Breeding Crayfish
In the text below I shall try to give a short overview of some of the basics when breeding crayfish. Particular species may have other behaviours and demands. It should be said that my main experience as an aquarist is with relation to fish, but I shall try to convey what little knowledge I have.
Sexing Crayfish
Sexing crayfish isn't always easy. The genital openings are located in different places on the body depending on whether it's a male or a female. Males have their genital openings behind/under their posterior pair of legs. Females have their genital openings under the third pair of legs counted from the posterior. However, many individuals have a male as well as a female genital opening, making the sexing much more complicated. But these are always either male or female; usually male but you can't be sure.
Mating and egg carrying
In aquariums, spawning is possible any time of year. The male makes a little sperm packet and places it on the female's stomach. The female then spawns her eggs, passing them through the sperm packet so that the eggs get fertilized. It is not uncommon for the female to lose a claw during this process. She then places the eggs under her tail where they will be kept until they are ready to be released. How long this will be depends on the water temperature and the species, but it will be at least 4 weeks. A lot of other factors can also affect the length of the egg carrying period, such as water quality, and food supply and quality. The mother will watch over the young for a short time after birth.
Fry
The fry are very small when they are born but are fully developed miniature crayfish. Fry are usually detritus feeders, which means that they will feed on any decomposing plant parts and food leftovers they can find while scouring the bottom. Vegetable food is preferred and they can be fed boiled lettuce leaves that are left to decay in the aquarium. Be aware of the water quality. Fry are often very cannibalistic and a large aquarium is required if you want a higher number of fry to survive. Sorting fry for size may help the survival rate.
Breeding
Now you know about their breeding behaviour and how to raise the fry, but how can you get them to breed in the first place? Well, first of all you have to give them the right environment and good food to get them in a condition in which they can spawn. Some species also need different triggers to breed. These triggers may be a change in the amount of light and number of light hours, a change in temperature, change of circulation, etc.
Feeding
Crayfish usually accept most kinds of food, and I would recommend feeding them a diet based on boiled lettuce, sinking pellets, shrimps, and once or week or so, fish meat. This will get them in good condition and help the female survive the spawning period since she usually doesn't eat while she is carrying eggs.
Housing/environment
Many crayfish species can be kept in relatively small aquariums, but I recommend using larger aquariums since this lowers the pressure on the females by the males. The aquarium should be decorated so that a lot of hiding places of suitable size are provided. Hiding places can be created using rocks, roots, flowerpots, coconuts, PVC pipes, and so on. It's important that there is at least one, and preferably several hiding places for each crayfish.
By William Berg of Sweden, for http://www.aquaticcommunity.com
About The Author
Article by William Berg originally published at http://www.aquaticcommunity.com. Article may be reproduce as long as it is not edited and a live link to http://www.aquaticcommunity.com is placed in the article header. (java links and PHP links are not allowed) Included this resource box "as is with live links" on the bottom of the page.
 Google News Updated : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:08:02 GMT Cipro joins the 'black box' club - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times - The club may not be as elite as it once was -- or perhaps, in an ideal world, should be -- but the Food and Drug Administration has decided Cipro and its ilk deserve to be members. UPDATE 3-Antibiotics can harm tendons, US FDA warns FDA orders 'black box' label on some antibiotics Publ.Date : Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:12:01 GMT War Powers Act needs fixing, bipartisan panel says - CNN
CNN - WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States needs a new law requiring that the president consult with Congress before going to war, a blue-ribbon panel led by two former secretaries of state said Tuesday. Video: Panel Calls for New War Powers Legislation 'War Powers' Plan Faces Steep Odds Publ.Date : Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:10:08 GMT Alcoa beats the Street - CNNMoney.com
CNNMoney.com - The aluminum producer and Dow component kicks off the latest round of earnings reports by saying that higher volume and prices offset rising commodity costs. UPDATE 3-Alcoa's profit lower but tops Street forecasts Alcoa's Second-Quarter Net Fell 24% Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:18:45 GMT Bush pushes US-India nuclear deal - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - TOYAKO, Japan (AP) - President Bush defended a languishing deal his administration negotiated to sell India nuclear fuel and technology, saying he reassured India's prime minister that the pact was important for both countries despite heavy opposition ... India Singh to Seek Vote Before IAEA Approval on Nuclear Accord UPDATE 1-India says relations with US in good shape Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:20:36 GMT InBev seeks summary judgment in court - Reuters
Reuters - PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - InBev NV (INTB.BR: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Tuesday asked a court to make a summary judgment on its lawsuit over the possible removal of all 13 directors of Anheuser-Busch Cos Inc's (BUD. Anheuser-Busch sues InBev Busch sues InBev over takeover attempt Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:34:28 GMT Church divided: Women bishops an obstacle to unity, Vatican warns - guardian.co.uk
guardian.co.uk - The Vatican yesterday criticised the Church of England's decision to press ahead with the ordination of women bishops, saying it presented a "further obstacle" for reconciliation between Canterbury and Rome. Vatican 'regrets' female bishops Vatican angry over women bishops Publ.Date : Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:02:59 GMT Fed may extend Wall Street lending - Reuters
Reuters - By Patrick Rucker ARLINGTON, Virginia (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Tuesday the US central bank may keep an emergency lending facility for big Wall Street firms open longer than it initially intended, a signal the Fed is ... Bernanke says Fed may extend bank discount rate Bernanke Says Fed May Continue Lending Into Next Year (Update3) Publ.Date : Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:34:02 GMT Increased Web Site Traffic |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Many anglers who are new to fly fishing consider dry... Read More It is easy to get intimidated by world class rivers.I... Read More Picture this; you've spent some time hiking into a small... Read More Last summer we had an unfortunate incident with a swordfish... Read More In the text below I shall try to give a... Read More Should you approach the fishing industry for sponsorship?First let's look... Read More Good Fly PresentationObviously, the goal when casting a fly is... Read More Great fishing supplies are an essential when it comes to... Read More Just like dry fly fishing, there are many, many ways... Read More Method 2The second method that works really well for me... Read More We have a problem in our fish farms, especially Salmon.... Read More I have to admit this subject bores me to tears.... Read More If you are looking to do battle with the toughest... Read More When planning for your fly fishing trip in Wyoming, there... Read More The Best Type Of Line For Night FishingHere is a... Read More For the most part, I am an advocate for catch... Read More I started fishing a little lake just south of Somerset,... Read More There is a fairly new technique when it comes to... Read More Every River Tells a StoryThe next time you begin a... Read More Why Night Fishing Beats Day Fishing Any Day of the... Read More I started keeping a fishing calendar this past year. My... Read More Now that we've covered what nymph fly fishing is all... Read More Have you ever been on a lake and thought to... Read More The use of light, either chemical or battery powered plays... Read More Jack Karpawack here.Well, as I suspected, there was no high... Read More
Adsense
websites
Techniques of Wet Fly Fishing
Fishing The Henrys Fork - Box Canyon
Fly Fishing Small Streams
Reviving Billfish
Breeding Crayfish
The Fishing Industry and Sponsorship
Four Fly Fishing Tips
Catch Your Limit With These Fishing Supplies
Techniques and Tactics For Nymphing
A Guide to Non-Typical Catfish Fishing Techniques Part III
Social Robotic Fish in Fish Farms
Night Fishing Preparation
Fort Lauderdale Swordfishing - The Perfect Fix for the Experienced Angler
Planning Your Fly Fishing Trip
The Secret About Night Fishing Line
Tastes Like Chicken!
The Old Man And His Bluegills
Drop-Shotting For Picky-Overfished Bass
Stories From the Heartland (Pt.1)
The Truth About Night Fishing
The Peanut Butter and Jelly Paradox (PB&JP)
Gear Needed for Fishing with Nymphs
Ever Said: We Should Have Caught Bass By Now?
Importance of Artificial Light While Swordfishing
Fishing The Henrys Fork....With Jack Karpawack
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Fly Casting - the Overhead Cast
The overhead cast is the most basic fly cast. Learn... Read More
Fly Fishing Secrets for the Novice as Well as the Seasoned Angler
Perhaps the most rewarding element of fly fishing is the... Read More
Surf Fishing The Outer Banks of North Carolina
My first experience surf fishing was with my father on... Read More
Fishing Alaska: The Alaskan Sampler Plate...Part I
I just recently returned from my first fishing trip to... Read More
Fishing on Your Pontoon Boat
Fishing on your pontoon boat can be both a relaxing... Read More
Finding Trophy Bass
Have you ever noticed some people have all the luck... Read More
The Worlds Top Water Bass Fishing Champion And His Techniques
I was fishing a small lake in central California back... Read More
Fly Fishing Journals ? Keep Track of Your Trips
Fly fishing is addictive. Once you start, you'll never stop.... Read More
Fishing Grubs, The React Lure for all Seasons
One of the most versatile of all lures, the grub... Read More
Fishing the Points
Sometimes bass fishing in a big lake can be overwhelming.... Read More
Photographing Your Trophy Fish
When it comes to catch and release lakes, it is... Read More
Monster Hunt: Ledge Lunker Blues Part II
Originally published in Procats Online MagazineSettin' It UpOnce Jeff has... Read More
Eel And Eelskin Lures
Eel and eelskin lures are used mostly in saltwater to... Read More
Fort Lauderdale Swordfishing - The Perfect Fix for the Experienced Angler
If you are looking to do battle with the toughest... Read More
Lake Trout On The Fly
The name Lake Trout lends a slight misnomer to the... Read More
A Guide to Non-Typical Catfish Fishing Techniques
IntroductionMany of the people about to take one of my... Read More
Saltwater Fishing Tips
Get Rid Of SharksSharks buggin' you? To get rid of... Read More
My Fishing Trip With The Pro
I was in Southwest Florida and was asked to go... Read More
Night Fishing Preparation, The Key To Success
Preparation is the Key To Successful Night Fishing, You Better... Read More
Lucky Hat
Do you have a lucky hat?It was a beautiful warm... Read More
Night Fishing Preparation
I have to admit this subject bores me to tears.... Read More
Selecting the Right Tackle
One of the most important things to consider when fly... Read More
Colorado Fly Fishing ? Bait Huckin vs. Fly Fishin
It was one of those fishing trips. You know, everyone... Read More
The Only Fishing Experts You Should Listen Too
Everyone's an Expert, So Who Has The Right Answers?Have you... Read More
Night Boat Fishing Checklist
Boat Fishing At Night ChecklistHere is an easy checklist of... Read More
Fishing |