Breeding crayfish in aquariums. Crayfish farming business plan. Home farm, or How to breed crayfish at home. Care during molting

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, it is possible to grow crayfish 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. Controlling water temperature, which helps accelerated development 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.

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: country cottage area 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 crayfish breeding in household- release the breeding stock 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 species that is resistant to disease and stress and will 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, suitable for growing in aquariums, uses small fish, mixed feed, greens for food).
• Blue Kuban crayfish (a fast-growing medium-sized species, does not tolerate temperatures above 26 degrees, loves rocky, sandy soils with big amount snags and holes, omnivorous).
• Marbled crayfish (demanding about water temperature and prefers large aquariums, swimming 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 that 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 this long period growth 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.

Let's sum it up We have 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 the sale of the finished product, 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 the winter period, when crayfish are dormant and eat very little. IN 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 500 (depending on depth). The main part of the costs goes to drainage pipes, waterproofing materials, and drainage construction. For a year in a given reservoir, if you run about females (80 kg of breeding stock), can be reared up to 13,000 (about 3.5 tons) of young animals, the market value of which ranges from.

200-250 rubles per 1 kg Minimum annual income

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

1. In order to start this type of business indoors you must:
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 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 tolerate cold water and are intended for growing in an unheated pond.
3. We must not forget about infectious diseases. It is necessary to carry out preventive work in a timely manner 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 you can recognize them only by working independently or if you have an experienced adviser nearby.

Where do crayfish spend the winter?

IN 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 waste minimal amount energy, 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 select The right way cultivation and competently 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 your dream to come true, you need to calculate all possible threats and only then start working.

Crayfish farming is an excellent startup that allows you to earn decent money for the whole family with minimal investment. The business has long been popularized in Turkey and the United States. In our country, crayfish farming as a business is not very developed, but it is worth considering as one of the options for starting your own business.

So, what is needed to breed crayfish:

• pond or special containers;
• productive crayfish individuals that can produce offspring;
• availability of special equipment for creating a microclimate;
• food for crayfish;
• time.

Growing crayfish is a large-scale production; it can be organized in large or small volumes. Options for withdrawal even at home are being considered. The business is not too expensive in terms of money, but it requires careful use of resources and a scrupulous approach to cultivation, since a slight inattention can result in loss of investment.

Reservoirs for breeding crayfish.

The main place for breeding crayfish are reservoirs. They can be natural or artificial. It should be noted that regardless of whether the reservoir is artificial or natural, it must be insulated, since in severe frosts all crayfish can die. Reservoirs can be built based on financial capabilities:

• pool;
• aquarium;
• pond.

Pool

The most favorable option is a pool, which can be covered in winter, which will increase productivity by 2 times, since the crayfish will not hibernate. If you build up to 4 such pools, then from one breeding cycle you can get up to four hundred crayfish. To make a pool for crayfish with your own hands, you need to pave the bottom of the container with large crushed stone and pour clay.

Aquarium

For small production volumes, it is possible to make a regular aquarium for breeding crayfish. But you shouldn’t expect good returns from it, and there will be more problems with creating natural conditions: crayfish need pure water, which will have to be cleaned regularly. When raising crayfish in an aquarium, problems with cannibalism may arise: smaller individuals must be kept in a separate container, since they will be eaten by larger crayfish. You need to know that expensive fish and squid cannot be added to aquariums containing crayfish.

Ponds

The most inexpensive way is to breed crayfish in your own ponds. It requires practically no investment, but the financial return will not be so high, since cold period year, the crayfish will hibernate, and accordingly, growth and reproduction will not occur as quickly as in individual reservoirs. Crayfish also grow well in marshy areas. If you have a small pond and an abundance of food around - grass and algae, crayfish can create their own habitat and create income for you without any investment at all, you just need to catch them and find a buyer for the product. It still makes sense to organize industrial breeding of crayfish in closed reservoirs, since it will create guarantees of stability of the microclimate and conditions for reproduction.

How to properly raise crayfish

When drawing up a business plan for breeding crayfish at home, you need to take into account the fact that you can grow the size you sell in a few years. After preparing the breeding container, crayfish are released into it. The water must be purified and of high quality, so it will need to be changed several times a month. To provide easy way When replacing water, it is necessary to provide a drainage and supply system in all containers. Water can be collected from a well or reservoirs with clean water- rec.

The water does not change completely; it is necessary to constantly add about 30% of the tank, which will update the balance of oxygen in the water and ensure the necessary balance minerals. It is imperative to read special literature on how to raise crayfish. You must know all the nuances of feeding, growing, and reproduction.

If a business plan is drawn up for breeding crayfish in an aquarium, it is necessary to take into account the actual offspring. If a female can produce up to 200 crustaceans per year, she will remain alive and grow to the right size only 15%. Many crustaceans will be eaten by their relatives, who will not disdain the young animals in the absence or insufficient quality of the feeding offered to them. To prevent anything like this from happening, all females must be placed in separate tanks, and as soon as the small crustaceans hatch, she must be removed and the offspring allowed to grow.

Young animals must be fed the same foods as adults. Typically, meat, dead fish, vegetables and bread are used. Of course, there are also special feed for crayfish, but in this case it will be necessary to plan for additional expenses in the crayfish breeding business plan.

The main thing you need to know is the required composition of the feed:

• fats;
• vegetables with a lot of fiber;
• crude and digestible protein;
• minced fish and flour;
• calcium supplements.

Where can I get crayfish?

Growing crayfish as a business involves the constant purchase of female and male specimens. You can immediately purchase only females that will already be carrying eggs. If it is possible to take females from open reservoirs, then you will not have to buy them at all, you will just need to carefully collect them and transfer them to the breeding site.

There are companies that already have an established crayfish breeding business, and they offer individuals for sale.

Depending on the types of crayfish, there are different ways content.

Australian crayfish

It differs from the others in its claws, which are quite fleshy. This crayfish wants to live in a warm environment, so it will be easy to grow at home. It is also necessary to provide a pool in the aquarium and the ability to go to the surface. Crustaceans need to build as many holes as possible, because they need a separate place to eat and a separate place to sleep. After molting, the crayfish will need to hide in a hole, and the deeper it is, the better. Australian crayfish eat fish and algae. They also will not disdain bread or feed.

Blue Cuban crayfish

This crayfish can be grown in open reservoirs, since it is quite unpretentious. The main condition is to ensure a temperature of 26 degrees and constant feeding. This cancer grows quickly, reaching the size required for sale in just six months. Breeding such crayfish in an aquarium is possible, but the bottom must be sandy and covered with hard plants. It is also necessary to provide good filtration and create many burrows.

Marble crayfish

This species is as fastidious as the Australian one. He needs to create 20-28 degrees, he must be fed constantly and plentifully. This cancer is quite large - it grows up to 15 cm in length. The elite breed is more expensive and profitable.

Far Eastern and European crayfish are bred in Russia; it is better to breed the latter type at home. They have their own 2 subspecies - broad-fingered and long-fingered crayfish. The first is more valuable due to the presence of a high-quality abdomen. This species can be bred in open areas throughout Russia. This species is not picky, it feels good in cold water with a temperature above 4 degrees, and in warm water- he will be comfortable up to 28 degrees.

Feeding crayfish

IN natural conditions crayfish feed on everything they find at the bottom of the reservoir. These can be fish remains, algae, insects, worms, small crustaceans and generally all organic debris. Since all crayfish are cannibals, it is necessary to ensure constant and proper feeding. Food must be thrown into the container where the crayfish are grown once for several days. The presence of algae will provide the diet essential minerals and elements, it is especially important that there is enough calcium in the food, since it is the main substance for the formation of the shell of crustaceans. The food is thrown into the feeding cages. It is desirable that the size be approximately 40 by 40 cm. If the water warms up above 7 degrees Celsius, it is necessary to add meat and earthworms to the food, in addition to vegetables. Too much food is also bad. If the water starts to bloom after being overfilled with food residues, it will be necessary to clean it. If the situation is not very critical, you need to add earthworms to the water; they can correct the situation.

Homemade food recipes for crayfish or shrimp

Food recipe No. 1. To formulate the food you will need the following components: frozen spinach, peas, chard, carrots, dried nettles and sea almond leaves, soy flour from the store healthy eating, trout feed (or granules for aquarium fish), dried amaranth, calcium carbonate, chlorella and spirulina powders. All this should be crushed in a mixer until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Then the slurry is put into ordinary ice trays and placed in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. Before feeding, break off the required amount of food, the single dose of which depends on the number of crayfish or shrimp. But you shouldn’t prepare dry mixtures: due to contact with atmospheric oxygen, the nutritional value of such a mixture will steadily decrease over time.

Food recipe No. 2. Spinach leaves, carrot and cucumber rings, slightly poached in the microwave - this is a real delicacy for all decorative decapods. It can be used in daylight to lure even the most timid crayfish or shrimp out of their hiding places.

Food recipe No. 3. Spinach leaves, carrot, pumpkin and cucumber rings slightly poached in the microwave or scalded with boiling water, crushed fresh corn and green peas, boiled rice, oak, Jerusalem artichoke, almond leaves, banana pulp, dry vermicelli, calcified cottage cheese, bloodworms. For 0.5 liters of milk - 1 ampoule (10 ml) of calcium chloride - heat until curdled, let stand for 6-10 minutes, express through a couple of layers of gauze. The resulting mass can be frozen by spreading it thinly over polyethylene or foil. Suitable for both invertebrates and many fish.

Catching crayfish

As a rule, crayfish are introduced into growing containers in early spring. In midsummer, you can observe that females carry eggs. After the young animals grow up and shed their shells a second time, they must be caught and moved to other tanks so that they do not freeze. New house for small crustaceans it should be warm. If you wait 2 years, the young animals will gain sufficient size and the income will be significantly higher. One-year-old crayfish should be caught and transplanted into special reservoirs in which they can increase their mass. The required weight of the crayfish, which is up to 500 g, is gained in approximately 2-3 years. By this age, the cancer grows up to 10 cm in length - this is a commercial product that is subject to further sale.

How to remove crayfish correctly

Catching crayfish in ponds is done with special nets, fishing rods or crayfish.

They are usually caught until the end of autumn. The easiest time to catch crayfish is in the summer when the nights are warmer. The fastest way to catch crayfish is to drain the water, but you should only resort to it when the young are completely removed. Otherwise, he may die.

Difficulties of crayfish breeding

The most difficult thing you will have to face when breeding crayfish is monitoring the quality of the environment - water. Firstly, it must be saturated with oxygen. As mentioned above, for a sufficient amount of oxygen, it is necessary to fill in 30% water, this will saturate 1 liter with up to 5-6 mg of oxygen. Hydrogen needs 7-9 mg per 1 liter of water. Special devices make it possible to digitally measure the amount of these elements. The presence of minerals is no less important. There are also indicators that show how much calcium and silicon there are in the water. If these substances are not enough, the cancer shell will not harden. The main source of calcium is algae, which must be constantly added, since they are food for crayfish and will decrease as they eat. On the surface of the pond, it is necessary to ensure a water replacement rate of 50 liters per minute per 1 thousand m. sq.

If the pond is dirty, you risk losing all the individuals, since in such conditions various bacteria develop very quickly, leading to crayfish diseases. The most terrible of them are: plague, porcelain and rust disease. Firstly, they can be easily diagnosed because appearance the shell will be changed, and secondly, this will affect the fertility of individuals. Diagnosis must be made by a veterinarian. To avoid infection of new crayfish, they must be transplanted into a quarantine tank after catching.

Now, let's calculate the profitability and payback of crayfish farming.

Now that you have read such a volume of information about growing crayfish, let’s try to take a closer look at our business and calculate the revenue and, most importantly, the profit of this business. Let's try to take the matter seriously, since we plan to raise our crayfish in a RAS. RAS – closed water supply installations. Our RAS is a module in the form of 6 containers, their total volume is 1.5 m3. The dimensions of each container are 1.5 * 0.75, the height of the sides is 0.25 m, the bottom is 0.35 m. Electricity consumption is 81 W/hour.

By the way, lobsters can be grown in a RAS. To keep 100 kg of lobster, a volume of water in the RAS of 250 liters is sufficient. at a temperature of 5-10 degrees with a water circulation of 1000 l/hour.

The RAS is equipped with: circulation pump, UV lamp, compressor with battery, water heater and instructions for assembly and operation. The cost of such an installation is 60,000 rubles. Delivery is not included in the price. You can do this installation yourself; many crayfish farmers do this. Below we will calculate how many of these installations we need to purchase and how much space will be needed.

Initial data

The Australian red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus or Red Claw crayfish) or ACCR, is a species of freshwater crayfish native to the rivers of north-west Queensland and the Northern Territory of Australia.

We plan to produce 5000 kilograms of ACCR per year or 417 kilograms per month. The period of growing crayfish for sale is 9 months, average weight– 80 grams. Then it turns out that for us to have the declared volume, we should have 5212 babies born per month. Let’s assume a mortality rate of 20% and get 6,255 cancers per month. The stages of caviar development are determined by its color:

Stage 1 - light cream 1-3 days at 28°C
Stage 2 - dark brown 12-14 days
Stage 3 - appearance of eye spots - 20-23 days
Stage 4 - orange-red - 28-35 days
5th stage - gathering of crustaceans - 35-40 days

Organizational plan for a crayfish breeding enterprise:

Now let's calculate how many females and males of crayfish we need to receive this amount of crayfish per month. The female gives birth to offspring once every ninety days, the average number of crustaceans is 200 pieces, or 800 crustaceans per year. Then it turns out that 6255 crayfish are born per month; we need 375 female crayfish for our business. Just in case, add another 20% - we get 450 pieces. For every three females there is one male or 150 male crayfish.

Thus, the number of crayfish can be about 6255 * 9 + 450 + 150 = 56895 pieces.

Planting density family crayfish” will be 20 pieces per 1 m2, the total density, taking into account young animals, is 50 pieces per 1 m2. Then we will need 56895/50 = 1140 m2 of bottom area in the RAS. The area of ​​one of our RAS is 1.5*0.75*6=6.75 m2. It turns out that we need 169 installations. The total cost of 169 RAS will be 10,140,000 rubles, including delivery and installation of 10.5 million rubles. Other equipment – ​​500 thousand rubles.

The total investment is presented in the table below.

The area of ​​the tanks is 1141 m2, we add 25% for passages and additional areas for production, we obtain the required production area equal to 1426 m2.

The cost of renting a warm room in the suburbs will be 50 rubles/m2, excluding utility costs for electricity and water. The cost of repairs is 2 million rubles.

Business revenue for the planning period of 2 years amounted to:

Fixed and variable costs for the same period are:

According to our calculations, it turned out that to open a business and keep it afloat for the first and partly the second year, you will need 14,539 thousand rubles. The simple payback period for this business is about 11.5 years.

It's up to you to raise crayfish or not. Business is not easy, don’t believe anyone who says that in two years you will earn millions. To the madness of the brave...

Breeding crayfish as a business does not bring profit so quickly, but due to the small development of this niche, there is little competition.

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

This is a relatively new way of earning money, so there is not so much competition in the market.

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

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

Crayfish breeding business: where to start

Registration gives more guarantees to clients, and opens additional doors to the market for farmers.

There are two options here:

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

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

Depending on the scale, you can recoup the costs of setting up a farm within a year.

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

Breeding crayfish will not provide tangible income so quickly, but subsequently the benefits will only grow.

This niche has not yet been fully developed, so the competition here is not so high.

Crayfish farming business idea

In our country, they love crayfish with beer and just like that; even children like their tender, aromatic meat. Those who like to eat boiled crayfish can organize a process of breeding them, which over time can develop into a business. Growing crayfish at home is not particularly difficult and not very expensive, although it does take a long time. It will begin to generate income only in the second year, and will pay for itself in about 6 years.

There is constant demand for this product, competition is not that great, and income is stable if the business is done correctly and sales outlets are established. For example, a retired person is quite capable of coping with such a task if he likes it.

Where and what kind of crayfish to buy for breeding

It is possible to breed crayfish not only in natural or close to natural conditions, that is, in rural areas, but also in an artificially created environment, for example, aquariums - in urban conditions.

Information on the organization of habitat and conditions of detention is not a secret. Having decided, they study special literature and organize crayfish breeding at home.
To start a business, you actually need crayfish. You can catch them yourself or purchase them. Perfect option- acquisition of larvae is not always possible. Much more common option- acquisition of adult specimens and rearing of their offspring.

Sources for obtaining crayfish stock:

1. Fishing in the river or.
2. Shopping at the supermarket.
3. Purchase from a specialized farm.

Did you know? Salted crayfish caviar is a delicacy dish containing many useful components: for example, protein, phosphorus, iron, cobalt, while its calorie content is minimal.

Industrial types of crayfish, the most popular and in demand:

• Blue Cuban - characterized by rapid growth and omnivory, prefers temperatures no higher than 26°C;
• Australian - is the most meaty species, can be bred in aquariums, requires special care and attention;
• Marble - needs large areas and stable temperature, hermaphrodite.

You shouldn’t buy too many individuals at once: the needs of a small farm will be satisfied by 4 dozen males and 8 dozen females, which can be easily recognized in late spring by their eggs under the tail.

It is very important to maintain a 1:2 ratio of males to females.

How to breed crayfish

To breed arthropods, you can use a suitable natural reservoir, build an artificial one that meets all the parameters for the successful implementation of the idea, you can also do this in urban conditions, growing them in aquariums. Each of these methods is good, and each has its own characteristics and disadvantages.

Breeding in reservoirs

Natural and most suitable habitat for crayfish. At the same time, it must have clean water; in dirty livestock, if it does not die entirely, it will decrease significantly.

Important! Crayfish can exist in parallel with fish, but it is advisable to remove predators that feed on crayfish and their eggs from the pond.

In winter, they should hibernate, while refusing to eat. Naturally, weight decreases at this time. In areas where winters are severe, breeding crayfish in a pond is impractical: the reservoir freezes to the bottom and the stock dies.
Breeding in a pond has positive aspects:

• the costs of maintaining the reservoir in appropriate condition are not too high;
• in ponds, water purification occurs naturally;
• Feeding animals also does not require any significant costs due to natural feed.

Disadvantages of this method:

• long period of arthropod growth;
• low population density per unit area;
• long payback period for business.

To feel comfortable in a pond, animals require the following conditions:

1. The pit area is from 50 square meters, its depth is from 2 meters.
2. It is advisable that the pond be located on its own property to avoid troubles with poachers.
3. You should sow around the circumference of the pit.
4. The shore should be clayey.
5. The bottom should be equipped with stones sprinkled with sand to provide shelter and the construction of burrows.

An artificially created reservoir should be equipped with a drainage system already at the construction stage to control the quality of water and the possibility of its replacement. Water needs periodic replacement, which is done monthly in the amount of 1/3 of the total amount.

Important! Under no circumstances should you completely change the water; this will have a detrimental effect on the existing microclimate and can lead to the death of the livestock.

Arguments in favor of an artificial reservoir:

• its creation does not entail serious costs;
• the diet is enriched with the resulting natural feed, which allows you to save on the purchase of feed;
• low labor intensity of the breeding process.

• not all regions are suitable for this business - the pond should not be allowed to completely freeze in winter;
• the inappropriateness of constructing a reservoir in a sunny place;
• possible difficulties in selecting a suitable site;
• low habitat density square meter
• impossibility of temperature control.

Requirements that an artificial reservoir must meet:

1. Sandy or clayey shores, shaded by vegetation.
2. Rocky bottom.
3. Clean and environmentally friendly.
4. The ability to build holes at the bottom.
5. Absence of pathogenic organisms.

When populating a reservoir with crayfish, you should not exceed their planting density. The best option The density is considered to be from 5 to 7 copies per square meter. Subsequently, experienced farmers revise these standards, however, when starting a business, it is advisable to comply with them.

It is advisable to breed breeds that grow quickly - those bred for artificial breeding.

One female is capable of producing about 30 offspring. However, before the desired state they will grow no earlier than in three, and more often in six years, so you should stock up on both knowledge and patience in order to breed crayfish at home.

Breeding in an aquarium

Breeding crayfish in an aquarium involves artificial conditions that should be provided to the wards. A constant microclimate in the aquarium will allow you to receive a constant income at any time of the year.

To organize a cancer farm you need premises, which can be rented.

The volume of aquariums must be at least 250 liters. The bottom is equipped with stones, sand, clay, driftwood - they imitate the natural habitat. For successful breeding, there must be three aquariums: for adults, for mating and for young animals.

The population density of the aquarium can be up to 350 specimens per square meter. The aquarium breeding method requires a businessman to devote a decent amount of time to his pets.

Important! The peculiarity of breeding crayfish in an aquarium is that they do not need to hibernate and gain weight much faster.

The habitat requires the following conditions:

• optimal temperature;
• clean filtered water supplied with oxygen;
• balanced feed;
• feeding

The disadvantage is the area is limited by the size of the aquarium. To expand production volumes, habitat areas should be expanded.

Important! The lowest value allowed for keeping crayfish is -1°C: at this temperature they do not die, but they also do not reproduce.

What to feed crayfish

• various greens;
• larvae laid by insects;
• small fish and...

Having captured prey with their claws, they pinch off small pieces of it and eat them. It is obvious that arthropods feed on what nature feeds them - feeding crayfish at home is not particularly difficult.

The diet of animals in captivity consists of:

• crushed steamed grain;
• meat and meat products;
• boiled;
• fish;
• grated;
• compound feed;
• special;
• larvae, worms, insects, snails.

Food for crayfish is sold in food stores, feed producing plants, and other specialized places.

Reproduction (mating) of crayfish

Crayfish mate annually, often in the fall. One female produces 110-480 eggs, most of which die without producing offspring. The average number of adult crayfish produced by one female is 30.

The female is smaller in size compared to the male. The latter has clearly defined two pairs of legs near the abdomen, with which it holds the partner during fertilization.
Courtship is not practiced: having caught up with the partner, the male holds her and tries to fertilize her, the female tries to avoid contact so much that the mating process can cost her life.

The eggs are fertilized inside her body if the partner turns out to be stronger, after which she immediately goes into her hole and into daytime, when sexual aggression of males flourishes, he is afraid to leave her.

Did you know? An ordinary male is able to cover two females, and this exhausts him so much that he can, having fertilized, eat the third partner.

The male no longer takes any part in the matter of reproduction - the care of the offspring falls entirely on the mother.

About a month after fertilization, the female lays eggs. The eggs are glued to the pseudopods on the abdomen until the larvae hatch from the eggs. This is a very difficult time for the expectant mother: she is forced to supply the eggs with oxygen, constantly working with her tail, protect them from the attacks of predators, and perform hygienic procedures to clean them from mold, dirt and algae growths. In this case, part of the eggs is lost and dies.
IN best case scenario it retains 60 eggs, from which the larvae will hatch. After a week or two, they begin to separate from their mother, hiding under her tail from the dangers of the outside world, and leave her after one and a half to two months. By then they are about 3 centimeters long and equipped with survival skills.

IN natural conditions 10-15% of them will survive, but with sufficient nutrition in artificial conditions really save most of the masonry – 85-90%.

Cancer reaches the age of puberty at the 3rd year of life. The size of the female should not be less than 67 millimeters. The male grows larger, otherwise he will not be able to cope with the task of reproduction.

Taking into account the difficulties of arthropod reproduction in the wild, we see the feasibility of their artificial breeding.

Molting crayfish

Molting time is very dangerous for individuals. Not only the outer shell is shed, but also the covering of the gills, eyes, esophagus and teeth, with the help of which the cancer crushes food. The only solid substance that remains with him is gastroliths - mineral formations shaped like a lens. They are found in the animal's stomach and are a storage site for calcium, which the animal uses to grow hard parts of the body.

Did you know? Gastroliths were called “crayfish stones” in the Middle Ages. They were valued as a miracle medicine that could cure all diseases.

The molted crayfish is soft and completely defenseless: for this reason, it prefers to sit out the dangerous period in a mink, so as not to become a victim of predators and cannibal relatives.

In the first year of their life, since they grow quickly, crayfish change their shell 8 times, in the second year of life this happens 5 times, in subsequent years - once or twice a year. First-year birds often die during their first molt; about 10% survive to market age in the wild.

Until the shell hardens, the crayfish grows intensively in its hole, although it does not eat anything. Once the shell has completely hardened, growth stops until the next change of suit.

The largest males can grow up to 21 centimeters, females - up to 15 centimeters.

Additional equipment for efficient crayfish breeding

To breed crayfish at home, you need some.

Three aquariums equipped with:

• filters that need to be changed three times a year;
• compressors that enrich water with oxygen;
• devices for monitoring oxygen levels and water temperature;
• heaters that allow you to organize desired temperature for individuals and, importantly, for eggs.

At least two, preferably three pools for adults, babies and mating, equipped with:

• water drainage system;
• aeration system;
• attributes that recreate the natural habitat.

It is advisable that there is more than one pond - at some point the young will have to be planted in order to preserve it. Oval shape the pit helps ensure that gas exchange occurs correctly.

529 once already
helped

Don’t know how to make money, what business is most profitable to develop? Open a crayfish farming and breeding business! To you this one will do type of business, especially if you yourself love to feast on the meat of these animals.

Relevance of this business

People have long used crayfish as food, adding them to various recipes or consumed as an independent dish with a foamy drink. Anyone who has tried crayfish meat at least once knows how pleasant and tender it tastes. It is precisely due to its taste that this type of product will always be in demand.

The idea of ​​crayfish farming is very profitable. This type of business does not require special capital investments and at the same time brings enormous income for a whole six months, and on an industrial scale - even year-round. In Russia, crayfish breeding is practically undeveloped, so you have a wide range to implement your business idea.

In pre-revolutionary times, Russia was already engaged in a business related to crayfish, but it consisted only of catching, and not growing. Later, artificial farms for breeding crayfish began to appear, which began to supply meat to European countries.

Types of crayfish for breeding

Far Eastern and European species crayfish If you are planning to put your business on stream, then the European type will suit you.

Europeans, in turn, are divided into long-toed and broad-toed. Broad-toed crayfish are a very valuable species. In cooking they are called “crayfish necks”. But this type of crayfish is listed in the Red Book, so for business it is better to take long-fingered individuals so that there are no problems with regulatory authorities.

There is also a division into lake and crayfish. Lake crayfish are suitable for growing crayfish at home: they usually do not fall asleep and reach quite large sizes. Their only drawback is their capriciousness: to keep this type you will need a very warm room of at least 20 square meters.

Almost all types of crayfish are the same large sizes, but they are unpretentious to living conditions and are inexpensive.

Where to buy?

Finding crayfish larvae is not so easy. Most likely, you will have to raise the young animals yourself. You can purchase the first copies at the supermarket. Buy two females for each male. If you don’t want to spend money on a purchase, you can catch crayfish yourself in ponds.

Features of reproduction, molting and diseases of crayfish

• Crayfish mate in the fall (September, October). At the end of spring, females can be distinguished from males by the presence of eggs under the tail.
• A female cannot produce more than 20 crustaceans per year.
• Young crayfish molt about eight times a year. Adults – 1-2 times a year. When molting, it is necessary to ensure the safety of animals, since without a shell they become vulnerable to predators.
• The most dangerous diseases of crayfish are burns and plague. Make sure that they do not develop in the water pathogenic fungi, otherwise the entire brood of crayfish will die.

Breeding areas

On this moment There are two places for breeding crayfish - a pond and an aquarium.

Growing crayfish in a pond

A pond is a formed stable ecosystem with its own inhabitants and conditions. It is capable of updating.

The main disadvantages of this breeding site:

• In the winter, the pond freezes, and the crayfish hibernate as the water temperature drops below 15 degrees. If the pond freezes to the bottom, then the living creatures will simply die;
• crayfish grow slowly in natural conditions, gaining the necessary mass for sale only in the fifth year.

What can you do when breeding in a pond?

• The first step is to clean the reservoir of contaminants, since crayfish prefer clean water.
• You don’t have to destroy the non-predatory fish neighbors of the crayfish in the pond.

Video about breeding crayfish in a pond

Aquariums: keeping crayfish at home

• The minimum size of the aquarium is 250 liters.
• You should pour soil at the bottom, place pebbles and decorations so that the crayfish can hide there.
• Fill with water, ensure its filtration and purification.

Hatchery ponds and aquariums

• Equip aquariums with filters and heaters.
• Organize elongated ponds measuring at least 25 square meters and 2 meters deep.
• It is necessary that the water in the pond be running. It is very important that a river flows nearby. If this is not possible, water wells should be drilled.
• Place shelters at the bottom of the pond so that the crayfish can hide.

Necessary equipment for breeding crayfish

Maintenance and care requirements

Requirements for living conditions

• The water where crayfish live must be clean. Its temperature cannot be lower than 15 degrees, otherwise the animals will hibernate.
• The number of individuals per 1 square meter should not exceed 350 pieces.
• You cannot contain different types of crayfish in one body of water.

Feeding

In order for crayfish to correspond to their marketable appearance and weight, it is necessary to properly organize their nutrition. Daily norm food consumption for one individual should be 4-5% of its weight.

What is suitable as food?

• Earthworms.
• Insect larvae.
• Snails.
• Steamed and crushed grains.
• Boiled potatoes.
• Grated carrots.

Delivery of finished products

First you need to find potential customers who could purchase your products. Call the nearest restaurants and catering outlets, test the waters. If your services are not needed, you can always start supplying the product to the market by selling it to fishmongers.

You can also offer your friends the grown product. These same acquaintances can recommend you to someone else - this is how you will earn your first profit.

Profitability of a mini-farm for growing crayfish

Even if you have a large profit from this activity, you need to take into account that this type of business is seasonal.

There is practically no competition in this type of business, so you can quickly find a buyer for your products and get your treasured profit.

To get a ton of crayfish over several years, it would take about 600 individuals. All the main costs come at the time of starting a business.

It will cost about 170 thousand rubles to equip the reservoir and purchase the first batch of individuals. (20 thousand rubles for crayfish, the rest for equipment for growing crayfish). Having invested 200 thousand rubles. into business, in two years you will earn your first million. These are all conditional figures; when calculating expenses and income, take into account the selling price of crayfish.

• It is cheaper to breed crayfish in a ready-made reservoir, but there is a risk of the business sinking due to weather conditions.
• You can organize your own business by first raising fingerlings (crayfish larvae) in an aquarium and then transplanting them into a pond.
• Don't let sharp changes the temperature of the water in which the crayfish live, as well as its hypothermia.
• Choose one type of crayfish for your business, since individuals of different categories do not get along with each other.
• Monitor the health of individuals. Crayfish are susceptible to fungal diseases.
• Do not overfeed animals.
• There should be half as many males as females.
• Constantly monitor the quality of the water in which the crayfish live.

Don't think that raising crayfish is very easy. This business will be profitable only when all conditions for breeding and living animals are met. Don't expect a quick fix.