How to Raise Backyard Crayfish

If you are looking for an extra food source or to make some money, raise backyard crayfish. More than 300 species of crayfish are found and grown in the United States. Red crayfish are commonly found in the southern region of the United States, while white crayfish are more commonly found in the northern region. Crayfish, 10-legged crustaceans that are approximately 5 inches in length as adults, weigh approximately 2 ounces, and we eat their tails as food. You can raise crayfish in your backyard by first growing a small rice field that will produce food for your crayfish.

Things You'll Need

  • Soil
  • Large plastic container
  • Germinated rice seedlings
  • 1/4-inch tube
  • Air pump
  • Thermometer
  • Ice
  • Stove
  • Cooking pot
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Instructions

    • 1

      Pour a 3-inch layer of soil in the bottom of a large plastic container. The soil is used to plant rice.

    • 2

      Pour fresh water into a large plastic container to a depth of 8 inches.

    • 3

      Poke holes 2 inches in depth into the soil and insert germinated rice seedlings. Space the holes 2 inches apart. Crayfish eat micro-organisms that feed off the rice.

    • 4

      Connect a 1/4-inch tube to the output of an air pump. Insert the tube into the large plastic container and press the ̶0;Power̶1; button to turn on the air pump. The length of the tube should be similar to the length of the plastic container.

    • 5

      Keep the temperature of the water between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Measure the temperature of the water with a thermometer.

    • 6

      Heat water in a cooking pot on the stove. Add the hot water or ice to the container as necessary to keep the temperature within the preferred range.

    • 7

      Insert the crayfish into the water after the rice seedlings start to grow. Wait approximately one to two weeks.