The Red Cla much larger version of our native freshwater crayfish, directly descended ftom the marine lobster. They prefer watm water, mature within a year and require feeding similar to all crayfish. Their culture is new to America, and the demand for the ished product is high. So is the profit potential. Compiled from the latest research in America and Australia, this book covers all you need to know to get in on this rapidly growing industry. ie sel Here he /s, a delightful teas: .52b-3-7 t and big as a lobster! RED CLAW Raising the Giant Australian Freshwater Crayfish Practical Guide to Aquaculture of the Red Claw Giant Australian Freshwater Crayfish.RED CLAW! Raising the Giant Australian Crayfish Practical guide to aquaculture of Cherax quadticarinatus ‘the ‘Red Claw’ variety of Australian Freshwater Crayfish Compiled from the findings of David O'Sullivan of the Unive of Tasmania and the National Key Centre for presently culturing giant Australian Crayfish. Many thanks to all the above for their contributions and expertise, as well as all the crayfish farmers, large and small, American and Australian, whose efforts served to make this publication a little more accurate. — ‘All photographs courtesy of FRESHWATER AUSTRALIAN CRAYFISH TRADERS Cover photos courtesy David O'Sullivan E-mail: atlaspub@hotmail.com Copyright © 1995 by Atlas Publications Printed in U.S.A. 1" Printing 1995 ISBN 0-9631526-3-7 TABLE OF CONTENTS: Jotroduction ABOUT CHERAX AQUACULTURE OF AUSTRALIAN FRESHWATER CRAYFISH LEGAL and ENVIRONMENTAL, ‘CONSIDERATIONS SITE SELECTION Water Source, Soli Type, Pond Construct ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS fora WELL MANAGED POND Water Exchange, Hides & Refuges, Stocking ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS ofthe RED CLAW. Water temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Water pH, Akaiinity, Hardness, Salinity, Turoitity FEEDING for RAPID GROWTH Natural Feeds, High protein Feeds, Growing Feeds HARVESTING, TRAPS and BAITS HATCHING and JUVENILE PRODUCTION Pond Breecing, Breeding Tanks, Hatching Tanks, inVitro’ Hatching ECONOMICS and MARKETING ‘APPENDIX: ‘Supply Sources 31 35.INTRODUCTION In the land ‘down under’ there are many unusual plants and animals. The giant freshwater crayfish is one of these: some species grow to several pounds in weight! They are direct decendants of marine lobsters that migrated up the rivers in Australia eons ago Unfortunately, most-of these giant species are not very good candidates for aquaculture. However, there are three species ~ HUGE by the standards of native crayfish - that are very widely cultured in Australia, and all three are available here in the USA right now! These are the: "MARRON, "YABBIE’ and 'RED CLAW’. By far the best all around species is the ‘Red Claw’ (Cherax Quadricarinatus), named for the reddish or orange patches on the claws of the males. | have included some information on the other two species. but the bulk of this book pertains to the Red Claw. There are many good reasons to farm this exotic species...the most obvious being the larger size of the mature Red Claw. They can grow from 3 to 4 ounces in a7 month growing season, and from 8 to 14 ounces the second year, compared to 1+ ounces for our native crayfish. There are many more advantages to farming this exotic crayfish, for the most part far outweighing the few disadvantages. In brief, some these are: * The Red Claw posseses a greater percentage of meat. over twice that of our crayfish. * They have a nonaggressive nature. This means greater stocking rates and less loss to cannibalism. * The Red Claw female can lay as many as 1000 eggs. * They have several spawnings per year. (Intro. continued next page ) MTRODUCTION cont ‘The only significant culture disadvantage of the Red Claw over the native crayfish is the water source and temperature needed by the Red Claw. This crayfish is classified as a Tropical species. They require their water to remain from 60°- 90° F, optimum 75°- 85" F. This only means that brood stock (Adults selected to breed juveniles for the next season) would have to be brought into a heated environment for the winter in the colder climates. Since large females can carry up to 1000 eggs apiece, not many would need to be carried over the winter for restocking the ponds in the springtime. And with care being taken with the hatchlings, an over 80% survival rate is possible! The Red Claw is in a class by itself when it comes to selling the product. They are not quite as large as. a lobster, but much bigger than a native crayfish. Usually marketed as a ‘short lobster’ at 4 ounces, they can fetch $8.00 to $10.00 a pound and more.ABOUT CHERAX The Red Claw freshwater crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus), found naturally irr Tropical Australia, is a much larger version of our native crawfish. They are a solitary animal, although much more gregarious than most crayfish. Although they are directly descended from marine lobsters, they are very similar to our native crayfish in general anatomy and appearance, with some significant differences. The main and most obvious difference between the Red Claw and our native American crayfish is the much larger size at maturity of the Red Claw. They can grow up to 2 - 4 ounces in a 7 month period, and as much as 8 to 14 ounces in the second year. In addition, there is a greater percentage of edible meat: almost 30%, as well as some additional claw and body meat! The Red Claw will mature and breed in less than a Yeats wil spawn almost continuously in warm water +75' F.), and can produce as many as 1000 eggs per female. Adults live on the bottom, hiding by day and feeding mainly at dusk and-early evening. They prefer slightly muddy water or any conditions which provide cover from wading bitds and other. predators. Being a Tropical animal, they grow best in warm water, 75° 85° F, and will not tolerate cold temperatures. While hiding under rocks or in any kind of crevice, the creature faces the entrance of its retreat, defensive claws extended to ward off attack or prevent being removed. Its antennae are waved about, seeking to detect food, and the swimming legs are busily circulating water about for the crayfish to breathe. It will grab any food that passes by within easy reach and drag this prize back into the refuge. If this hiding place is exposed or disturbed, the Red Claw will dart away to another safe haven. The natural habitat for the Red Claw is tropical Australia, where there are very pronounced wet and dry seasons. During the dry season a large part of the surface waters dry up and the crayfish are forced into the few remaining wet spots. The situation becomes quite crowded although the Red Claw do not fight and generally try to get along peacefully until the rains come again. Then they can disperse out over the countryside, breed and begin the cycle once more. This ability to thrive during crowded. conditions is a trai that is important to the cray farmer. Red Claw can be raised in a pond with as many as 4 adults to the square foot of pond bottom. They do need shelters to hide in, because they molt (shed their shells) as they grow, just like our native crayfish. During this phase crayfish have a soft shell and are very vulnerable to attack, so they seek out shelter during his time (about 24 to 48 ours. The Red Claw is what is called an ‘Opportunistic Omnivore’ or "Omnivorous Detritivore’. They thrive when able to feed on both plant matter, providing crucial carotenoids, and animal matter, supplying protein for rapid growth and development. They naturally feed on organic materials breaking down on the pond bottom. A lack of vegetable carotenoids will cause Red Claw to take on an unhealthy pale color, and without enough protein they will be stunted in size at maturity. Under culture conditions they will accept a wide variety of formulated rations and pellets. This includes crayfish feed, sinking fish food, shrimp or lobster feed, even range pellets. The higher protein feed is generally the best, although naturally occuring and natural fodder, such as hay, may do just as well from a financial point of view. The natural food of the Red Claw includes living or decaying plant materials, and animal sources ~ insect larvae, worms, other crustaceans, small fishes, snails. and tadpoles, as well as most dead plant and animal matter.The bulk of the Red Claw diet comes from the protein bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms which cover decomposing plant material. As the plants decompose, carbon changes to nitrogen and becomes even more nutritious The Red Claw detects food with its long antennae and the short antennules. It is believed that the sensing of meat juice or blood by the short antennules causes a reflex in the Red Claw to turn and move toward the source. Red Claw do not drink, water is absorbed through the gill surfaces. Red Claw possess the power of ‘Autonomy and Regeneration’. That is, they can self-amputate, or drop, a leg or part of one taken by a predator, and grow a new one to replace it. The lost part is fully restored after several molts The predators of Red Claw include certain fishes, turtles and water snakes, herons, kingfishers and cormorants, some water mammals, racoons, and even large water beetles. External features of the Red Claw Australian crayfish AQUACULTURE of AUSTRALIAN CRAYFISH There are three varieties of Austral are currently being cultured on a commercial basis in Australia and America. Of these three, only the ‘Red Claw’ appears to have any real potential for profitable culture in the U.S. The other two varieties are‘the "Yabbie’ and the ‘Marron’. Both of these are aggressive and cannibal - Yabbie "Cherax destructor’ is the scientific name for this species native to Southeastern Australia. The Yabbie tolerates a much wider range of water temperatures and less dissolved oxygen than the Red Claw, although 's optimum ranges similar. They do not grow much larger than native crayfish, and they have burrowing habits that make it virtually impractical for cul Yabbies will burrow through dams and levees, which usually results in draining of the pond and escape of a the crays. This habit makes harvesting very difficult as well. They could make a good harsh ina plastic or rock-lined pond or tank. x..." " Tr a A tull grown Yabble, Photo courtesy ‘DOS’ Sullivan, University of Tasmania. 4Marron Cherax tenuimanus is native to smai area of Southwestern Australia. The Marron will grow quite large, but very slowly. They will get from 8 ounces to a pound in two years, although there have been rare occurances of 3 to 4 pound specimens being taken. Unfortunately the Marron requires a very narrow range of conditions..60° F to 70° F water temperature, as well as the highest rates of dissolved oxygen of the three types(6 to 7 ppm). They also cannot tolerate salt or hard water. A really big drawback is their reproductive habits. Marron do not breed until 2 to 3 years of age, and are difficult to breed in captivity. Some sources say they will breed at 18 months old, but only at certain points near the equator. Survival of the youngcis low (50% or less). This species might have Photo courtesy of "DOS" Sullivan, University of Tasmania 5 RED CLAW Cherax quadricarinatus is native to Northwestern Australia. This is a subtropical climate. This species tolerate a wide range of water conditions and temperatures, _ With a steady. warm water environment they grow rapidly and can reach 4 ounces in 6 to 7 months. This crayfish variety has at least 30% edible tail meat as « well as substatial claw and body meat. Red Claw spawn whenever the water is above 75° F and do so readily in captivity. The large females can carry up to 1000 eggs! Red Claw display the least territoriality and aggressiveness of any other crayfish species. The Red Claw is by far the best candidate for culture in the US.A. WATER TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS OF THREE POPULAR VARIETIES OF AUSTRALIAN FRESHWATER CRAYFISH Feo cow [aT] 52. 2 86 100 522 88 104 woron [Se ———] 26 8 2 Toate a OptimumLEGAL and ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS There are at present NO federal laws which prevent importation of exotic or foreign invertebrates. This includes freshwater crayfish. There may be State laws pertaining to such. At this time the Red Claw freshwater crayfish has been found to possess no threat of any kind to our native wildlife. In fact it is the other way around...Red Claw would.have many problems with survival in the wild here in America. They lack tolerance.to cold weather and are generally non-aggressive. Most importantly the Red Claw is susceptible to the ‘Crayfish Plague’. Th disease is carried by, but harmless to, all North American crayfish species. Unfortunately all foreign species of crayfish have no resistance to this fatal and incurable fungal disease. Many European stocks of crayfish have been almost totally decimated by this disease, and some areas are now being re-stocked with American varieties. To be safe, all foreign species of crayfish should ideally be raised in water from a deep well or other pure water source where there is no possibility of contamination by a local variety of crayfish. Both American and Australian crayfish have been raised successfully together in research at Auburn, but the crays were treated with a salt or formalin fish treatment solution first. (1000 to 2000 ppm salt or 15, to 25 ppm formalin bath). There are not yet approved therapeutics for Red Claw. Nevertheless it would be prudent to contact the local state conservation department before any investments ate made in Australian craytish farming: SITE SELECTION There are a number of factors to consider when choosing an outdoor site for raising Red Claw: choosing the location is very important. For optimum growth of the crayfish, it is best to locate the ‘site where there are no cimatic extremes. A mild climte is best, or near the coast where the weather is moderated by sea breezes. Densely wooded areas will have to be cleared past the shoreline. If the surrounding brush is thick, it will make harvesting difficult, crowd out the useful plants, and shade the water, keeping it too cool for optimum production. The excess vegetation will also drop leaves and debris into the water, which decay and use up the oxygen. The most common pest plants are cattails and water hyacinth. Remove these before they cover the pond, or Red Claw production will be greatly reduced. Some good plants for Red Claw food and cover are alligator grass and water primrose, as well as pondweed and duckweed. These are normally not discouraged unless they get too thick and hinder harvesting, Red Claw are extremely sensitive to synthetic chemicals, especially pesticides. Agricultural runoff is very dangerous to a Red Claw farming operation. The animals can die, or they can accumulate some poisons in-their flesh and be hazardous to human health when eaten. Locate as far from farm or pasture land as possible, or try to secure cooperation from the owners to avert contamination of the Red Claw habitats. In short, nearly any area that can collect and hold clean, fresh water is suitable for growing Red Claw. The soil should have some clay to hold the water, and the site should be limed if it is acid. The pond may be ined with a plastic liner, but the water in. plastic lined ponds does tend to develop PH problems if not watched closely. The smaller the area used, the more efficiently it can be managed. Some provision should be made for draining the pond.Detailed advice on pond construction may be obtained from the Soil Conservation Service, county agricultural agents or local contractors. Water Source The water source can be a spring or a well. The main consideration is that the water not have any native crayfish in it. Native crayfish are carriers of a fungal disease that is fatal to all foreign species. It is unclear whether the native crayfish themselves have to be in contact with the Red Claw for the transmission of the disease, or merely the water where the native crayfish have lived. Auburn University has raised Red Claw with Red Swamp (native) crayfish with no problems. It seems that if water from a source, such as a stream or river with native crayfish inhabiting it, is used in a pond used for raising Red Claw, there would be minimal tisk if none of the natives manage to. get into the pond. The best source of water would be a deep well ot spring, if possible. Red Claw prefer shallow water, between 2 and 4 feet deep. For optimum production, one must find a balance of depth and other factors. * Deeper water has less quality problems, but may remain too cool. + Shallower water increases the possibility of wading birds feeding in the pond. The bottom should have a slight slope (1 in 5) towards the drain or sump. The very best production of Red Claw comes from ponds with a GRAVEL bottom. * In Australia, gravel bottomed ponds produce over 3300 pounds of crayfish per acre every year! * The gravel bottom provides plenty of different sized shelter for the crays, will reduce their burrowing and the ponds are more easily drained and cleaned. Red Claw-will thrive on most bottom contours, so the main consideration is the form of harvesting planned upon. The smoother bottom allows for using nets or seines. When using baited traps, just about any bottom conditions will work. Pond Construction Existing ponds used for finfish production can be used. The ponds must be of a manageable size of 1/4 acre to 1.25 acre. A mix of pond sizes allows some flexibility with harvesting as smaller ponds are more easily and quickly drained, harvested and refilled. It is important to be able to drain the pond” completely, not only for harvesting but to allow the pond bottom to dry out fora few weeks every year or wo. The mud and slush at the bottom allow excess bacterial activity, which can cause oxygen depletion and produce hydrogen sulphide gas. Drying the bottom will also kill predatory fish and their eggs. Drain harvesting is an important This allows one to pick out the largest specimens for breeding or broodstock and eliminate the smaller, slower growing ones: a simple, common-sence approach to selective breeding. Red Claw ponds can be dug out near a stream and are generally constructed along the lines of catfish ponds, with a bulldozer. The pond water need only be 2 to 4 feet deep and thus the levee or dam can be lower and less expensive. A deeper pond may have less water quality problems. but it fakes longer to drain and may get cooler than a shallower pond. * A majority of well managed and successful Red Claw ponds are less than 5 feet deep, * 10Pond Draining Systems The drain pipe should have-anti-seep collars to prevent burrowing by rodents or other predators. The best type of drain is the double sleeve overflow system. This setup consists of an outer- collar with a mesh cage at the bottom and top, and a stand pipe set at the level of the desired pond surface, attached to the drain pipe. Stale water from the pond bottom is drained through the mesh, under the bottom of the outer collar and up to the top of the stand pipe and out the drain pipe as water is added. It is screened with the mesh to prevent the escape of the crayfish. An overflow type drain system is not recommended, as it takes only surface water. Red Claw are bottom dwellers, so that is the more important area for water exchange. For complete draining of the pond, the simple Rivaldi valve can be used along with the double sleeve overfiow system. This is simply a flexible pipe attached to ai:T'-fitting where the stand pipe and drain connect. The open end of the flex pipe is propped up above the surface of the water. This end also has a mesh on it. When draining time comes the flexible pipe is untied and allowed to fall to the bottom of the pond. POND WALL. ase, SoutaRs DOUBLE SLEEVE OVERFLOW AND RIVALDI-VALVE DRAIN iW The pond walls (dikes, dams, levees) have to withstand the pressure of all the water in the pond, and must be watertight. The construction depends on the kind of soil in which the pond is being built. ‘Earthen ponds’are the best for most operations...they are made of a soil which is a mixture of clay and sand. If pure clay is used, it must be mixed with other soil, as pure clay will crack’ and leak. Do not use turf, humus or peaty earth. All stones and pieces of wood of anything that will rot must be removed. These materials will weaken the walls if left there, The finished height of the wall should be about a foot higher than the water level for small ponds, and about 20” higher for large ponds. The width of the wall at the top should be equal to its height. For a large pond, the walll is never less than 3 feet wide at the top. Most wallls are built so two people can walk side by side along the top. One way to build pond walls in soil that doesn’t have enough clay is to build a ‘key’. The key is made of clay or clay soil, and adds strength to the walls. To make a key, dig a shallow trench 1-3 feet wide and deep in the center of the place where the walls will be. Bring clay soil and pack it tightly into the trench. Also pack down a layer of clay soil on the pond bottom. Run this layer together with the key. The pond bottom can also be covered with plastic sheeting and covered with soil. This helps prevent leaking. Place the drain pipe in the clay ing, and don't forget the anti-seep collar. The key is built up into a clay ‘core’ as the wall is built up. Senor sa] | Ea — ey [CLAY OF PLASTIC BOTTOM LINING | ‘SANDY SOIL| CROSS SECTION OF POND WALL SHOWING SLOPE, LINING, CLAY KEY AND CLAY CORE 12The type of soil also determines the slope of the walls. Soil with a lot of clay can have a sleeper slope on the outside of the wall than the inside. Typically, a wall is built with an outside slope of 1:1 and an inside slope of 1:2. A slope of 1:2 means that for each foot of height, there is 2 feet of width. Grass-should be planted on the walls to give added strength and prevent erosion, Do not plant trees. Any ponds used for production should be solidly fenced to keep out predators and to keep the crayfish in. Red Claw are not strong burrowers bui they are pretty good climbers. Allowing these animals to escape is expensive and MAY have an impact on the freshwater environment, although studies have shown the Red Claw to be of minimal risk to North American ecology. Most pond bottoms will need to be limed. Here are 4 kinds of lime that can be used at the following rates: Agricultural lime.....2021 Ibs. per acre Ground limestone...2508 Ibs. per acre Hydrated lime..........101 Ibs. per acre Quicklime...nnnsn--1 78 Ibs. per acre The lime should remain on the pond bottom 2 to 3 weeks before filling the pond. This will counteract any acidity in the soil and pond water. *Red Claw production can be more than doubled by iming acid soils. * The best soil pH is slightly alkaline (7 ~ 8.5). Crushed oyster shell can be used instead of lime. Newly constructed ponds generally are lower in production than those that have been used for 2 to 3 years. Fertilising with composted plant material, silage or chemical fertilisers will encourage algae and plankton bloom, both of which are an excellent natural food source for the Red Claw of all ages and will help increase production until these naturally occuring organisms are well established. The vegetable matter 13 will also provide cover for the crayfish. Watch for lowering of dissolved oxygen when using organic materials, as their decay often uses up oxygen. The pond water should be aerated to keep the dissolved oxygen above 3 ppm (5+ ppm is optimum.) Red Claw live on the pond bottom and this measurement should be made there and not at the surface, Ammonia and nitrite should not be a problem if the amount of hay given does not exceed 35 pounds per acre per day. The ammonia and _ nitrite concentrations should be checked twice weekly toward the end of the growing season. Red Claw: "A new culinary experience." 14ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS for a WELL MANAGED POND Water Exchange The number and average weight of Red Claw produced in well managed pond systems varies considerably. In general, the more closely a habitat approaches optimum conditions, the greater the production of Red Claw in numbers and finished size, Water exchange is one of these conditions. There needs to be some circulation of water in the pond. If there is no filtration of the water, then fresh water needs to be input to the pond at all times. If the input water is allowed to cascade into the pond and create bubbles, then less water is needed, as this tends to add oxygen to the pond water. If artificial filtration and aeration is used, then only the water lost to evaporation needs to be replaced. Both the inlet and drain must be screened and placed as far as possible from each other to promote good water circulation. The drain should be the type that fakes the stale water from the bottom rather than an overflow type which takes the surface water only. The screen on the inlet may not be necessary, and different situations requite differt sized mesh on the screen. Itis needed mainly to keep out predatory or harmful fish, insects, native crayfish and all their eggs! Anylon mesh bag on the inlet is good when there is not much in the way of leaves or debris in the source water. The bag should be easily removed for cleaning, and should be partially submerged in the pond water so that it does not tear. A sand and gravel filter is a good way to go, especially if the source water has a lot of debris in it. It is really a small pool dug and lined between the pond and the water inlet. It is filled first with stones and then layers of smaller and smaller gravel, and finally fine sand. The outlet to the pond is at the bottom and the inlet puts water in at the top on the sand. 15 A variation of the sand and gravel filter is a silt tank or pool. Here the water is put into the silt pool and the silt is allowed to settle out of the source water. It is removed to the pond by siphoning or otherwise moving the water from the surface of the silt pool after the silt has settled out of the water. Whatever type of filtering system is used, they all must be kept clean to be of any use. All the filters should be cleaned each time water is et into the pond. It is recommended to keep water exchange to a minimum..just enough to maintain water quality at as close to optimum as possible. Many successful Red Claw farms tend to maintain relatively steady water levels in order to promote the population growth of zooplankton, aquatic insects, algae bloom and other live food sources, Hides and Refuges Red Claw are relatively social animals and can live in fairly high densities (crawding) without aggression. Even at densities greater than 50 per square yard adults show very limited aggression. Red Claw probably aquired this trait as an adaptation to the extreme climate variations they must live under in their native tropical Australia, There are very wet and very dry seasons in these regions where Red Claw live naturally. At the end of the dry season huge areas of wetlands are reduced to a few water holes, and the crayfish are forced to congregate in very crowded conditions until the rains come again. Then they disperse, breed and the cycle goes on. Providing hides, refuges or shelters will reduce this already low level of aggression and will help prevent predators such as wading birds or raccoons from taking more than their share of the bounty. Bunches of onion mesh bags, tires, PVC pipe sections, roofing or drain tiles; something inert and of different sizes for athe.different sized crayfish. There should be enough for two refuges per crayfish, and they should be spread evenly over the pond bottom. Keep in mind the type of harvesting planned so as not to hinder these chores with the hides if a seine is used to harvest the crayfish. Cormorants and wading birds can take their toll, as well as marauding hungry humans. Fences, bird netting and noisemaking scares are somewhat effective: these depredations need to be considered when deciding on the location of the ponds, especially with such a choice andtasty meal as a Red Claw. Stocking Red Claw can grow from two to four‘ounces in a 7 month growing season while ournative crayfish can only reach 1 to 1.5 ounces. Additionally the red claw possesses almost 30% edible tail meat while our'native crayfish has much less. Not only is the Red Claw larger at harveast time, they have a greater percentage of edible tail meat! Stocking of a new operation is best in the spring, when water temperatures stay above 65° F. Use young or juvenile Red Claw of about 1.5 to 2 inches in length and about 2 to 5 grams in weight. The stocking RATE is usually figured out-by the using the bottom area of the pond to decide how many crays to stock the pond with. The rate for Red Claw is about 10 to 15 per square yard of pond bottom ( or 10,000 to 20,000 per surface acre ). The water area above the bottom, called the ‘water column’, -is unused in this '2dimensional culture’. A farmer could-try '3- dimensional’ culture and use this wasted water area by creating a kind of hanging ‘curtain’ or “substrate’ in the pond using onion or fruit mesti:bags, fiberglass screening, burlap, etc...anything inert that the crayfish can climb through. This will spread the crayfish throughout the water column and additionally reduce fighting for space 17 Stocking should be done within a few days of filling the pond. This will reduce the chances of predatory aquatic insects establishing themselves, The juvenile Red Claw should be handled as little as possible as they are. easily injured, at least for the first few weeks. Feeding and nutrition is very important. Juvenile Red Claw do not roam about too much and occupy-a very, small territory, only a few square inches. So feed should be eveniy distributed throughout the pond, and throughout the water column if 3-dimensional culture is being tried, Crayfish are detritus feeders, meaning they usually feed on organic materials that are-breaking down in the water. A formulated commercial*high~ protein (44%- 46% Jerawfish, shrimp or fish diet along with natural fodder such as hay seéms to have'the best results. Actually the crayfish do well with the natural diet if it is varied enough, and this may be the best choice from a-financial point of view. If the pond is such that certain.grasses cari‘be planted along the banks and the water level can be later raised to cover this greenery, the Red Claw will thrive if given hay as well. Some successful fodder crops for this are barley, strawberry clover, oats and rye grass. These can be planted on the pond bottom (gravel bottom ponds eannot use this strategy) and later the pond is partially filled and the Red Claw introduced. These crops take about 4 weeks to break down enough for the crayfish to.eat them. As the fodder crops are eaten and the crayfish grow, more water is added, flooding more crops farther up the pond banks. This can be repeated until harvest time for the crayfish. If a formulated diet is used for supplementation, it should be inexpensive, easy to apply, have a long shelf life and of course be non-polluting. Medicines and hormones can be added to these feeds, but this is anew development and has not been researched thoroughly. The young Red Claw should be fed all they want, 3to § times a day, without overfeeding which can foul the water. Pay close attention to the feeding behavior of the young crayfish and to the water quality of the pond, 18ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS of the RED CLAW Water Temperature * One of the most important needs of the Red Claw is warm water throughout the year. * In a temperate climate, which is most of the U.S., the Red Claw can still be raised. In the South, they can be raised 6 to 9 months of the year. Moving farther north, the situation becomes progressively more difficult for outdoor culture. The season can be extended by having an indoor or heated tank for the breeders and juveniles, keeping them there until the weather warms up. The recommended size for stocking juveniles is about 1 to 2 inches, but they can be kept in the tank longer if necessary. This can compensate for several months of growth. Another solution is a greenhouse over a small pond. Solar heat can warm this pond up in the spring and keep it warm longer into the fall. Keeping the Red Claw alive through the winter could be difficult. The greenhouse pond, if equipped with some form of heat, Tight accomplish this. Sooner of later one will run up against the ‘point of diminishing returns’. The most common tactic is simply to harvest the crays When-cold weather Is getting near... and keeping the biggest fernales and a few males in a small, heated tank to breed over the winter, and hatching the juveniles for stocking the pond in spring. It all really depends on how extensive an operation is planned, and the resources of the individual. The specific water temperature needs of the Red Claw are from 60° to 90° F. The OPTIMUM is 75° - 85° F. Growth rates are reduced when the temperature falls below 70°F and below 50°F can be lethal. Temperatures above 90°F also reduce growth and survival. 19 A cooling of water temperature as winter approaches can be a” advantage. This cooling water causes all the mature adults to breed at the same time, allowing a post-winter collection of eggs and ‘berried’ females (females carrying eggs), and a sorting out of broodstock. The hatching and juvenile production’ ean take place in tanks indoors or in a heated environment. Dissolved Oxygen Lack of oxygen is a major cause of freshwater crayfish dying. Low dissolved oxygen levels are caused by high stocking densities (crowding), bacterial breakdown of detritus and debris, and not enough mixing of the surface and bottom water layers. Properly aerated water tends to stay at the surface while the stale water collects at the bottom of the pond. This is why the pond drain should draw water from the pond bottom, therby exchanging the stale bottom water with the fresh water being input to the crayfish habitat. It has been found that during a spell of colder weather, the Red Claw may congregate in the confined areas of their shelters and hides. Because the crayfish metabolism slows down in cold water, reduced ‘pleopod’ or fanning activity during these times reduces water circulation within the shelters. This can cause localised low oxygen levels and death to the Red Claw. Some form of water exchange or aeration during the winter months is needed when and if the water gets much colder than optimum. If some form of filtration is used, then only the amount of water lost to evaporation loss need be replaced. Oxygen depletion can also occur in the warmer months. The higher the water temperature goes, the less oxygen holding capacity the water has. Also the rate at which leaves and vegetation decompose increases with the water temperature. This process uses up oxygen. 20MALE RED CLAW (bottom view) FEMALE RED CLAW (bottom view) | d by the pair of i of walking legs (counting from the head). They do not have the soft red patch on the outside of the claws. pair of walking legsTo help aerate the pond water and raise the level of dissolved oxygen, the inlet should be above the water level so that it splashes and mixes with air to add oxygen to the water. This can be accomplished by allowing the input water to cascade over a series of mesh plates, or screens on square frames mounted above each other. The water input and the drain should be as far apart in the pond as possible to insure good water circulation. Larger ponds may require ‘baffle levees’.or some kind of obstruction between the inlet and drain to encourage the water to circulate, Both stream and well water are typically low in dissolved oxygen, and some kind of aeration will overcome these problems. Be sure the water source is free of pesticides and pollution. Green, growing water plants add oxygen to the water (photosynthesis), and decaying plant and animal material use up the oxygen (oxidation). The living animals, in this case the Red Claw, use up the oxygen to live (respiration). Respiration and oxidation go on day and night, while photosynthesis takes place only during daylight hours. Any stirring or splashing or even wind rippling of the water can add oxygen to the pond water. Adult Red Claw can tolerate DO (Dissolved Oxygen) as low as 1 ppm, but the young crays are not as tolerant as this. The optimum DO for Red Claw is 5 ppm or more. (Chemically expressed as 5.0 mg 02/1 or above.) Itis important to know that ALL three species of Australian Crayfish require relatively high levels of Dissolved Oxygen for optimum growth. There are a wide range of mechanical aerators available: paddle wheels, aspirators, airlifts, submersible pumps, compressors and blowers. What to use depends on individual choice and the situation. 23 Water pH, Alkalinity, and Hardness Having the correct pond/water chemistry is important for the health and well being of any aquaculture species. The Red Claw can tolerate a wide range of water quality conditions just as our native crawfish can. Although the exact conditions are different for each species, crawfish in general can tolerate adverse conditions far better than most aquaculture species. : Second only to water temperature and DO in importance, the three factors of Water pH, Alkalinity, and Hardness are interrelated and are controlled the same way. The relationship can be summarized as: Low Alkalinity = Low pH = Low Hardness. in ponds, all three factors can be controlled by adding lime to the water. Each of these conditions can be. checked by having the water tested. However, this may not always be practical. Some testing can be done by the farmer. . pH pH is the measure of hydrogen ions in the water, and is measured on a scale of 1 to 14. If the pH is between Oand 7, the water is considered to be acid. A pH of 7 is neutral, and a pH of 7 to 14 means the water is basic. Red Claw do best at a moderate water pH level of 6.5 to 9: right around neutral or slightly above. The farmer can taste the.pond water to estimate the pH. If it tastes bitter or-salty, it has too much acid in it. Litmus paper is used most frequently to test for pH. These thin strips of specially treated paper, dipped into the pond, change color according to the pH of the water. The Color is compared to the color chart that comes with the papers to gauge an accurate reading. Rain can wash acid into the pond, and if the water source for the pond is from-a swamp or is pretty 24stagnant, it is likely acidic. All pond water tends to become acidic (high pH) naturally with the processes of life, such as algal blooms, micro-organism activity, and detritus and debris breakdown. * Water pH is generally stable in earthen ponds, while in tanks and lined ponds the changes tend to be more pronounced and rapid. * Most earthen pond bottoms will need to be limed. There are 4 kinds of lime that can be used for this, ai the following rates: Agricultural lime ~ 2021 Ibs. per acre Ground limestone - 2508 Ibs. per acre Hydrated lime- 101 Ibs. per acre Quicklime ~ 178 Ibs. per acre The lime should remain on the pond bottom 2 to 3 weeks before filling the pond. This will counteract any acidity in the soil and pond water. * Red Claw production can be more than doubled by liming acid soils. The best soil pH is 7 to 8.5 * Alkalinity Alkalinity is a measure of the acid~combining capacity of the water, sometimes called its buffering ability. Alkalinity measures the amount of carbonates and bicarbonates in the water, which mix with the acid and counteract it. Alkalinity greater than 20 ppm is right for Red Claw ponds. ( Expressed as above 100 mg/1 as CaCO3 ) Adding crushed limestone or crushed oyster shells to the pond bottom before filling or lime to the pond water also controls this factor. 25 Water Hardness Hardness is the measure of total dissolved salts in the water, usually calcium and magnesium. The Red Claw, and the living planktons they eat, both need these elements for growth. Water with’a lot of dissolved salts is called ‘hard water’; ‘soft water’ is the opposite. Red Claw need water hardness greater than 20 ppm. (Chemically expressed as above 50 mg/1 as CaCO3.) The farmer can estmate the hardness of the pond water by washing his hands with it: If the soap takes a long time to lather, and the lather does not stay long, the water is hard. If the soap lathers easily and is hard to wash off, the water is soft. Adding lime will increase the water hardness. Water Salinity Red Claw have been found to survive in salinites of up to 12 ppt., but these higher levels are not optimum. There are problems with food and oxygen availability at these levels which can result in reduced growth and reproduction of the Red Claw. Water Salinity of below 4 ppt is best for the Red Claw. Water Turbitity Turbidity is a term pertaining to the amount of material in suspension in the water. Turbid water is usually called ‘silty’ or ‘muddy’. Red Claw prefer cloudy water, probably because it reduces the chances of a predator seeing them. Under this cover they can feed during daylight hours and not be too stressed out by the possibility of a lurking cormorant or wading bird, Too much matter in suspension is not good either. this can reducealgal blooms, and siltcan block the crayfish’s gills~ causing stress, which reduces activity, 26feeding and growth, and can ultimitely cause death Turbitity is much easier to measure than to control. Measurement is taken with a simple device called a "secchi disc’. This is a disk painted half black and half white, attached to a string or pols. It is lowered into the water slowly until it can no longer be seen. Then raised until it becomes visible again. The depth of the disc when re-sighted is the measure of turbitity. For Red Claw turbidity should be about 12 to 16 inches. Reducing turbitity is usual only a matter of water exchange; that means more clear water ito the pond. Increasing turbitity can be accomplished with food dyes. The same effect can be had with shading the pond of tank with shade cloth or something similar: anything to darken the environment so the crays can be at ease, and thus eat more often and grow faster and larger. Red Claw can tolerate for short periods of time: Unionized ammonia concentrations up to 1.0 ppm. (0.5 mg NH3 + NH4 ~ N/1 or less ) es ‘About the Key Cenire for Teaching and Research in Aquaculture | Located at the University of Tasmania at Launceston, Tasmat Australia and established in 1988, the Centre now has over 130 ful aquaculture students 8 courses in aquacuture cover the whole range of industry areas. Hands- Con training is complemented by farm visits and work experience. A wide range of cold, warm, fresh and salt water species are cultured at the Centre for ‘student experimentation, demonstration and post graduate in time jude ponds, tanks, temp. and light controlled rooms, ‘marine finfish, salmonid and moliuskan_hatcheries.lve feed and elgae production units, labs for disease, water quality and feed research & analysis, Also covered are all areas of water & production systems, | nuititon, ecology, economics and business management. Continued on pg. 44 27 FEEDING FOR RAPID GROWTH The area of feeding and nutritign of the Red Claw freshwater crayfish is at present being researched and developed. The main thrust of this research is to find the most efficient means of feeding for the most rapid growth of the crayfish. The areas of feeding and labor costs are where costs-can be cut to make operations of all sizes more profitabla.-It may be found that nutritionally balanced pellet type feeds can never justified when compared to the growth rates shown by crayfish raised on naturally occurring feeds and fodder. Since the Australian crayfish and our native crayfish thrive on the same types of foods, the best combination should be similar. Native crayfish farms with the highest production rates generally feed both natural feed and pelleted high-protein feed. All freshwater crayfish are termed ‘omnivorous detrivores’. This means they usually feed on organic matorials that are beginning to break down on the pond om. The natural food of the Red Claw includes both living plant and animal sources (insect larvae, worms, other crustaceans, smail fishes, snails, and tadpoles) and most dead plant and animal matter. The bulk of the Red Claw diet comes from the high- protein bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms which cover decomposing plant material. As the plants decompose, carbon changes to nitrogen and becomes more nutritious. Under culture conditions crayfish readily accept a je variety of foods, including formulated fish, lobster or shrimp rations. Growth and survival are limited by access to enough food and cannibalism that can occcur among the young if crowded to densely. 28The Red Claw detects food with its long antennae and the short antennules. It is believed that the sensing of meat juice or blood by the short antennules causes a reflex in the Red Claw to turn and move toward the source. Red Claw do not drink, water is absorbed through the gill surfaces. Red Claw growth and survival is best when they have plenty of both animal and vegetable products for food. A good portion of this can be grown or encouraged to grow naturally. Supplementing this with high-protein commercial fish or shrimp pellets produces truly huge Red Claw. They cannot easily grow to this size in nature as wild crayfish. Growing Feed Many successful farms grow fodder crops in the pond bottom or around the edge. when the pond is partially or fully drained. Draining will also help eliminate predatory fish or insects that may have become established, The Red Claw can feed upon this crop when they are stocked. Soybeans, millet, barley, oats, strawberry clover, rye grass or sorghum can be broadcast planted on the drained, wet pond bottom. When the pond is partially filled, the decaying plants, with their associated insects, serve as food for the Red Claw ( after about 4 weeks of breakdown in the water). The juvenile Red Claw can also hide in the debris. As the season progresses and the Red Claw grow, the water level in the pond can be slowly raised to flood the crops farther up the pond banks. This serves a dual purpose of increasing the living atea of the habitat and providing fresh, green plants for feed. This is usually repeated until harvest time. crayfish. When adding hay to the pond, it should not be given all at once, but at 3 to 4 week intervals. It should be spread about the edges of the pond in shallow water, in piles, ata rate of about S00 pounds per acre per month. 23 Care must be taken that the breakdown of these crops does not cause oxygen levels to fall. This should not be a problem if no more than 35 pounds of hay per day per acre is given. Where the climate allows, winter cover crops such as winter rye grass can be sown around the edges of a partially or fully drained pond to grow during the winter. Whatever seed is sown around the pond, be sure itis, nol treated with any pesticides High-Protein Feed It must be stressed that a high protein supplemental feed be provided in addition to these plant based natural food sources. Studies have consistently shown that growth and final weigh is over twice that of crawfish fed either type of food alone. These pelleted. balanced feeds should be given to the crayfish at a minimum during the last half of the growing season. There is a sinking crayfish feed available (32% protein). Trout and catfish feeds are good, but tend to dissolve rapidly in water. Water stable lobster and shrimp feed, 28% protein, are excellent. Juveniles should be fed fish starter (44% protein) 3 to 5 times a day. All feeding should be evenly distributed throughout the habitat. Also used for feed as well as bait is ground trash fish and chicken necks or hearts. Sometimes ‘bug-zapper’ lamps have been used, dropping dead insects into the pond all night when the Red Claw are feeding. Farmers that raise laying hens may use excess eggs. hard boiled, for a supplement to their cray feeding regimen. Whatever feed is used, it should be inexpensive, made for crayfish. easy to apply, have a good conversion ratio, a long shelf life, be easily stored safe from rodents & insects. Growth factors, medicines and hormones can be used, but this is still being studied and can be costly and possibly not even necessary. 30HARVESTING, TRAPS, and BAITS The best time to harvest Red Claw depends on the climate and location of the pond, and the eventual use for the catch. Baited traps are the harvesting method of choice, although drop chain weighted seines are sometimes used. Drain harvesting takes place at the end of the growing season when cold weather is approaching. Harvesting takes place 4 to 7 months after stocking the pond with 2” juveniles. At this time the Red Claw have reached a size of from 4 to 7 per pound. Some may be over 4 ounces in weight. The very largest specimens are usually saved for brood stock..that is, the larger crayfish are allowed to produce the eags and juveniles for stocking the pond next spring. This is a simple, commonsense approach to selective breeding. Current commercial methods of harvesting take any Red Claw retained in the traps, and as a result the slower growing, smaller Red Claw escape capture and THESE are the breeders for the next crop. Not the best way to get big Red Claw. If allowed to remain in the pond, the Red Claw will perish when the water gets below 50°F. Drain harvesting usually takes place in the fall, when the pond water temperature falls below 60° F, Because they do not dig deep burrows (only shallow molting chambers) the Red Claw are easy to find and harvest. Some may have eggs already on them, and these eggs may be used for hatching, although the eggs have been fertilized by a partner of unknown size and characteristics. The farmer should remove the smaller and slower growing animals that slipped through the nets during the harvesting. These ‘runts’ should not be allowed to pollute the gene pool of the Red Claw operation, Drain harvesting also helps by allowing the pond bottom to dry out. Accumulated mud and slush on the pond bottom can cause oxygen depletion and production of hydrogen sulphide gas (the smell of rotten eggs) from excess bacterial activity. 31 All of this rubbish. can be cleaned out as well. Lime may need td'be added to neutralize acidity in the ‘soil of the pond bottom, The cooling’ water.temperature does-offer some advantages over the yeat round growing conditions in Australia. The onset of colder weather causes a ‘syncronized post-winter breeding’ to take -place within the Réd Claw community. This means they all breed at the same time,.which simplifies the hatchery Procedures. Eggs and juveniles have'to be close to the same size of level of developement (i.e. age) to co~ exist peacefully. Thatiis, the larger juvenile Red Claw tend to'cannibalize the smalier ones, although this aggressiveness disappears-as the crayfish mature. The Red Claw do not breed during their growth stages (molting) and they do not molt during the colder times. During this low growth period, the farmer has an opportunity to sort out the broodstock. Traps Red Claw may be harvested using the same kind of traps.as those used in the native crayfish industry. There are over a dozen varieties of baited traps used for crayfish harvesting. Two kinds are the most widely used - the pillow type, and the stand up type. These are made of polyvinyl (plastic) coated chicken wire mesh. The mesh size is 3/4”. Both are ‘cylindrical, the length between 28” to 36”, the diameter is usually about 12". The pillow type is used in deeper water. the stand up type in shallower water. FUNNEL? ENTRANG ‘|'PILLOW TYPE’ BAITED CRAYFISH TRAP 32Regarding the pillow type trap: one end has a funnel inlet, the other end is crimped shut. It is laid horizontally on the pond bottom, and can be flattened for hauling or storage. The main drawback with this type of trap is that it must be emptied 1 to 3 times a day. This is because the trap lies on the bottom where oxygen levels are lowest, and the Red Claw cannot climb to the surface for air when the oxygen level gets too low for the number of Red Claw in the resticted area of the trap. This can be helped somewhat by propping the trap s0.a portion of itis above the surface of the water, and the trapped Red Claw can climb up there for air. The stand-up type of trap sits vertically on the bottom. The upper end is open, above the surface of the water, and must have a 3” strip of metal around the inside to prevent the catch from climbing out. The lower end is closed, and has two or more funnel openings for entry on the side at the bottom, 2” in diameter. This type of trap is a little more difficult to construct and store, but need not be emptied as often. ‘Sheet Metal strio- to prevent climbing Funnel openings " diameter CYLINDER TYPE BAITED CRAYFISH TRAP 33 Traps are set al the rate of 30 to 40 per acre, the higher number producing the best catch, the lower number being the most economical. If laborers are not being hired for the trapping, as is usual in a smaller operation, then about 40 traps per acre is the optimum density of traps. The traps should be moved at each emptying if-possible for the most efficient use. Production is also increased if the traps are run 3 times a day rather than the customary once a day Baits Red Claw are strongly attracted to any source of blood or meat juice. Some:studies have indicated that this attraction is actually a reflex action. The bulk of the natural Red Claw diet is decomposing vegetation and in the wild an animal source of protein - necessary jor Red Claw health - is relatively rare. This may account for the strong reflex to move toward the source of blood or meat juice. Thus the best bait for a Red Claw trap would tend to be fish or meat of some kind. This could get expensive, so something cheaper would be better. Trash fish and chicken necks or hearts will work. One can make an artificial bait using 3 components. The. ‘carrier’, which makes up the bulk of the bait, can be fish meal, ‘soya meal or cottonseed meal. The ‘binder’ is usually soya flour. And they ‘attractant’ is blood meal, fish oil or powdered eygs. There is a commercial crawfish bait available as well Since the harvesting operations can last for a few months, availability and perishability of these differing baits is a major concern. Probably the very best choice for the small operator is canned dog or cat food. To use the cans are perforated, thereby eliminating the need for a cage or holder for the bait. Since the Red Claw are attracted to (but unable to actually consume) this, bait, it can be used for days without replacment. And maybe best of all, there is the convenience of no storage or availability problems. Bought by the case or on sale, the cost is quite reasonable. 34HATCHING and JUVENILE PRODUCTION One of the bigger expenses of starting up a Red Claw operation ~ even a small one ~ is that of buying the first set of juveniles for stocking the pond or tanks. Most hatchery operations sell the juvenile 1.5” to 2" long Red Claw for $1.00 to $2.00 apiece. The price goes down with the quantity (see Appendix). This CAN be a one-time expense as Red Claw breed and reproduce readily in captivity, and the survival rate is high. Also, a hatchery operation is a good way to profit from the industry itself. Pond Breeding Red Claw will breed anytime the water temperature stays around 75°F. The crayfish that hatch will not survive in an outside pond anywhere in the U.S. except Hawaii and maybe southern Florida or California. In the area of breeding, our culture of the Red Claw differs from that of most crayfish farms in Australia. ‘Down Under’, with year-round growing conditions, the crayfish reproduce naturally in the ponds, breeding at any time. The farmers suspend a curtain of screening or burlap (substrate) from the pond bottom to floats on the pond surface. The newly hatched Red Claw seek shelter in this material ( possibly to avoid being attacked by the older juveniles ). They are collected periodically and transferred to nursery ponds or tanks. Because they are handled in this process and because they are of all sizes, the survival-rate for these young crayfish is very low. Only 8% to 10% will ive The best strategy for U.S. Red Claw farming is to use separate breeding and/or hatching tanks as well as nursery tanks. Briefly, this means collecting broodstock to reproduce the next seasons stock, separating out the ‘berried’ females and later removing these females when their eggs hatch. The hatchlings are raised over the winter in tanks and used 35 . to.stock the "growout’ or ‘production’ ponds outside in the spring. The largest, healthiest.animals are selected for breeding, a_simple commonsense approach to selective breeding. Drain_harvesting at the end of the growing season will reveal the largest Red Claw specimens for this selection. - Tanks The holding tanks for broodstock (the crayfish “selected for breeding) should be 1 to 3 feet deep. The water needs to.stay between 75° and 80° F: Good water quality must be maintained with either a flow— through water system (fresh-water.added constantly) ot a recirculating system with filtration and aeration. The filtering system should remove sediment and silt as well as bacteria, nitrates and ammonia. This kind of equipment is avaitable in all sizes and capacities, and the smaller, less expensive can be found in pet stores. Although this setup may sound compiicated, the small-scale ‘operation does-not need very many breeding females to be maintained in this manner in order to get enough stock for the next season: *A female Red Claw can have as many as 1000 eggs!* The mature broodstock can be kept at a densify of 1 to 2 animals per square foot of tank bottom. in theory, 1 male and 2 to 3 females could be kept ina small aquarium (around 4 square feet). This could produce about 3000 eggs, most of which will hatch and grow if given the proper care. That's a lot of crawfish, almost enough to stock a quarter acre pond! __ Small rectangular tanks of 15 to 16 square feet fave beeh used successfully, as well as large circular, tanks’ of 15 feet in diameter, with water.1 to 3 feet deep. Plastic inflatable childrens wading pools have been used. Fot example, a 20 sq. ft. tank 2 feet deep could be stocked with 5-10 males and 15 to 30 females. 36The tanks should be located inside a sheltered area, possibly heated. The light should be dim, just enough to see to work. And these lights should be on 12 hours ata time (photoperiod of 12 hours.) These crayfish are tropical, nocturnal animals, most active near sundown and early evening. The lighting scheme is to simulate tropical summer evenings. Partial covers of shade cloth and dark colored tanks will also help reduce stress on the crayfish. Under these conditions the Red Claw will breed and the females will lay eggs and attach them to their abdomens just like our native crayfish. All tubing and wiring should be suspended from overhead and not touch the sides of the tank. Red Claw are good climbers and may escape if these lines are accessable to them. Also the water level needs to be below the tank top for the same reason. Broodstock nutrition is very important. They should be fed a complete diet of sinking crayfish or shrimp rations of at least 32% protein at a rate of 3% of body weight per day. Females with eggs attached are called ‘bertied’ females. The eggs look like little oval-shaped berties, about one-tenth of an inch in diameter. The breeding tanks should be checked for berried females every week or so. They are easily recognized when ‘in berry’: they curl their tail tightly under their body for the first 10 to 14 days after spawning. This is to protect the eggs while the mother goes-about the business of living. They are also less active than normal. The berried females should be carefully netted and transferred to another tank for incubation ‘and hatching to take place. The eggs can become dislodged and lost if there is too much struggling and tail flicking during this transfer. The females should not be disturbed during the incubation period. 37 Hatching tariks Female Red Claw attach their eggs to their abdomen just like all crayfish. The eggs remain attached during the incubation period and are ‘fanned’ constantly by the females ‘swimmeretes’ or swimming legs. Females with eggs of a close stage of development should be grouped together. The incubation period varies according to the water temperature of the habitat. Hatching can occur in as little as 30 days at 85° F but-can take as long as 70 days at 70" to 75°F. The newly hatched crayfish cling to the undeside-of the mothers tail for 1 to 2 weeks after hatching, and become independant of the mother over a period of several days. The time just after becoming independant is apparently very critical to the survival of the young. The mature females should be removed from the hatching tank as soon as the young are no longer seen clinging to the mother. Eventually the ‘hatchirig’ tank becomes the "nursery" tank for raising these young Red Claw to the ‘juvenile’ stage of 1.5" to 2” in length for stocking in the spring. The larger the juveniles are at stocking time. the greater their chances of survival, and the larger they will grow when harvest time comes. The newly hatched and young crayfish are quite delicate and” should not be handled or allowed to become stressed out in any way. The young should not be crowded more than 50 to the square foot of tank bottom, and should have a hanging substrate of window screen, fruit mesh bags or burlap for shelter. The feed should be high-protein (44% or more) fish starter diet, and should be evenly spread throughout the habitat -~ both on the bottom and within the mesh. These juveniles don't move around much and must have access to enough food or they wil become stunted and undeveloped. They should be fed 3 to 5 times a day, all 38they want, without overfeeding, which can cause the water to foul. Water quality is especially important with young Red Claw. Adequate water circulation, filtration and aeration must be maintained, and old feed and waste must be removed and must not accumulate. With the juveniles, the larger ones tend to harass and attack the smaller ones. Therefore each tank should have crayfish close to the same age and development, such as from the same clutch, although this may not be always possible. The substrate and plenty of shelters and well distributed feed will help with this problem. Using these methods, over 60% to 85% of the eggs will grow into stockable juveniles! ‘In-Vitro' Hatching There is another incubation and hatching method that works for our native ‘Red Swamp’ crayfish, the most widely cultivated American variety. This process was developed by Mr. George Smith of Aquatic Hatcheries in San'Diego, and should work for Red Claw. The method involves carefully removing the eggs from a berried female into a jar of clean, seasoned aquarium water. The females tail must be gently uncurled and agitated, and the remaining eggs combed off her underside and into the jar with a_ sterile fine toothed hair comb. The jars are then floated in an 85" F. aquarium with an open ended air line submerged in the jar, agitating the water to a rolling boil. This presumably simulates the fanning of the eggs by the female during incubation, but without the risk to the eggs that exists during this incubation time spent bouncing around under the tail of an active Red Claw. The incubation period of the Red Claw eggs, 30 to 70 days, is about twice that of our native Red Crayfish and this method of incubation can cut that time in half, as well as giving an almost 100% survival rate! 39 ECONOMICS and MARKETING Red Claw farming is strong and growing in Australia, even though the industry is only a few years old. There are well over 300 Red Claw farms in Australia, and it is estimated that only 15 large operations provided most of the commercial production. This could mean there are many pilot programs in operation, starting small and testing the waters, as well as many smail scale family run operations. . The production is increasing fast, and prices are steady. Profits for every operation are rising with each season as new techniques and strategies are developed and shared. Demand is up, even where this animal is commonly found in the wild. All sources point to the fact that Red Claw are doing very well in America too. The interest and investment in Red Claw farming is rising dramatically. There are many, many hatcheries (see appendix) and producers already in America, Some even provide yabbies and marron. These last two are generally for the novelty trade (marron) or harsh climate crayfish farming (yabbie). With all this production, few people have heard of the Red Claw and fewer have eaten one. There must be a tremendous demand that gobbles them all up. At $8.00 to $10.00 or more per pound, it seems that there there is an excellent potential for profit in farming the Red Claw if the conditions are right. An ouifit named Belmont Springs in Utah, is raising Red Claw along with many other tropical fish. They have access to hot springs, so their ponds can be heated. Starting with 100 1/2" fry, 70 were lost immediatedly. The remaining 30 produced 2 generations ina year. In another year they had many thousands and were harvesting market size Red Claw. Their sale prices ranged from $1.00 for fry to $37.50 for large breeders. 40The Red Claw crayfish are actually ‘freshwater lobsters". descendants of marine lobsters which migrated up coastal rivers eons ago in Australia. Their meat yield is closer to that of a Maine lobster, with 30% tail meat and some body and claw meat as well. Some claim the claw meat is the tastiest. Red Claw occupy a new niche in the seafood marketplace. There is not much competition from our much smaller native crayfish. Marine lobsters are seasonal and of sometimes questionable quality. as they are mainly harvested in areas with high pollution outflows from coastal cities. Info sources in the U.S. advise caution for prospective Australian crayfish farmers; start slowly with minimum capital investment and low overhead, test production strategies and investigate markets. They do consider Red Claw a ‘potential culture species’, although there is little raw data concerning commercial production and marketing, One advantage to producers of Red Claw is the a whole animals without processing. Red Claw can travel 4 to 8 days unharmed if packaged properly. a Economics. Generally a quartet acre pond,-2 to 3 feet deep, is © the most popular size for.producing Red Claw. The pond can be any size, and sometimes smaller ones are better, in that they can be more closely monitored, and more easily drained, harvested and refilled The stocking rates are 10,000 to 20,000.per acre. or 2 to 4 per square foot of pond bottom. Even though they are. much larger than native crayfish, the Red Claw can grow and thrive at this density, which is 2 or 3 times that of the native crayfish. Actual production on U.S. farms range from 1200 to 4000 pounds pet acre per year. Simple arithmetic would show at $8.00 per pound there would be about $2400 to $8000 gross income from a single quarter acre pond! The net from this could be increased by a greater sales price, greater production through better management, cutting costs such as labor, and increasing efficiency wherever. possible. ‘Starting with a small number of fry. a small operation could raise these juveniles to maturity at minimal expense, breed the best ones over the winter, and raise enough juveniles to stock a much larger pond the next season. This would eliminate the large initial investment of $1.00 to $2.00 apiece fry, however many were needed to stock the pond. Profit can be further increased by growing a portion of the feed and minimizing labor costs, such as having a family managed operation. Smailer operations can readily produce large numbers of fry, which capi live in a density of 50 to the square foot! These can be sold to other farmers at prices rangeing from $1.00 to. $2.00 apiece, with discounts for bigger orders. (See appendix.) Australian crayfish farming is new. with tremendous opportunity for food and profit where conditions are tight. Though authorities are cautious, logic shows a “great potential for the Red Claw in America. 42GROWERS AND BREEDERS OF REDCLAW AUSTRALIAN FRESHWATER CRAYFISH MICHAEL ROBINSON STICK-FINS FISH FARM 3800 CR-13 SOUTH ELKTON, FL. 32033 PH: 904-692-1252, FX: 904-692-4744 Sfins1248@aol.com ". 3" (50 to the box) : $2.00 each -7" (12 to the box) : $8.00 (2.5 oz.) each -10" (10 to the box) : $10.00 (4.25 oz.) each _ 11"14" (8 to the box): $12.00 (6.65 oz.) each John McClellan Belmont Springs Hatchery P.O. Box 31, Fielding, UT 84311 PH: 1 435 279 0074 FX: 1 435 458 2200 belmontspringshatchery@frontiemet.net Breeders: $6.00 each Juveniles: $2.00 each CRM Intemational MEXICO (52) 55-5119-0165 FX: (52) 55-5207-8268 crminternational@hotmail.com Juveniles: (5-8 grams): $0.35 each Breeders: (60-85 grams): $5.50 each e GROWERS AND BREEDERS OF REDCLAW AUSTRALIAN FRESHWATER CRAYFISH Red Claw Permaculture Farms (formerly California Lobster) PO Box 492218 Redding, CA 96049-2218 PH: 530-547-3139 ‘OP: 530-949-7201 FX: 530-547-3115 Redclawpermafarms@aol.com Starich, Inc. 28490 2nd Street Daphne, Alabama, 36526 USA Robert W. Underwood Pri 334-626-6474 FX: 334-626-6272 Red Claw Freshwater Lobsters. at the farm in Belize Patterson Farms P.O. Box 647 Indiantown, FL_34956 8290 Tommy Clements Lane Indiantown, Florida 34998 USA PH: 561-597-5408 pattersonfarms@ecqual.net info@pattersonfarms.com hittp:/wew pattersonfarms.comt ‘Schmalbact*quacutture, Inc. PO Box 900739 Homestead, FL 33090-0739 PH: 305-246-5493 FX: 305-246-3304 Goorges Bait Farm 1980 Eastwood Ra. East Aurora, NY 14052 PH: 716-652-5129 Charles Showalter 41020 Kris Dr. Moon Twp., PA 15108 PH: 412 262-7470 Cortijo Farms, Inc. 800 Colorado Ct. Mission Texas 78572 PH: 956-519-8334 custservice@freshwaterlobsters. ‘com http:/freshwaterlobsters.com! New Jersey of Aquaculture PO Box 9337 : Elizabeth, NJ 07202 Web addresses change, suppliers move, area codes change. We fy to keep an up-to-date listing of crayfish and crayfish oriented suppliers—traps, feeds, stock, etc, E-mail for latest: atlaspub@hotm Key Centre for Aquaculture (cont.fi.pg.27) [The staff undertake confefence & consyltancy assignments for the industry at commercial rates, and the manies raised aré allocated to thie Centre’s activities. For more informat act: 44Australian Crayfish, species unknown Il of 3 one-year old Red Claw, of about each. Note the high meat yield. From ‘The Crayfish’, by T. H. Huxley, 1879 45From ATLAS PUBLICATIONS Smal Seale Crayfish Farming for food & profit surprisingly complete factual compilation of University and industry research. Optimum growing conditions are easily reached, and are much less strict than most aquaculture species. ‘There are many species of freshwater crayfish suited for aquaculture in all areas ofthe US. RED CLAW! Raising the Aust (ISBN 0-963; Crayfish, BED CLAW |. The Red Claw crayfish ed » this book dispels the hype and furnishes . Red Claw farms are springing up all ‘over, andthe demand continues to rise. ‘All About Hydraulic Ram Pumps (ISBN 0-9631526-2-9) ever, the ram pump isan ‘old- Inquiries and special quantity discounts goto stlaspubG@liotmail.com 47