PVC pipes, and so on. It's important that there is at least one, and preferably several hiding places for each crayfish.

By William Berg of Sweden, for http://www.aquaticcommunity.com

About The Author

Article by William Berg originally published at http://www.aquaticcommunity.com. Article may be reproduce as long as it is not edited and a live link to http://www.aquaticcommunity.com is placed in the article header. (java links and PHP links are not allowed) Included this resource box "as is with live links" on the bottom of the page.

---

Better Links Directory

Teaching a Kid to Fish

Teaching a kid to fish does not have to be... Read More

Trout Species ? Brook Trout

Brook Trout: Frequently gullible, yet extremely tasty, Brook Trout are... Read More

Challenges of Nymph Fly Fishing

When nymph fly fishing, the angler is imitating the juvenile... Read More

Trout Species ? Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout

Rainbow Trout: Few freshwater fish can match the fighting spirit... Read More

Where The Bassalo Roam

Have you ever thought why fishing timbers is so productive?... Read More

Fly Fishing Secrets for the Novice as Well as the Seasoned Angler

Perhaps the most rewarding element of fly fishing is the... Read More

Techniques and Tactics For Nymphing

Just like dry fly fishing, there are many, many ways... Read More

10 Fishing Gems

Fishing Gem #1 ? When Is Best?If you are in... Read More

Butterfly Jigs Create Buzz with American Fishermen

A big buzz within the fishing community that is spreading... Read More

The Low Down On Worms

We all know that plastic worms are one of the... Read More

Cabo Sport Fishing is Like a Box of Chocolates

As Forrest Gump would say, you never know what you're... Read More

The Yellowfins from HELL!

Hi Lee Palm/Red Rooster crew(San Diego - California).. Keep my... Read More

Night Fishing Preparation, The Key To Success

Preparation is the Key To Successful Night Fishing, You Better... Read More

The Fishing Mark of Mablethorpe on the East Coast of England

MABLETHORPE, is a beach resort on the East coast of... Read More

Orlando Florida Fishing - Redfish Capital of the World

When visitors think of Orlando and Central Florida, they imagine... Read More

Fish Cooking Basics - How to Transform Those Fish You Just Caught into a Wonderful Seafood Dinner

Fish Cooking Basics I must admit that I... Read More

Concentrate on Your Bass Fishing

I was watching a TV Show with Bill Dance and... Read More

Find and Catch More Fish, Quickly and Easily, with the FISHIN BUDDY 2255

"Wherever you like to fish-lakes, reservoirs, rivers or streams, you'll... Read More

Drop-Shotting For Picky-Overfished Bass

There is a fairly new technique when it comes to... Read More

Saltwater Fly Fishing -- A Tide Runs Through It

Saltwater fly fishing is all the rage these days. This... Read More

Fly Fishing Small Streams

Picture this; you've spent some time hiking into a small... Read More

Bass Fishing In The Winter In The North

The next few days in Ohio are supposed to be... Read More

Cutthroat Trout and Cutthroat Trout Fishing

Experienced fishermen know all about the cutthroat trout. That is... Read More

Catch More Fish - The American Way

These are busy times we live in.Running a full time... Read More

Night Boat Fishing Checklist

Boat Fishing At Night ChecklistHere is an easy checklist of... Read More