How to Raise Lobsters Outdoors

As with raising any aquatic animal, regulation is the key to guaranteeing the health and happiness of a lobster raised at home. Because they grow to large sizes, lobsters require larger tanks that may be difficult to keep indoors. However, keeping your lobster tank outdoors will require more effort to regulate the temperature and pH level. Lobsters can be raised at home as pets, or bought in male-female pairs to encourage breeding.

Things You'll Need

  • Large tank
  • Aquarium filter
  • Overhead shelter
  • Aquarium heater
  • pH testing and regulation kit
  • Limestone flour
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Check with your local or state regulations regarding the sale and keeping of lobsters as pets. Some states do not permit lobsters to be kept as pets.

    • 2

      Set up the lobster tank outdoors. Lobsters require ample room for movement, so be sure that your tank can accommodate at least eight square feet. Add large aquarium rocks, gravel and other items for shelter. Place the tank in a covered area, to prevent electrical problems.

    • 3

      Fill the tank with water and add limestone flour to make the water hard. Lobsters prefer hard water with a lot of calcium. Test and adjust the pH using your pH testing kit, until the water is between 7.3 and 8.4. Heat the water until it is 73 degrees.

    • 4

      Place the lobsters in the tank, once the water has been maintained consistently at the required pH and temperature for a week.

    • 5

      Feed the lobster large shrimp pellets twice a day. Do not overfeed them, as the uneaten food can cause a buildup of bacteria in the tank. Underfeeding the lobsters could also cause them to attack or try to eat each other. Supplement the shrimp pellets with vegetation such as water or romaine lettuce.

    • 6

      Watch for signs of illness in your lobster, including lethargy and missing legs. A low water temperature can cause the lobster to become lethargic and eventually die. When lobsters molt and do not regrow legs there is a lack of calcium in the water which could further exacerbate their difficulty growing.

    • 7

      Continue to monitor the pH and water temperature to maintain ideal conditions for your lobster.