Crayfish farm

Visited one of the crayfish farm in Penang. Not really a big place. They breed the crayfish to sell to fish shop.

I was checking on the pool. They use semen, because its easy to clean. They feed the crayfish with plants and fish.

And they were breeding Red claw crayfish.

Places to hide

Crayfish are territorial species, and they don't like close to each other. So, I need to have a place for them to hide. I cut PVC pipe, in various size, to give them places to hide.

After a while.. of the crayfish immediately declare as his/ her home. 

Crayfish molting

Last nite, I found a "skin" of one of the crayfish. It molted.

This is a normal process for the crayfish to grow. They got to change the external skin, as it is hard. And during this process, crayfish are very vulnerable, as the new skin its soft.

Red claw info

Red Claw crayfish or scientific name Cherax quadricarinatus. Origin from Australia and its widely farm as commercial. Redclaw is a sought-after product with a delicate crustacean flavour.

Size can reach up to 600g. Each female can spawn up to 300 olive green eggs at one time. And take around 6 weeks for it to hatch. The mature life cycle its around 6 - 12 months.

The red claw crayfish is the only legal pet crayfish in the UK, other than the signal crayfish which can only be kept in certain parts of the UK.

Red claw crayfish in the river

Went for crayfish catching in one of our local river. Tips from one of my friend.

This is the river. Dirty and smelly.

This is what I manage to catch. Small size, around 4cm. Its a Red Claw  crayfish. They are very hardy and able to survive in a dirty water. For sure its not safe to eat, I believe the water its polluted and consist of heavy metal and mercury.

This is the video of the crayfish inside the tank.

Red claw crayfish / cherax quadricarinatus

Consider one of the most common crayfish available in Malaysia. And can found in some of the river.

Affnan, Malaysian Aquaponics.. very experience

As i was surfing the web for more info, I bounce to few website which its very information. One of it, its from our Malaysia, Affnan; http://affnan-aquaponics.blogspot.com

From his blog, seem like he is successfully grown

• Water Celery
• Basil
• Okra (lady finger)
• Chillies 
• Kesum (Vietnamese Coriander)

And few fishes also.

Malaysia's leading organic fruit and vegetable producers

Zenxin, www.zenxin.com.my, its one or the leading producer and export organic fruit and vegetable in Malaysia. Their organic products are mainly Asian leafy vegetables such as siew pak choy, choy sum, kang kong, gailan, and bok choy. They also have cucumber, long bean, French bean, bitter gourd, English spinach, round cabbage and organic tropical fruits such as dragon fruit, papaya, passion fruit, banana and pineapple.

They also use Aquaponics and Hydroponics to grow their plant.

Type of Vege for Aquaponics

This is few vegetable which I found in the web which say are suitable to grow using Aquaponics concept in Malaysia.

cabbage
chilli
cucumber

Cherry tomato

Aquaponics

Aquaponics, planting a plant such as vegetable or fruit using the hydroponic style (water base planting) together with aquatic life such as fish, shrimp and etc.

I was thinking to adopt this method for breeding crayfish.

Export Market

Up until today, China and the United States are today the biggest sources of import.

Signal crayfish

Scientific name : Pacifastacus leniusculus
Size : 15 cm long

European crayfish

Scientific name : Astacus astacus
Size : Male (16 cm long) & Female (12 cm long)
Mature for breeding after 3 - 4 years.
Breed in Oct and Nov. Fertilised eggs are carried by the female, attached to her pleopods, until the following May, when they hatch and disperse.


The most common species of crayfish in Europe and traditional foodstuff.

Mexico Crasyfish @ Acocil

Usually refer to : Cambarellus montezumae and Cambarellus zempoalensis

White river crawfish

Scientific name : Procambarus zonangulus

Red swamp crayfish

Scientific name : Procambarus clarkii
Native origin : Southeastern United States
Also known as : Louisiana crayfish
Average weight : 50 g
Size : 5 - 12 cm long
Average lifespan : 5 years

Eaten in Europe, China, Africa, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States and the Caribbean

Largest crayfish species..

The Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi) is the largest freshwater invertebrate in the world. The species is only found in Tasmania, Australia.

Average weight of 2 kg.

Local breeder

One of Malaysia crayfish breeder; Urusan Fast Aquafarming (M) Sdn Bhd. Located at Kota Bahru.

News link

Market selling price

From what found in the web, the selling price of crayfish as food in Malaysia its around RM 30 - RM 40 per kg, around 8 - 10 pcs of crayfish.

Crayfish as food

We will be focusing on few type of crayfish which can be eaten/ widely eaten such as:-

1. Red swamp crawfish
2. White river crawfish
3. Astacus astacus
4. Pacifastacus leniusculus
5. Mexican crayfish (acocil)

6. Cherax quadricarinatus (red claw)

World Largest Crayfish producer

98% of the crayfish harvested in the United States come from Louisiana, where the standard culinary terms are crawfish or écrevisses. Louisiana produces 90% of the crawfish in the world and 70% is consumed locally. 70-80% of crawfish produced in Louisiana are red swamp crawfish with the remaining 20-30% being white river crawfish.


View Louisiana in a larger map