The Australian red-claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) eats almost anything, and feeding it is easier than it seems. Part of its diet can come straight from a vegetable garden. Here is how we feed crayfish and giant freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) on our farm, what to give them and what not to.
The basis of the menu: 70–80% protein
Crayfish grow fast when they get enough protein. That is why 70–80% of the diet is protein feed. The rest is plant food: vegetables and greens.
Protein feed
MrRak dry feed. We make it ourselves, for crayfish and prawns rather than for fish. Crayfish eat it willingly and grow well on it. The pellet sinks, because crayfish feed on the bottom.
Live food. Crayfish eat all kinds of worms, maggots, bloodworms and small crustaceans. Live food wakes up their natural feeding behaviour: the crayfish search for it and hunt. We sell maggots both live and frozen, in 10 kg blocks.
Cheap coarse fish. Small, inexpensive fish works well: crucian carp, perch, carp, sprat. It is frozen and given to the crayfish frozen.
Plant food: vegetables from the garden
An ordinary vegetable garden provides the rest of the diet. Crayfish eat:
cabbage;
cucumbers;
zucchini;
pumpkin.
Crayfish do not eat potatoes, so there is no need to give them any.
Fish and vegetable mix. You can grind fish together with vegetables, freeze the mix and feed it frozen. That way one portion gives the crayfish both protein and plant food.
For a farm this is a noticeable saving: you grow part of the feed yourself or buy it nearby.
How often to feed
Usually twice a day. Crayfish are more active in the dark, so the evening feeding matters. Feeding together with checking the tanks takes up to 2 hours a day, so the farm can be combined with a main job.
Remove uneaten food, especially vegetables: leftovers rot and spoil the water. It is better to give a little less and add more than to overfeed.
Warm water, good appetite
The Australian red-claw crayfish grows best at a water temperature of 24–30 °C. In colder water it eats less and grows more slowly. In a RAS the water is kept warm all year round, so the crayfish grow steadily, without a winter pause.
A well-fed crayfish means more crayfish
A crayfish grows by shedding its shell. For the first 15–60 minutes after moulting it is soft and defenceless, and hungry neighbours may eat it. Regular, balanced feeding reduces cannibalism, so more crayfish survive to market weight. The right diet gives up to 20% more growth.
Feed and training from MrRak
MrRak feed and maggots can be ordered with delivery. And if you are just starting out, we will teach you how to feed and care for crayfish together with your farm.