How to Feed Crawdads

Crawdads, also known as crayfish, crawfish or freshwater lobsters, adapt well in captivity if you provide adequate water and appropriate foods. Since they are omnivorous scavengers, you can offer a variety of foods. They require calcium to maintain a hard shell, and you should avoid feeding them fatty foods. Crawdad coloration varies from brown to red to green; you may notice a change in color as a result of a change in diet.

Things You'll Need

  • Vegetables, such as frozen peas, carrots and lettuce
  • Feeder fish
  • Shrimp
  • Pelleted crawdad food
  • Calcium carbonate powder
  • Potassium iodide
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Instructions

    • 1

      Separate crawdads from pet fish. Crawdads need their own tank; otherwise, they will either eat your pet fish or compete with them for food.

    • 2

      Place vegetables such as frozen peas, carrots, and bits of lettuce into the tank. You don't need to place the food items directly in front of the crawdads. They will smell the food and come out of hiding to look for it.

    • 3

      Offer your crawdads feeder fish or shrimp occasionally as a treat and a source of protein. You can also provide necessary protein by feeding them sinking pellet foods available at pet supply stores.

    • 4

      Feed your pets every other day, and remove any food scraps not eaten immediately to avoid spoilage that could make your crawdads sick.

    • 5

      Dab food with a bit of calcium carbonate powder, also available at pet supply retailers, if you notice that the crawdads' shells are getting soft. Your crawdads may not be receiving enough calcium from the provided food and need a little boost.