How to grow crayfish. Breeding crayfish at home with minimal investment

Farms for breeding crayfish in our time no longer surprise anyone. They successfully work and develop on the territory of the country and bring considerable income to their owners.

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Choice of growing method

The amount of profit depends on which 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 the city dwellers will smile with a smirk and go to evaluate the size of their bath. Only here 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 out over time. Only after you have settled all the points with the lease, you can start buying aquariums. It is better to start with 10-15 pieces and if everything works out, then in a few months buy more.

Pros of breeding crayfish in aquariums:

  1. Easier to control the condition of pets.
  2. Less feed consumption.
  3. Water temperature control, which contributes to the accelerated development of young offspring.
  4. There is no long period of cold wintering, which allows the young to grow more efficiently, and the entrepreneur to get the first income faster by 3-4 months;
  5. You can populate crayfish larvae in aquariums and save on buying young animals or adults.

The process of growing crayfish is quite capacious 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 1m) walls and a wide bottom. This makes it easier to care for crayfish and keep the bottom of the aquarium clean.

At the current stage, the cultivation of crayfish in the pool as a business has proven itself well in urban and rural areas, where there are problems with water supply.

At home (artificial reservoir)

Growing crayfish in an artificial pond is considered by many to be the easiest and most inexpensive option for starting commercial crayfish farming. 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 the business to work, you must:

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

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

A reservoir cannot be built in a sunny place!

In a natural reservoir

The easiest and most affordable way to breed crayfish in the household is to launch a queen tribe or larvae into an ordinary natural pond. First you need to find a reservoir that meets the necessary requirements:

  • the presence of a rocky bottom and sandy shores;
  • suitable bottom for the construction of holes;
  • the reservoir should be environmentally friendly and have shaded shores. It is 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 livestock with the help of crayfish, but also greatly reduce product prices. The way to deal with them is quite simple:

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

To grow crayfish in a natural pond, it is necessary to allocate money for the purchase of livestock and feed. With this method of growing, feed costs are significantly reduced, but there is no way to control the temperature of the water, as a result of which crayfish will be 30% inferior in weight to their relatives who grew 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 their maintenance in practice. In order to better understand and see everything, you can invite yourself to visit a similar farm and ask the owners as much as possible about the life and habits of their pets.

They will not reveal all the secrets to future competitors, but they will already have an idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwork and how the farm should look like.

Today on the Internet there is a lot of literature and practical advice that will help you cope with problems in the course of work, but the advice of professionals is always very valuable.

Residence preparation

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

The rocky bottom, a lot of sand, pebbles and algae - this is what will allow the crayfish to feel at home in a new place.

If it is planned to grow crayfish in aquariums, then the day before the settlement of living creatures, it is necessary to start the entire system (if planting algae is planned, then a week, simultaneously with planting greenery).

Adult female crayfish can eat their larvae and young. To avoid this, it is recommended to separate the adult stock from the young. This will require additional containers (aquariums or pools).

Proper preparation of a place for keeping and growing crayfish will greatly facilitate the process of settling and make the adaptation of the mother liquor painless and comfortable.

Acquisition of cancer families

Do not immediately buy 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 a species resistant to diseases and stress 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, suitable for growing in aquariums, uses small fish, compound feed, greens as food).
  • Blue Kuban crayfish (fast-growing species of medium size, does not tolerate temperatures above 26 degrees, loves stony, sandy soils with a lot of snags and burrows, omnivorous).
  • Marble crayfish (demanding to water temperature and prefers large aquariums, pools or artificial ponds). 20 adults 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 (to itself and a female and a male). It is necessary to separate adults from young animals.

Enterprise start

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?

Starting a farm is very important in this type of business, as it is seasonal and most cancers do not tolerate wintering well.

The best time to lay a farm is the beginning of April, with the arrival of the first warm weather.

By the beginning of summer, each female will have eggs under the 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 because of such a long period of growth that experts recommend starting a farm with young crayfish, which can be grown and sold this year, leaving a few individuals for reproduction.

Business registration

Every self-respecting entrepreneur and manufacturer registers his company before starting work. What does it give? Buyers have the 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 shops and wholesalers.

This type of business is registered under the OKVED code 01.21, which indicates that the company is engaged in breeding pets.

For the right to retail, code 52.23 must be added, which indicates the right to retail fish and shellfish.

Purchase of feed

Crayfish are happy to eat feed, larvae, earthworms, greens, small bottom fish. It will not be difficult to buy compound feed - it is always available at the economic market or feed mills, which are full in every city. It is not difficult to stock up on greens on your own, but you will 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 the sellers of fishing rods and tackle who delivers bloodworms to them, and arrange regular delivery with this supplier.

Summing up

We have this type of business relatively young, as it is mistakenly believed that the development of a crayfish breeding farm requires huge investments. The fact that it takes about a year to wait for the first sale of goods is not inspiring either. 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 inception to the finished product?

Raising 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 laying of the mother liquor to the sale of finished products, if livestock is grown in a pond.

With the aquarium breeding method 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 in a state of dormancy and eat very little. In a closed room, this process can be regulated.

Estimated costs

You need a lot of start-up capital to run 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 the calculations:

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

For the construction of one pond with an area of ​​60 sq.m. necessary 80-150 rubles(depending on depth). The main part of the costs goes to drainage pipes, waterproofing materials, and the construction of a drain. For a year in this reservoir, if you run about 500 females (80 kg of breeding stock), can be grown up to 13 000(about 3.5 tons) of young animals, the market value of which ranges from 200-250 rubles per 1kg.

The minimum annual income from growing crayfish in a pond is 300-450 thousand rubles and fully covers the expenses for the construction of the pond, pools, the purchase of feed and mother liquor.

In order to run this type of business indoors, you must:

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

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

Profit calculation

Growing crayfish on a home farm is a rather long and laborious process, but the farmer receives a hundredfold for his work. Even with the most costly method of growing crayfish - aquarium - all the costs of purchasing equipment and breeding stock pay off after the first year of cultivation.

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

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

Pitfalls of the crayfish business

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

The following factors have a great influence on business development:

  1. Crayfish go for wintering under water, but do not hibernate. This means that severe freezing of water should not be allowed.
  2. Not all types of crayfish tolerate cold water and are designed to be grown 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 medicines.
  4. Water for a pond or aquarium should be soft and not contain salt.
  5. Females with eggs should be immediately transplanted into a separate container and ensured that they do not eat them after they lay their eggs in the sand or mule.

If there is 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 when you work independently or if there is an experienced adviser nearby.

Where do crayfish hibernate?

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

If a crayfish finds a place for wintering in a natural reservoir, then when constructing a piece 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 is growing every year. If you choose the right way of growing 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 crayfish farm that will supply quality products and breeding stock not only to your region, but also to neighboring areas .

Farms for breeding crayfish in our time no longer surprise anyone. They successfully work and develop on the territory of the country and bring considerable income to their owners.

Choice of growing method

The amount of profit depends on which 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 the city dwellers will smile with a smirk and go to evaluate the size of their bath. Only here 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 out over time. Only after you have settled all the points with the lease, you can start buying aquariums. It is better to start with 10-15 pieces and if everything works out, then in a few months buy more.

Pros of breeding crayfish in aquariums:

  1. Easier to control the condition of pets.
  2. Less feed consumption.
  3. Water temperature control, which contributes to the accelerated development of young offspring.
  4. There is no long period of cold wintering, which allows the young to grow more efficiently, and the entrepreneur to get the first income faster by 3-4 months;
  5. You can populate crayfish larvae in aquariums and save on buying young animals or adults.

The process of growing crayfish is quite capacious 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 1m) walls and a wide bottom. This makes it easier to care for crayfish and keep the bottom of the aquarium clean.

At the current stage, the cultivation of crayfish in the pool as a business has proven itself well in urban and rural areas, where there are problems with water supply.

At home (artificial reservoir)

Growing crayfish in an artificial pond is considered by many to be the easiest and most inexpensive option for starting commercial crayfish farming. 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 the business to work, you must:

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

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

A reservoir cannot be built in a sunny place!

In a natural reservoir

The easiest and most affordable way to breed crayfish in the household is to launch a queen tribe or larvae into an ordinary natural pond. First you need to find a reservoir that meets the necessary requirements:

  • the presence of a rocky bottom and sandy shores;
  • suitable bottom for the construction of holes;
  • the reservoir should be environmentally friendly and have shaded shores. It is 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 livestock with the help of crayfish, but also greatly reduce product prices. The way to deal with them is quite simple:

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

To grow crayfish in a natural pond, it is necessary to allocate money for the purchase of livestock and feed. With this method of growing, feed costs are significantly reduced, but there is no way to control the temperature of the water, as a result of which crayfish will be 30% inferior in weight to their relatives who grew 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 their maintenance in practice. In order to better understand and see everything, you can invite yourself to visit a similar farm and ask the owners as much as possible about the life and habits of their pets.

They will not reveal all the secrets to future competitors, but they will already have an idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwork and how the farm should look like.

Today on the Internet there is a lot of literature and practical advice that will help you cope with problems in the course of work, but the advice of professionals is always very valuable.

Residence preparation

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

The rocky bottom, a lot of sand, pebbles and algae - this is what will allow the crayfish to feel at home in a new place.

If it is planned to grow crayfish in aquariums, then the day before the settlement of living creatures, it is necessary to start the entire system (if planting algae is planned, then a week, simultaneously with planting greenery).

Adult female crayfish can eat their larvae and young. To avoid this, it is recommended to separate the adult stock from the young. This will require additional containers (aquariums or pools).

Proper preparation of a place for keeping and growing crayfish will greatly facilitate the process of settling and make the adaptation of the mother liquor painless and comfortable.

Acquisition of cancer families

Do not immediately buy 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 a species resistant to diseases and stress 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, suitable for growing in aquariums, uses small fish, compound feed, greens as food).
  • Blue Kuban crayfish (fast-growing species of medium size, does not tolerate temperatures above 26 degrees, loves stony, sandy soils with a lot of snags and burrows, omnivorous).
  • Marble crayfish (demanding to water temperature and prefers large aquariums, pools or artificial ponds). 20 adults 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 (to itself and a female and a male). It is necessary to separate adults from young animals.

Enterprise start

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?

Starting a farm is very important in this type of business, as it is seasonal and most cancers do not tolerate wintering well.

The best time to lay a farm is the beginning of April, with the arrival of the first warm weather.

By the beginning of summer, each female will have eggs under the 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 because of such a long period of growth that experts recommend starting a farm with young crayfish, which can be grown and sold this year, leaving a few individuals for reproduction.

Business registration

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

This type of business is registered under the OKVED code 01.21, which indicates that the company is engaged in breeding pets.

For the right to retail, code 52.23 must be added, which indicates the right to retail fish and shellfish.

Purchase of feed

Crayfish are happy to eat feed, larvae, earthworms, greens, small bottom fish. It will not be difficult to buy compound feed - it is always available at the economic market or feed mills, which are full in every city. It is not difficult to stock up on greens on your own, but you will 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 the sellers of fishing rods and tackle who delivers bloodworms to them, and arrange regular delivery with this supplier.

See also the video about the benefits of breeding crayfish

Summing up

We have this type of business relatively young, as it is mistakenly believed that the development of a crayfish breeding farm requires huge investments. The fact that it takes about a year to wait for the first sale of goods is not inspiring either. 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 inception to the finished product?

Raising 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 laying of the mother liquor to the sale of finished products, if livestock is grown in a pond.

With the aquarium breeding method 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 in a state of dormancy and eat very little. In a closed room, this process can be regulated.

Estimated costs

You need a lot of start-up capital to run 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 the calculations:

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

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

The minimum annual income from growing crayfish in a pond is 300-450 thousand rubles and fully covers the expenses for the construction of the pond, pools, the purchase of feed and mother liquor.

In order to run this type of business indoors, you must:

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

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

Profit calculation

Growing crayfish on a home farm is a rather long and laborious process, but the farmer receives a hundredfold for his work. Even with the most costly method of growing crayfish - aquarium - all the costs of purchasing equipment and breeding stock pay off after the first year of cultivation.

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

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

Pitfalls of the crayfish business

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

The following factors have a great influence on business development:

  1. Crayfish go for wintering under water, but do not hibernate. This means that severe freezing of water should not be allowed.
  2. Not all types of crayfish tolerate cold water and are designed to be grown 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 medicines.
  4. Water for a pond or aquarium should be soft and not contain salt.
  5. Females with eggs should be immediately transplanted into a separate container and ensured that they do not eat them after they lay their eggs in the sand or mule.

If there is 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 when you work independently or if there is an experienced adviser nearby.

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Documents in the employee's personal file are kept up to 75 years. Learn more in this article.

What is OKATO in the details of the enterprise? See here.

Where do crayfish hibernate?

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

If a crayfish finds a place for wintering in a natural reservoir, then when constructing a piece 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 is growing every year. If you choose the right way of growing 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 crayfish farm that will supply quality products and breeding stock not only to your region, but also to neighboring areas .

Every business is a cost, risk and excitement that is rewarded with profit and the fulfillment of a dream. In order for the dream to come true, it is necessary to calculate all possible threats and only then get to work.

With a competent approach to business and correct 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 it does not require serious expenses.

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

Information about the essence of the project

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

Keep this in mind when you are considering crayfish farming as a home business. You can find a video with reviews of entrepreneurs and specialists about such an unusual activity in our review.

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

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

True, with the above method, you should remember about the constant cleaning of the aquarium. Moreover, there should be several containers. Usually adults live in one of them, fry in the other, and the third serves as a reserve for replacing water and cleaning the main tanks. It is also important to take into account that it is adult crayfish that are transplanted during reproduction, since young animals that are still unadapted to life often die when environmental conditions change.

Breeding crayfish at home would be a good business idea, 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 your wards. These animals are very sensitive 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 with 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 selling the goods directly. In addition, today this niche in the market is almost empty and a newcomer has a high chance of success.

We are looking for a room

A crayfish business can be started by finding a suitable building for this building. Experts advise to pay attention to attics, basements and even garages. All these buildings will allow you to maintain the necessary temperature conditions and place several containers there with suitable dimensions of the area. Of course, the best 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, it is necessary to 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 best solution. So, you will be deprived of the need to carry out measures to warm the room, as well as equip it with a heating system. The wintering of arthropods provides for 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, on an area of ​​​​50 square meters. m. you only need one lamp with a power of about 200 watts.

Cooking a pond

So, the main equipment for growing crayfish is aquariums or a pool system. The choice will depend only on the total area of ​​\u200b\u200byour room. Remember, the minimum volume of one aquarium should be from 2,500 liters, and the location should provide 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 container option would be to purchase a closed water supply installation. True, to make its own analogue, 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, you need to talk about the structure of the pool system. Several tanks should be built, the bottom of each of them should be laid out with sand and small stones, and also populated with various plants. Since stagnant water is detrimental to crayfish, each container must be equipped with a compressor, a cleaning filter and, if necessary, a heater. Consider also a drain system for fluid replacement. A good option for a capital reservoir would be a pipe closed with a fine mesh with a shut-off valve, and if you choose to breed crayfish in an aquarium as a business, you can drain the water with a hose. In any case, the room should be equipped with a good drain.

A separate nuance is the direct replacement of the fluid. Remember, you can not change the water completely. Experienced entrepreneurs in such matters are advised to drain only a quarter of the total volume of the reservoir. This measure will prevent abrupt changes in the microclimate for arthropods, which can even lead to molting and slow development. To avoid hibernation of livestock, powerful compressors and heaters can be used.

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

Features of the purchase of livestock

Another step towards the implementation of your idea, requiring 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 crayfish larvae, and not adults. True, today this is a rather difficult task for a beginner. Please note that the livestock was raised artificially, and not caught in a pond. Remember, individuals taken from their natural environment develop much more slowly, which will increase the payback period of the case. There are a few more rules for such a business as growing crayfish at home. The video below details all these nuances.

However, nevertheless, pay attention when buying, so that the proportion of the ratio of males and females is 1:2. Remember, during mating, the male is only able to fertilize two females. He simply eats the extra ones.

It is optimal to acquire adult livestock 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 in wooden containers, laying arthropods on their backs in rows. Moreover, extreme accuracy should be observed with females that have caviar.

If you acquire livestock during the spawning period, females can be very easily distinguished from males.

Given that most often you can buy animals by weight, and not by the piece, buying a kilogram of large-sized arthropods (10 pieces) will cost about 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

Raising crayfish as a business will be quite an attractive project due to the low operating costs spent on caring for and feeding the livestock. 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 food. The main diet can be formed from worms, bloodworms, mollusks and frogs.

Given that crayfish are unpretentious in food and omnivores, their feeding will not bring large expenses.

Given that crayfish are predominantly active at night, it is advisable to feed them in the late evening. In the morning, you should inspect the pond and remove food debris, as it will contribute to the rapid pollution of 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 payback rate of the entire project depends on the quality of the conditions of detention and care for them. Therefore, try to create the most comfortable conditions for them. As a rule, monthly expenses for 300 arthropods will be approximately 3,500 rubles.

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

Final calculations

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

  • tank preparation (3) - 90,000;
  • equipment - 110,000;
  • livestock (125 units) - 33,000;
  • transport and overhead costs - 17,000.

You can start a business when you have savings of 250,000 rubles and also you have a private basement of 50 m2. Now consider the cost of two years of keeping individuals. They will look like this:

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

Thus, the operation of the business for two years will cost about 300,000 rubles. Let's see how profitable the business will be. Each of the females you purchased (200 pcs.) Is able to bring about 30 heads of offspring annually. So, in two years you will be able to increase the volume to 9,000 individuals, ready for sale. With a kilogram cost 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 to recoup the entire project immediately after the implementation of the first third of the livestock.

As approximate calculations of the business plan show, breeding crayfish for sale will be a cost-effective project.

As you can see, a project aimed at breeding crayfish, the business plan of which we reviewed above, can bring considerable income. Of course, by investing your own funds in the business for such a long period, you take a little risk, but, on the other hand, during this time you will be able to establish supply chains and resolve all bureaucratic issues. So, experts highly appreciate such an activity 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 far from being developed everywhere. Due to the high demand for the product, it is worth considering the 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.

Basement preparation and crayfish purchase

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

Basement and aquariums

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

The good news is that in most cases, the basement does not require additional insulation. In winter, crayfish live perfectly at a temperature of + 5-7 ° C. In summer, it should be at 20 ° C. If the temperature often drops below these marks, 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 are 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. Put a little sandy soil on the bottom, and then lay out the snags and stones. Crayfish will hide in them during sleep.

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

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

Buying and transporting crayfish

It is ideal to acquire crayfish larvae, but most likely you will not succeed. Buy adults, and grow their offspring yourself. You can buy crayfish anywhere, the main thing is that there are 2 females for 1 male. The best time to buy is autumn, when the mating season begins. At this time, crayfish are easy to distinguish - females will have caviar under the 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.

Transportation home is best done at night, when it is cooler. Particular attention should be paid to the transportation of those crayfish that have caviar. Use wooden crates for transportation. In them, crayfish are laid on the back in several rows. It is important that their number does not exceed 20 pieces per 1 decimeter.

Young offspring.

Fry can be carried in large and dense plastic bags. The volume of water should be about 2/3 of the bag. There should not be too many fry. They quickly consume oxygen, so transfer them to the aquarium during the day.

Breeding principles

In order to successfully breed crayfish, you need to know all the necessary information about their lifestyle.

Nutrition

Most crayfish feed on food of plant origin. Basically, plants that are next to their reservoir become it. But under natural conditions, they often eat carrion, insect larvae, and even small snails.

At home, animals receive all the nutrients from special feed. Also, crayfish can be fed with soaked grains, boiled and grated vegetables (carrots, potatoes and cabbage). The source of protein for them 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.

Moult

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

Shedding means the growth of the animal. It throws off the old shell, which becomes small for it, and builds up a new one. At this time, 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 it. This fact should be taken into account when purchasing crayfish. Stick to the recommended proportion: 2 females to 1 male.

First, the eggs are located in the female under the tail. Later, it moves to the shell and attaches next to the legs. For the development of embryos, the female regularly rinses the eggs with water, so filter it at least several times a week.

Female with eggs under the abdomen.

The larvae will emerge from the eggs in 2 months. For the next 2 weeks, the female shelters them from all sorts of dangers until they grow up and become independent. On average, about 12-15 ratchets are born at a time in a female. More than 20 is extremely rare. At home, up to 60 crayfish can be obtained from one female per year.

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

After the emergence of larvae, crayfish need more food than before. Be sure to diversify their diet with 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 sq. m. Give them enough food so that they quickly gain weight and grow.

Possible diseases

In addition to diseases, temperature extremes, improper or excessive nutrition, and dirty water can be responsible for the massive decline in the number of crayfish.

Business Planning Basics

To transform crayfish farming from a simple hobby into a business, you will need a large facility and 2 swimming pools, each of which is at least 25 square meters. m.

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

Study the product market in advance.

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

Pros and cons of home breeding crayfish

The unequivocal advantages of home breeding crayfish are:

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

The only real disadvantage is the limited space due to the relatively small area of ​​the aquariums. In an ordinary basement, it will not be possible to organize industrial production. But your family and friends will always have organic and tasty meat.

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

Breeding crayfish at home can become quite a promising and profitable business in the conditions of Russian reality, since today this industry is still free from a large number of competitors. Probably, many of those who have ever tasted tender crayfish meat will prefer to continue to eat this delicacy, so the constant demand for the product is almost guaranteed.

But where to start, having some capital and a great desire to become a breeder of tasty and appetizing arthropods? Which animal species to choose and how to create a habitat for them? Consider step by step the process of organizing business activities aimed at growing crayfish and their subsequent sale.

Pros and cons of breeding crayfish at home

Before you go all out and run to buy an aquarium or dig a pond to populate it with expensive claw dwellers, it's worth analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of such a business.

The advantages include the following points:

  • One-time significant investment- they are needed only at the beginning of the activity, and the amount will depend on the planned scale. Why? Nothing complicated: some breed crayfish at home - in an aquarium, while others - in artificial reservoirs. Agree, the costs for the first and second are significantly different, which means that the entrepreneur himself is free to decide how much financial resources he is ready to invest in the business. It is quite possible to organize your own.
  • Development prospects- having mastered a new area and having dealt with all the nuances, you can think about scaling up activities, which will significantly increase profits. It is quite possible to expand in this area, since there are still very few competitors, and it is not difficult to find distribution channels.
  • No need to maintain a large staff of workers- breeding crayfish at home is usually labor-intensive only at the start, that is, when laying a kind of foundation for a business, including registering a legal entity or individual entrepreneur, creating a reservoir, buying the first inhabitants, etc. Then, when the matter is settled, everything will go like on rails, without causing serious problems.
  • High profit- crayfish meat is considered a delicacy, therefore the prices for these arthropods are impressive in their magnitude, therefore, breeders with well-organized activities, as a rule, have a large income.

Important: however, not everything is as rosy as it seems at first glance, otherwise every second would grow crayfish at home. However, there are not too many cons. For example, they include the seasonality of product sales. But it also takes place only if crayfish are bred in their natural habitat. Also, as an obstacle that does not allow you to join the business, you can identify the significant financial costs required at the initial stage. Although, on the other hand, no one forces you to immediately dig ponds and purchase RAS, and buying an aquarium is a very budget option.

Breeding crayfish at home as a business

Now many aspiring entrepreneurs are realizing that growing crayfish is very promising in Russia, as well as, since there are negligible competitors, especially compared to other states. Crayfish have always been found in the reservoirs of our country, and in pre-revolutionary times they were also bred in an artificially created environment, sending meat for export throughout Europe. But today, the main suppliers providing the world market with delicacy arthropods are China, Turkey and Spain ... and the flag, as they say, is in their hands, but it’s only surprising that before there were no crayfish at all. That is, by initiating a crayfish breeding business at home, one can dream of covering not only Russia in the future, but also establishing sales channels abroad if things go uphill.

Let's take a step-by-step look at how to create your own business, aimed at making a profit by selling carefully grown crayfish.

Business registration

Currently, any activity aimed at generating income, according to the law, must be formalized and registered accordingly. The creation of a crayfish farm is no exception. Of course, a businessman has the right to independently choose an organizational form - there are two options:

  • OOO– limited liability company;
  • IP- individual entrepreneur.

Advice: how to decide what is right for you? Probably, it is necessary to analyze the differences between LLC and IP. The peculiarity of the latter is that in the event of the formation of debts (and no one is immune from this, and it is worth thinking about the possibilities of collapse in advance), an individual entrepreneur is liable for obligations with all his property - an apartment, a car, and a summer house. An LLC risks only assets and authorized capital, the minimum amount of which today is 10 thousand rubles. Also, an LLC has another advantage - it allows you to attract investors and partners to the business.

Thus, when choosing a legal form, you should pay attention to the planned scale of the business - if you want to become a small fish in the business world, then an individual entrepreneur is quite suitable, and in the case when you see yourself as a future shark -. Although, in fact, with any option, LLCs have fewer problems - both in terms of risk and in terms of development prospects.

Important: when registering a business, it is necessary to determine the taxation system. Here, the UAT (single agricultural tax) would be the best solution. The payment amount is calculated according to the formula: Tax rate (6%) x Tax base (revenues less expenses).

This is a very profitable system due to the low tax rate, thanks to which the state supports those who are engaged in farming. However, there is one limitation - income from agricultural activities must exceed 70%.

Also, when registering your own business for breeding crayfish at home, you need to select the codes for the types of activities that suit you according to OKVED and indicate them in the documents. In the case of breeding crayfish, the following will do:

  • 01.49.5 - Breeding of domestic animals;
  • 46.38 - Wholesale trade in other foodstuffs, including fish, crustaceans and mollusks;
  • 47.23 - Retail sale of fish, crustaceans and mollusks in specialized stores.

Determination of the method of breeding crayfish

After completing all the bureaucratic procedures, you can legally breed crayfish at home with a view to their subsequent sale. But here the question arises - where to keep the future product? It all depends on the financial capabilities and plans of the businessman, since there are several options for growing arthropods:

Pond

Almost any body of water can be suitable for crayfish, the only exceptions are those that are characterized by significant waterlogging or a large amount of silt. Animals will also live well in fish ponds if there are no predators among their neighbors. The advantage of this method of growing arthropods is that the pond is a completely stable aquatic system, which means that the process of purification and renewal in it is regulated by nature itself, therefore, it is really significant to save on equipment (filters, aerators, etc.), as well as on feed because in the ponds, crayfish eat algae and a variety of insect larvae. Of course, additional feeding is necessary, but the costs will still decrease. However, the option under consideration also has a significant disadvantage - the growth of crayfish in the natural environment is very slow: they gain marketable mass only in the fifth or sixth year. That is, profits will have to wait a long time. The number of individuals that can be launched into the pond is quite small - 6-8 crustaceans per square meter of the reservoir.


Important: at low temperatures, crayfish become indifferent to food, stop eating and do not gain weight, that is, they plunge into a state of suspended animation. And for Russia, winter cold is a constant component, so when raising animals outdoors, one must keep in mind that their growth will take a long time.

Aquarium

Undoubtedly, this method of breeding crayfish at home requires huge containers. It is believed that the volume of the aquarium should not be less than at least 250 liters. The "house" for the inhabitants must be equipped - pour a little soil on the bottom, place stones there, as well as snags that will serve as animal shelter. If the temperature is maintained at an optimal level (18-23 degrees), then the crayfish will not hibernate and grow quickly, especially when creating comfortable conditions in the aquarium - ensuring water filtration and oxygen saturation. The advantage of this option is that up to 50 crustaceans are allowed to settle per square meter of "living space". But there is also a minus - the area is limited, which means that up to industrial volumes as to the moon.


Advice: crustacean larvae can be grown at home (in an aquarium) to the stage of fingerlings, and then transferred to a pond or a specially equipped pool. In order for larval survival to be high, it is very important to constantly monitor water quality and temperature.

Basement

If a businessman is the happy owner of his own cottage, then a basement can be allocated for breeding crayfish at home. Agree, often it plays the role of a repository of all unnecessary rubbish, and few are able to make it a source of income. To some extent, this method is a modification of the previous one, the only difference is the use of non-residential premises, although the scale of activity usually increases, because it is easy to place several aquariums in the basement, which, as a rule, are installed on special structures consisting of tiers. A significant advantage of growing crustaceans at home, namely in the basement, is that you do not have to clutter up an apartment or house with large volumes of water tanks.

Advice: most likely, it will be necessary to insulate the basement, since sometimes in such rooms the temperature drops below 17 degrees, which means that animals can hibernate, stopping weight gain. You will also need to take care of lighting. However, there are no special requirements here - two or three standard light bulbs on the ceiling are enough.

RAS

RAS (recirculating water systems) refers to special equipment designed for the cultivation of crustaceans and fish. The undoubted advantages include the fact that it will take half the time to set the commercial mass of animals - crayfish in RAS can grow to the required size in two years (sometimes one), while in the natural environment it will take about five years. The modern market offers entrepreneurs wonderful options equipped with heating, aeration, disinfection and water purification systems. Such installations are often located in basements, garages - any insulated rooms where the temperature does not drop below 10 degrees.


Purchase of equipment

The equipment required for the farm will depend on the chosen format of activity - you can try to earn money at home, or go to the industrial level. If you have serious plans and have the opportunity to make the necessary calculations, then you should try to get, and buy equipment with this money. Consider what will be required for those who prefer to keep up with progress and have opted for RAS. A special recirculating water supply installation is a frame containing several tiers, each of which has pools. Usually one container is not populated by tenants, but left under the "equipment". Her list looks like this:

  • Circulation pump;
  • Filters;
  • Sterilizer (ultraviolet lamp);
  • Compressor used to aerate water;
  • heating elements.

Important: if you take a responsible approach to the issue of breeding crayfish at home, then it is best to purchase an oximeter, which determines how oxygenated the water is. You can not do without instruments that measure temperature and analyze the water composition. Well, you can remember the little things: feeders, electronic scales, lamps, shelters for animals, etc.

Choosing a type of crayfish

After the issue with the habitat of crayfish is resolved, you should think about what species of animals to settle there. Breeding crayfish at home involves the initial acquisition of male and female individuals. Some farmers do not particularly bother with the selection and purchase of future residents of an aquarium or reservoir, but simply take females from natural ponds and carefully transport them to a new home. But future entrepreneurs should be aware that there are several varieties of crayfish, and they all have their own characteristics.

blue cuban- it is rather non-capricious, so it is easy to grow it at home or in open ponds and pools, but it needs a temperature above 25 degrees and systematic feeding. It is extremely profitable to breed such crayfish, since they grow very quickly - the mass required for sale can be achieved in just 6 months, and the length of the animal's body ranges from 6 to 12 centimeters (without claws), although sometimes there are large individuals (about 15 centimeters).


Marble- quite fastidious: thermophilic and has an excellent appetite, so it will have to be fed plentifully and often. Individuals grow, as a rule, large (up to 15 centimeters). Breeding such animals at home usually brings a good profit, as their breed is considered elite.


Australian- it is also called the "red claw" for the corresponding color of the claws. On the world market, it is perceived as a high-quality delicacy, similar in taste to lobsters. It is logical that the price of the product will also please farmers. Breeding such arthropods at home is not too difficult to organize - they are not picky about food, but they love warmth and need a large number of various minks where they can hide after eating or sleeping.


European river- in Russia, it is most often bred because of the unpretentiousness and ease of cultivation, which can be carried out in open water. Animals are divided into broad-toed and long-toed.


Development of a forage base

Of course, anyone who plans to make money selling their own home-grown crustaceans understands that they need to be well fed. With what? After all, the goal of the entrepreneur is for them to quickly gain “commodity” weight. In fact, food largely depends on the type of inhabitants of the pond or aquarium, but the general principles in the nutrition of crayfish can still be formulated. It is easy to buy food in specialized stores or cook at home. Usually the diet consists of the following products:

  • Meat and fish, ground into minced meat or cut into pieces;
  • Seaweed;
  • Earthworms, various larvae, snails and plankton;
  • Cereal crops (corn, barley, wheat, etc.);
  • Vegetables that are high in fiber (potatoes, carrots, etc.);
  • Chopped and steamed hay;
  • Oak leaves (they are a natural antiseptic).

For the meal of crayfish, it is convenient to use special feeders - lattice cells where food is placed. Their use allows you to slightly push back the moment when water purification becomes a necessity.

Important: of course, most businessmen strive to quickly grow animals to a size that allows them to start selling, but it’s still not worth feeding arthropods - food residues pollute the reservoir, which can lead to additional costs for its cleansing or diseases of the inhabitants. Lack of food, like excess, is fraught with problems - if the crayfish are constantly hungry, then they will not only stop gaining mass, but will also start to fight, tearing each other's claws and damaging the shells, and this will significantly affect their presentation.

Search for distribution channels

One of the main advantages of breeding crayfish at home is the lack of difficulty in finding outlets. Why? Little competition. That is, businessmen will offer the market an almost scarce product that is popular, in demand because of its good taste - and who would not want to enjoy the tender and exotic meat of the animals in question? How about with beer? This means that demand will not be long in coming, especially if it is possible to carry out wholesale deliveries. Consider a sample list of organizations that are most likely to be interested in a delicatessen product:

  • fish markets;
  • Restaurants, cafes, sports bars;
  • Saunas and baths;
  • Hotels and holiday homes;
  • Retail Stores.

Advice: in addition to crayfish meat, you can sell their caviar - many say that in salty form it is not at all inferior in taste to red caviar. Chitinous shells are also a valuable commodity - they, ground into powder, are often used in the cosmetic and medical fields due to the content of rare substances that promote tissue regeneration.

Breeding and growing crayfish as an idea for a business - video

Frequently asked Questions

Starting a crayfish breeding business at home is fraught with many questions for beginners in this business. Let's answer the most common ones.

Is it profitable to breed crayfish at home?

If an entrepreneur does not plan to acquire a whole RAS complex or a farm consisting of several ponds, then you should not count on a huge and quick income. It will take a long time to wait for profit - in the natural environment, animals gain mass, which allows them to start selling, very slowly (several years). Under artificial conditions, it is realistic to grow crustaceans in a year or two. Prices for the product vary significantly depending on the weight of one piece, although the sale is usually carried out in kilograms. Approximate wholesale prices can be found in the table:

cancer size

Weight (in grams)

Price for 1 kg

40-60
60-80
80-100

selective

100-150

It is clearly seen that the prices for crayfish are quite high, since they are perceived as an elite product. It is not difficult to find distribution channels, so the entrepreneur will not be left without profit. Significant capital investments will be required only at the start - the purchase of aquariums or RAS, equipment, etc. Their amount will be affected by the planned scale of activity. The only drawback is the waiting time for income, because you have to be patient until the animals grow up. That is, for starters, breeding crayfish at home can be considered as an additional source of income, because the payback will come only after a few years (depending on the method of breeding arthropods).

How Do Crayfish Reproduce?

Crayfish in nature mate in autumn - in September-October. In the natural environment, the female sticks eggs in the tail area and carries them during hibernation. If the reservoir warms up, then such a pause will not occur, which will have a beneficial effect on the growth of livestock - the breeding cycle will take about two months instead of six months. Typically, the clutch consists of 150-500 eggs, but most of them die quickly. An average of 30-60 larvae survive, which actively increase their mass and very soon begin to get their own food. In artificial and domestic conditions, farmers will be able to save the lives of almost all small crustaceans (up to 90%) if they are well fed and protected from adults, since the animals in question are characterized by cannibalism - they can eat their own kind. In nature, the survival rate is several times lower - about 20%.


Important: at the beginning of growth, crayfish often molt, that is, they shed the old shell, which becomes corny small. This happens up to six to eight times in the first year. Then the molting process slows down - the shell is updated two or three times a year. Of course, all crayfish cannot “change clothes” at the same time, so there are always very small and adult individuals in the reservoirs. If the farmer does not want to find out one day that all the babies are eaten by large animals, then the latter should be planted in other containers in order to avoid sad cases. Molting is a difficult process for crustaceans, because as a result they become completely defenseless. But to help in this case is simple - you need to organize as many shelters for them as possible: place stones, driftwood, pipe trimmings and similar things in a pond or aquarium.


Do cancers get sick?

Possible ailments are the worst thing for everyone who deals with animals (whether it be crustaceans or crustaceans, it doesn’t matter). After all, then it is easy to completely lose the livestock grown with difficulty. Crustaceans are not immune from the following types of diseases:

Breeding crayfish at home is a relevant and profitable business, but the first profit will not go into the farmer's pocket quickly. Of course, basing a business on raising animals is always somewhat risky, as they can suddenly fall ill, negating a lot of effort. But, in the end, any kind of entrepreneurial activity is not immune from failure.

Most likely, the game is worth the candle, since now the competition in this area is negligible, which means that the chances of success are very high. The main thing is to responsibly take care of the inhabitants of reservoirs or aquariums: feed well, control the purity, quality and temperature of the water, monitor the breeding process and create the necessary conditions in the form of a large number of shelters.

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

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

Business features

Crayfish breeding in a pond is considered the easiest way to organize a business: in order to equip a farm, it is enough for an entrepreneur to rent or purchase a land plot with a natural reservoir. The pond basin is cleared of debris, populated with young growth, and after 5–6 years a self-reproducing population is obtained.

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

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

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

  • There are several methods of breeding crayfish at home for sale, and some of them are quite loyal to the amount of investment;
  • In the process of work, the entrepreneur's expenses are limited to paying utility bills and buying feed at the rate of 0.5 kg per individual per year;
  • Care of crayfish practically does not require time and physical effort;
  • An entrepreneur may not be afraid of competition, since in Russia few farmers are engaged in the implementation of the business idea of ​​\u200b\u200bcrayfish breeding;
  • Demand for products remains high regardless of the season.

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

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

Species for breeding

An entrepreneur who wants to buy live crayfish for breeding needs to take into account such factors as growth rate and commercial sizes of individuals, consumer demand and climatic features of the region - a domestic buyer perceives some completely edible crustaceans solely as an aquarium decoration, and the maintenance of heat-loving species in the conditions of the Middle Strip only possible in closed heated tanks. In general, for growing with intensive methods, the following are suitable:

  • Broad-toed cancer. It has a fleshy body up to 20 cm long and large claws. It prefers reservoirs with a rocky bottom, warmed up to a temperature of 16–22 ° C, and therefore feels good in artificial pools. Currently, this species is endangered: you can buy crayfish for breeding only in the nurseries of the Leningrad region, the Baltic states or Belarus;
  • Narrow-clawed cancer. The most common species in Russia, characterized by high fecundity: every year the female lays at least 300 eggs. The body length of a male at the age of five reaches 16–18 cm with a weight of 120–150 g. Crayfish prefer sandy and clayey soils suitable for building burrows, which helps them adapt to the conditions of open artificial ponds;
  • Blue Cuban crayfish. It has a calm peaceful character, as a result of which it rarely attacks relatives and fish. With quality nutrition, this species grows to 8–12 cm in less than a year. It prefers moderately warm water bodies with a temperature of 23–25 ° C, therefore it takes root well in aquariums and pools, where each pair needs about 20 liters of water. To buy blue crayfish for breeding, you need to contact a large pet store;
  • Marble Cancer. It lives in well-heated water bodies with a temperature of 20–28°C, where it grows up to 15 cm in two to three years. This species does not have a sexual division - each crayfish can simultaneously lay and fertilize up to 300 eggs. It calmly tolerates a planting density of up to 20 individuals per 100 liters of water, since it is distinguished by its peaceful character. You can buy crayfish fry and adults for breeding in online stores or from private breeders;
  • Australian red claw crayfish. A heat-loving species that prefers water bodies with a temperature of 21–28°C. It differs in fleshiness up to 30% of body weight, fertility and growth rate - during the year, young growth reaches a weight of 120–150 g with a body length of 12–15 cm. Due to its calm nature, it feels good at a planting density of up to 25 pieces / m². You can buy Australian crayfish for breeding in the nurseries of Astrakhan and the Krasnodar Territory.

Breeding methods

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

open ponds

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

In the future, the tasks of the entrepreneur are reduced to periodic monitoring of water quality, its timely aeration and purification from algae. It is also recommended to regularly feed the pets, since at a high planting density the volume of the natural food supply may be insufficient. Listing other requirements for artificial ponds, it should be mentioned that:

  • In order to avoid the death of livestock, water bodies should by no means freeze completely, therefore, in a cold climate, it is advisable to deepen them to 3.5–4 m;
  • To prevent flowering and growth of microalgae, up to 30% of the total water volume should be replaced every two weeks;
  • Drainage ditches should be dug around the perimeter of the ponds, and the shoreline should be fortified and shade should be created by planting grass and trees.

Advantages of the method:

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

Disadvantages:

  • In an open reservoir, crayfish grow quite slowly;
  • Permissible planting density - no more than 5-6 pieces / m²;
  • It is impossible to control the temperature and chemical composition of water;
  • To fill the ponds need a constant source of water supply;
  • It is necessary to think over ways to drain the ponds - you can’t just pour hundreds of tons of water into the garden or into the yard;
  • It is difficult to transplant young stock after breeding stock;
  • In winter, crayfish do not gain weight.

Aquariums

You can breed crayfish in an aquarium not only in the village, but also in urban areas - it is enough to choose a room in which the temperature does not fall below 19–21 ° C. Several wide aquariums with a capacity of about 250 liters each are installed here, filled with soil and plants, and then equipped with microclimate and water quality control systems.

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

Advantages of the method:

  • Availability of an automated control system;
  • Ability to maintain any given temperature;
  • Thanks to the heating of the water, crayfish do not go to winter;
  • Permissible planting density - up to 30 pieces / m².

Disadvantages:

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

RAS units

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

Commercially available installations are equipped with equipment that allows you to purify water from impurities and residues of vital activity, disinfect it, heat it and saturate it with oxygen. They are placed in any insulated rooms where the temperature does not fall below 10 ° C: in a home farm, cellars or sheds are allowed as such.

Advantages of the method:

  • Water consumption is limited by the initial filling of crayfish breeding tanks and minor level corrections after evaporation;
  • The growth rate of pets does not depend on the season and outdoor temperature;
  • The operation of the plant is fully automated;
  • The vital activity of the herd is perfectly controlled - you can plant females for spawning, sort the fry and keep the crayfish separately for sale;
  • Stocking density of adults - up to 25 pcs/m², fry - up to 250 pcs/m².

Disadvantages:

  • High cost of equipment;
  • In the room, the humidity of the air rises significantly;
  • The operation of the installation is accompanied by the consumption of electricity.

Farm in the basement

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

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

farm equipment

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

  • Circulation pump;
  • Biological filter;
  • UV sterilizer lamp;
  • heating elements;
  • Aeration compressor.

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

  • One pool is intended for keeping a broodstock of 30 heads (20 females and 10 males) with a stocking density of 18–20 pcs/m²;
  • Four pools are used for depositing females for the period of incubation and subsequent rearing of fry at a stocking density of 200–250 pcs/m²;
  • Four units with five pools each are used for keeping a commercial herd of 830 heads at a stocking density of 25 pcs/m².

Farm arrangement

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

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

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

Breeding conditions and technology

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

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

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

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

The chemical composition of water

Buying young animals

When choosing where to buy crayfish for breeding, aspiring entrepreneurs often go to the supermarket or the nearest market, or collect fishing tackle and try to catch specimens for the breeding herd in the nearest reservoir. Meanwhile, these methods can hardly be considered effective:

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

Therefore, when looking for suitable suppliers, it is better to contact private breeders and specialized nurseries: here it is desirable not only to make sure that cancers do not have diseases, but also to get advice on breeding them.

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

Feeding

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

  • crushed corn, wheat, barley;
  • Fish and minced meat, bone meal;
  • Boiled mashed potatoes or carrots;
  • Steamed hay;
  • Oak or beech leaves as a natural antiseptic;
  • Larvae, insects, worms.

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

The composition of feed for crayfish

Ingredient For young animals For adults
Bran from wheat 25 g
crushed wheat 15 g
sunflower meal 15 g 20 g
soybean meal 15 g 20 g
Fish flour 35 g 5 g
feed yeast 10 g 5 g
Bone flour 5 g
Powdered milk 20 g 5 g
Sunflower oil 5 g 2 g
Premix for fish 1 g 1 g

Reproduction and growth

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

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

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

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

Paperwork

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

From a legal point of view, the cultivation of crayfish can be represented as one of the branches of agriculture in the field of aquaculture. This means that the owner of a cancer farm is allowed to choose the ESH as a taxation system at a rate of 6% of the total profit.

In addition, in accordance with the law and sanitary requirements, retail stores and catering establishments that buy products from a farmer may require supporting documentation such as:

  • Sanitary passport of the car used for the transportation of crayfish (can be obtained by contacting a veterinary station);
  • Declaration of Conformity (issued by Rosselkhoznadzor);
  • Form No. 2 (can be obtained after submitting samples of water and products to the veterinary service);
  • Certificate of Conformity GOST 50380-2005 (issued by both Rosselkhoznadzor and private certification bodies).

Investments

The organization of the work of a large enterprise requires knowledge, which can be acquired as a result of practical activities and studying the experience of other entrepreneurs - for example, by watching the video “Crayfish Breeding at Home”:

Related videos

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

The main expenses during the year will be related to the replenishment of the feed stock and the payment for electricity: each unit consumes up to 700 W/h during the initial water heating and 250–300 W/h during operation.

Annual expenses

Expected earnings

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

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

Economic parameters of a cancer farm

Conclusion

Obviously, it is hardly advisable to consider the cultivation of a small number of crayfish as a source of the main income: according to calculations, in order to make a profit of more than 1 million rubles a year, an entrepreneur must have a whole complex of RAS installations with a total area of ​​200 m² or a pond farm with an area of ​​up to 1600 m² .

The second task that a novice farmer must solve is marketing: despite the high level of demand, only large stores have equipment for selling crayfish, and only a few catering establishments include dishes from them on the menu. At the initial level, this problem is solved by selling products to acquaintances and private clients brought by them, however, an increase in production volumes requires a qualitatively different approach. The way out can be close cooperation with fish shops or opening your own outlet, supplemented by a full-fledged virtual representation.
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The activities of entrepreneurs in the production and sale of food products have always been characterized by high profitability and stability.

This is due to the fact that food products are in constant demand - people always want to eat, that's how it is. Therefore, the food industry has been and remains attractive for start-up entrepreneurs. This fact has led to the fact that a huge assortment of the most diverse food products has appeared on the market: from potatoes that have already become commonplace to delicacies.

In the face of fierce competition, it is difficult for a novice entrepreneur to squeeze into the market with a standard set of “tools”. To do this, at least you need to have a huge working capital.

A more acceptable option would be new product promotion which may be of interest to buyers.

In this article, we will consider a rather young crayfish breeding business in the vastness of our country.

Business idea concept

Businessmen with experience in breeding crayfish claim that this type of activity in Russia has already proven its profitability and efficiency. The demand for domestic products is growing every year. With proper business organization and proper cultivation of crayfish, the fruits can be reaped after the first year of operation.

If speak about business benefits, then they are as follows:

  • Low level of operating expenses.
    The main costs will arise when starting a business. It is necessary to organize a place for breeding families, purchase the necessary equipment and purchase young crayfish.
  • Low competition among domestic entrepreneurs makes it possible, after a few years, to increase the size of the business to the regional or regional level.
  • Great demand for products.
  • There is no need for a large staff.
    To care for offspring, 2 people are enough.

Like any business, crayfish farming has its own challenges. limitations:

  • Seasonality.
    The breeding season lasts from May to October.
  • Long payback period.
    You will receive the first income from such activities only 1 year after the start of the business. This is due to the characteristics of reproduction and maturation of offspring.

Despite these disadvantages, crayfish breeding businesses are potentially profitable activity.

It is worth remembering that any business means financial costs, a certain level of risk and emotional tension.

To minimize risks and possible losses, it is worth taking a responsible attitude to the business and starting it only after the planning procedure.

Crayfish breeding business plan

To succeed in business, it is worth adhering to a clear algorithm of actions.

First you need to fully analyze the idea, the production process, find markets and determine the relevance of the products sold on the market.

Sample . How to get ahead of competitors?

Legal address - what it is, we will understand a separate one. Does it always match the actual location of the organization?

Ideas for choosing areas for business development in rural areas are available at . How to find an in-demand niche?

The information gathering process will consist of the following steps:

  • Studying the specifics of the business.
    Collection of information on breeding crayfish.
  • Choosing the best way for you to breed crayfish.
    The level of initial investment and the amount of work at the beginning of the business depend on this.
  • Organizational matters.
    Register and resolve business issues.
  • Sales of products.
    At this stage, it is worth analyzing the demand for the final product and first finding markets for it.
  • Based on the information collected, draw up a clear business plan for organizing activities.
    After completing the collection of information, it is imperative to draw up a clear plan for the implementation of the idea, minimize existing risks and take into account all the nuances of the future enterprise.

Crayfish breeding methods

Beginning entrepreneurs have 4 ways to breed crayfish:

  • Closed way.
    It is also called factory. It provides for the breeding of crayfish and mother liquor in large aquariums.

Special conditions are created in the aquarium, which allows you to breed crayfish all year round. This method avoids hibernation of offspring, which maximizes the productivity and growth of crayfish.

Disadvantage: high costs for opening and running a business.

  • Breeding in artificial reservoirs, cancer pits or basement.

This method is a compromise between the first and second methods. Allows you to control the quality of water, to ensure its circulation.

Disadvantage: in winter, crayfish hibernate and stop developing.

  • Pond breeding is the easiest and lowest cost method available.

This is due to the natural conditions of development, under which there is no need to provide them with food.

Disadvantages: Difficult to control water quality and maintain normal breeding conditions.

  • Breeding in an aquarium allows you to keep the reproduction of crayfish at the same level.

This is easily achieved by creating comfortable conditions in the aquarium and maintaining a constant temperature throughout the year.

The choice of a particular way of organizing a business depends on your preferences and financial capabilities.

After you decide on the method of production and draw up a business plan, you should take care of state registration with the tax authorities.

Features of breeding crayfish in an aquarium

Crayfish do not have to be bred in the countryside, you can get by with a room in the city.

To carry out activities in the city, it is necessary to rent a room with ceiling height of at least four meters.

The location of the premises does not matter, which allows you to save on rent.

The volume of the aquarium must be at least 250 liters. You can start a business with 10-15 aquariums.

When breeding in an aquarium, it is easier to control the condition of pets. Providing appropriate conditions will avoid the effect of hibernation and increase the growth rate of young animals.

For this you need:

  • ensure a constant temperature background within 18–20 degrees;
  • fill the aquarium with sand and algae;
  • equip with compressors, pumps, a thermometer to control the temperature.

One aquarium with all the necessary equipment will cost 50,000 rubles.

Although crayfish are omnivorous creatures and in natural conditions even feed on waste, food is an important condition for the development of young animals. Earthworms and bloodworms are best for feeding offspring.

Feed follows buy from wholesalers, specializing in the supply of products to fish stores.

Feed costs will be within 20,000 rubles / year.

The final step in organizing a business will be the purchase of offspring of crayfish. The pool with minimum parameters (250 liters) is designed for 50 individuals. To start activity it is necessary to purchase 500–750 individuals at the rate of 1 male for 4 females.

On the first profit from the enterprise can be counted only after 1 year. Questions about expansion of production it is worth raising only in the third year of activity.

Most believe that the easiest and most profitable way is to breed crayfish at home.

If you have your own land plot in a rural area, then starting a business will not require large investments:

  • First you need to dig a pit with an area of ​​​​up to 60 square meters with a minimum depth of 2 m.
  • The bottom of the pit should be lined with large stones, river sand and clay.
  • To strengthen the coastline, various vegetation can be planted around the reservoir.
  • It is necessary to organize a drainage system, having previously put a strong mesh on the pipes. So the crayfish will not be able to leave the pond.

Depending on the size of the site and the amount of investment, 2-3 such pits can be built.

This completes the preparation of the pond. To form the necessary microflora, you need to wait 10-20 days from pouring water. After that, crayfish can be launched into the reservoir.

Feature of home growing crayfish is the need for constant renewal of water.

Every 3 weeks you need to change 30% of the water to ensure that the microclimate of the pond is identical after its renewal.

You should also take care not to place the pond in a sunny place. The optimum water temperature ranges from 18-20 degrees.

Equipment

In the process of breeding crayfish at home, you will need the following equipment:

  • Aerator necessary to ensure that water does not stagnate in the pond - 2 pcs.
  • Oxidizer, ensuring the sufficiency of the oxygen level - 1 pc.
  • Oxymer, allowing to measure the concentration of oxygen in water - 1 pc.
  • Conductometer that checks the correct operation of treatment facilities - 1 pc.

The creation and provision of 3 ponds with all the necessary conditions and the purchase of equipment will take approximately 30,000 rubles.

How to start with minimal investment?

We will tell you about the size of the minimum authorized capital of an LLC. How are the shares of participants determined?

What ideas for making money with your own hands can be put as the basis of a home business, we will discuss at the link. How to get financial benefit from a hobby.

Purchase of offspring and feed

When buying crayfish from suppliers, it should be borne in mind that for home breeding conditions, it is better to take females and males approximately equally. One female lays up to 100 eggs per season, of which only half survive.

Based on this, the initial offspring will increase 40–50 times after 1 year. Therefore, to start a business, it is enough to launch 200 individuals into reservoirs.

Investments for the purchase of crayfish

Although crayfish are omnivores, they need constant feeding. To do this, give them bread, fish, meat, various combined feeds, earthworms and vegetables at intervals of 2-3 days.

Maximum feeding costs per season will be within 20,000 rubles.

Organizing a crayfish breeding business at home requires feeding the individuals living in the pond during the winter-spring period. See the video for this:

When caring for cancers at home, it is quite possible to get by with the help of relatives and friends.

Sales of products

You need to organize a well-thought-out marketing campaign and focus on wholesale sales.

The product is in great demand, however if customers don't know about what you can offer them, they won't buy it.

Products can be sold in the following areas:

  • Restaurants and cafes, offer snack bars and supermarkets.
    To advance to this market, point marketing should be organized.
  • Entertainment establishments with alcoholic drinks.
  • Realization on the market through individuals.

To keep customers you need to constantly monitor the quality and range of products.

Subsequently, you can engage in the processing of crayfish meat and the sale of the product in boiled and boiled-frozen forms, but this will require the purchase of additional equipment and the hiring of personnel.

Financial calculations for a crayfish breeding business at home.

Expenses for opening and running a business - 86,000 rubles.

  • Registration with the tax authorities - 6,000 rubles.
  • Organization of 3 reservoirs - 30,000 rubles.
  • Purchase of offspring (600 individuals) - 20,000 rubles.
  • Purchase of the necessary feed - 20,000 rubles.
  • Other expenses - 10,000 rubles.

Income from the sale of products - 760,000 rubles.

A family of 600 individuals, with 400 females and 200 males, will have 16,000 young in a year (400 females * 40, including surviving eggs).

One young individual weighs about 200 grams. Based on this, the total weight of the young animals will be 3,200 kg.
The cost of 1 kg of crayfish on the market is not less than 180 rubles.

Sales income total young animals will be 760 thousand rubles. Which means that investments will be covered 9 times.