Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Forum,

I've seen feeder crayfish for sale and was wondering how these went an an AP system. Does anyone know what species these usually are and how big they grow? Can they be grown as food and does anyone eat them. Would they be a good prawn substitute? What are their breeding capabilities?

The ones I've seen sold are below and they are about 80cents each:


All info and thoughts appreciated.

Thank you kindly

David

If you are a Louisiana Cajun 'Hell Yeah"
http://www.crawfish.org/

I've seen many sites with crawfish used in the tanks.
Check Youtube also, there are a few videos of them in Aquaponics systems.

The ones seen in your image there are a common yabbie... and yes, have been used in AP systems for many, many years. Search 'yabbie' on the forum. Or for a real adventure.... click on my 'yabbie hunting adventures' link in my signature.

Thanks Charlie and Scotte for your replies.

Charlie, I am in Brisbane, Australia so I would say they are a different breed.

Scotte, would these feeder yabbies get to a bigger size?

thanks

David

Common yabbies are all over australia, including Queensland. Yabbies, gilgies, koonacs are all basically the same fresh water crustacean... slightly different strain with small physical differences.

Scotte is in the US and is talking about crawfish... which are a different breed all together. And as far as Im aware, are not available in aus.... and Im sure that Scotte (no offence) would have any clue at all about our australian fresh water crustaceans.

The answer to your question is yes, they will grow to a bigger size. How big they grow is depending on many factors. I have kept, grown and trapped yabbies for about 20 odd years now. I know a bit about them.

The only yabbies that go into my ap systems now are into the cod tank, and I dont think they are still there

80 cents each!! Dang I need to get back into crawfishing, I used to sell them to bait stores for $1.80 a dozen, go to your local river bottom with a cast net and several five gallon buckets and you can catch all you can handle, I would catch thousands a day, paid my way through collage like that. This is the time of year to do it too. I don't know how big your local crawfish are but Trinity river grays can reach over 10" in the wild, makes those Louisiana reds you see in restaurants look like infants. And yes they are very very good to eat, I am craving some right now matter of fact.
Word of caution though, anywhere you find large numbers of crawfish in the wild you will also find snakes, lots of them, not a task to try in shorts.