Let”s figure out what crayfish eat at home

Keeping crayfish in a home aquarium can be an interesting experience. They are well-liked by aquarists because of their distinctive appearance and behavior. But it’s crucial to comprehend their nutritional requirements to make sure they continue to be active and healthy. What precisely do domestic crayfish eat?

Scavengers are what crayfish are in their natural environments. They consume a wide range of foods, including insects, small fish, and plant matter. They can survive at home on a diet that is similar to what they would eat in the wild—a balanced diet. Providing them with a variety of plant-based foods and protein-rich foods will support their growth and vitality.

Maintaining the health of your crayfish is just as important as ensuring their survival. Providing appropriate food varieties will improve their colors and demeanor. Understanding the preferred diet of crayfish can have a significant impact on both their health and the general condition of your aquarium.

What crayfish eat at home

These critters are omnivores. They eat both plant and animal products. Choose items from this menu to prepare crayfish at home.

The sense of smell is highly developed in arthropods. They can detect dead fish in the wild by scent. Replace such prey with bloodworms, fish, meat, squid, or shrimp when you’re at home.

Animal food is fed to crayfish no more than twice a week. The general consensus is that it makes arthropods more aggressive.

Crayfish eat mostly algae in their natural habitat, but they can also graze on grass and leaves when they’re on land. In the aquarium, plant elodea or hornwort to keep your pets healthy. Lime is found in the plants, which is needed to keep the shell strong or to grow a new one after molting.

Suitable as plant food as well are:

• lettuce leaf;
• carrots, zucchini;
• spinach;
• nettle.

Regular feeding

90% of a crayfish’s diet in the wild is made up of plant matter. Small fish, invertebrates, and phytoplankton make up the remaining ten. The crayfish consumes meat from animals and dead fish.

Establish natural habitat conditions to save time and money on maintenance and for convenience’s sake:

1. Add organic and mineral fertilizers, not exceeding the norm: nitrogen 0.5 mg / l, phosphorus 2 mg / l. Crayfish are sensitive to the composition of water and dirt will cause escape or even death of animals. Add fertilizers before filling the reservoir. Industrialists recommend a proportion of 1 kg of superphosphate and 50 kg of ammonium nitrate per 1 ha.
2. Fertilizers can be replaced with legumes. Their use is environmentally friendly and saturates the water with nitrogen.
3. The acidity in the reservoir should not exceed 7-8.5 pH.
4. To ensure the presence of elements necessary for the growth of a new shell, plant plants rich in lime.
5. Launch daphnia, cyclops, snails, tadpoles and small fish into the reservoir. By catching them, crayfish will be able to partially provide themselves with food. Phyto and zooplankton will serve as food for both the crayfish themselves and their prey.

Use plants, fertilizers, and human habitation to return the reservoir to its natural state. Crayfish that are fed naturally will need less care and attention.

Artificial feeding

Not all natural reservoirs can be replicated in one’s home. In these situations, artificial feed is fed to crayfish.

Types of feed

Crayfish are omnivores, unless they come into contact with artificial or chemical additives. Feed can be prepared on-site or in an industrial setting.

Home-made

When creating your own diet, keep in mind the ratio of plant-based to animal-based foods. Among the homemade crayfish dishes are:

• pieces of raw meat, chicken, fish;
• earthworms, maggots, bloodworms;
• various vegetables;
• nettles;
• bread;
• algae.

Don’t feed fatty foods to crayfish because they will contaminate the water.

Industrial production

Release form: sticks, flakes, or granules in various sizes. Whatever the dish’s appearance, it should be:

• balanced;
• not pollute the water;
• contain elements that facilitate molting.

Certain varieties of compound feed are designed with specific crayfish life stages in mind. There are many complementary food options to boost immunity in young animals, improve the color of the shell, and encourage reproduction.

Rules and features of feeding

1. Crayfish are thrifty creatures and can hide food. Excess food will cause the water to stagnate, and the pets will die.
2. Control the diet so that there is enough food, but without excess.
3. During molting, more food is required, this is due to the energy costs of restoring the shell.
4. The breeding period also requires an increase in portions.
5. The diet of juveniles differs in composition and volume from the diet of adults.
6. Males can eat once every 2 days, and females once every 3 days.
7. Leave the shell in the aquarium after molting. This is part of the diet of wild arthropods. By eating the shell, they restore the calcium content in the body.
8. Crayfish are nocturnal animals. Feed them in the evening.
9. Make sure that there is enough food, otherwise the crayfish may start eating each other.
10. But also, a lack of food will lead to attempts by arthropods to escape.

Feeders

Stores sell feeders in a variety of sizes and shapes. The easiest option can be completed on your own. Wherever the crayfish gather, affix a piece of board with nailed sides or a sheet of plastic. The feeder for crayfish is prepared.

Pick plastic that isn’t harmful for the feeder!

Feeding ration

• The female eats more than the male, but also digests food longer.
• There is no clear norm for the amount of food. Fresh food is put in the feeder only when it is empty.
• Remaining food is removed after two days, otherwise the decomposition process will begin, polluting the water in the aquarium.
• 2-3% of the animal"s weight is the recommended amount of food. Pets will be full and there will be no surplus.
• It is better to slightly underfeed the crayfish than to allow them to die due to spoiled water.

Feeding the young

The growing crayfish body needs more diverse food in greater quantities.

They require the byproduct of organic decay known as detritus until they are two centimeters long. In the wilderness, at the bottom of the reservoir, it is more than sufficient for young people. Because of the continuous filtering, there is not enough detritus in the aquarium.

Leaves of dry oak, alder, or beech are eaten. Adult crayfish consume them as well as juvenile ones. As they are consumed, add leaves. Never use leaves that are still fresh. They may discharge a toxic substance into the water. Crustaceans measuring two centimeters start eating different insect larvae. The diet starts to include mollusks at three centimeters of growth. When they get to 4 cm, the crabs start eating tiny fish.

Food meant for fish fries can be used to feed the young at home. Aquarists suggest incorporating tiny daphnia into the diet. Scald with boiling water to lessen mobility before adding daphnia to the aquarium.

Advice

• In summer, the amount of necessary food increases.
• In winter, when kept outdoors, you do not need to feed the crayfish until spring.
• Their growth and rate of reproduction depend on what you feed the crayfish.
• Crayfish do not like turbidity in the pond.
• Correctly prepared place of residence will reduce food costs.
• For the growth of young fish and reproduction, a temperature of about 15 degrees is comfortable.
• Crayfish are inhabitants of clean water bodies, their behavior immediately shows if something is wrong with the water.

Maintaining crayfish at home can be a fulfilling endeavor, particularly if you are aware of their nutritional requirements. Although these amazing animals don’t have particular food preferences, giving them a balanced diet is essential to their health and wellbeing. You can keep them happy by providing a variety of high-protein foods, such as worms, shrimp pellets, and occasionally small pieces of fish.

Remember to give them plant material as part of their diet. Fresh veggies offer vital nutrients and diversity, like peas, spinach, and zucchini. Additionally, crayfish like to forage on algae and leftover fish food in their aquarium, which keeps their surroundings tidy.

Recall that moderation is crucial. Overfeeding your crayfish can result in unhealthy conditions and low water quality. You can make sure your crayfish flourish in their natural habitat by feeding them a varied and balanced diet and providing them with appropriate tank care.

Although crayfish make interesting pets, it’s crucial to know what they should eat to keep them healthy at home. Being omnivores, these crustaceans consume both plant and animal matter. You can give them a wide range of foods in a home aquarium, such as veggies like spinach and zucchini, sinking pellets, and occasionally treats high in protein like shrimp or tiny fish pieces. Additionally, they like to scavenge for leftovers, so you can keep them happy by including plant debris and other natural materials. A balanced diet makes sure they get all the nutrients they require to flourish.

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