Easy Cray outside set up

[Louie]

This is how I have always bred crays . I keep them outside under gazebo roof in screen area . My dwarfs are inside and they never bred , lol but even impossible to breed crays will breed outside thus it is not like I am an expert at breeding crays .

 

 

In the last pic you notice all the rat traps and that was due to a large male raccoon who would tear my screen and attempt to raid ONLY the Marbled cray bin .  He was not able to but until he was caught and I put in stronger screen , the rat traps stopped him but he came for 5 consecutive nights .

 

Either way its a basic set up with silicone in place pvc pipes and I add "bamboo" which send out thick roots and the baby crays hide .  I need to add more 'bamboo' to the new White cray set up.

 

Before using the bin , I fill it with water 1/2 way up for a month to leach out any chemicals than change the water and it is ready .

 

I keep about 8 inches of water in all the cray bins , no need to use more or they warp .  I don't use filter just siphon out 50% about 2x a week and replace with my pond water .

 

I fold the screen so it slides off not lift off and the rear 50% stays put as that is where the
bamboo" grows .

 

 

[High5's]

Very cool thanks for sharing.

[Puddles]

That's awesome. What are the dimensions of the tub, and how many crays per tub?

[Louie]

The bins are 30 inches long and 16 wide .

 

The older bin in the background which inside is roots covering pvc pipes has 3 adult marbled crays .  The crays do eat roots here and there but not enough so I do wind up trimming the roots but the 'bamboo' could not care less and I often wind up trimming them .

 

The pictured bin has a pair of 3 1/2 inch White crays and I have another older well established 'bamboo' bin not pictured with a blue clarcki female and I plan to add an extra white  male who I have inside but to small now .

 

The Bamboo is just because crays like hiding in the roots plus the babies do use it but as far as filtration type plants ,though  they do love the crayfish water but IMO grow to slow for actual filtration .

[Soothing Shrimp]

Have you tried manzanita for filtration?

[Louie]

Soothing,

                You mean the manzanita bush?   I have not , never thought of it but now you got my curious .  How would you go about that just placing the branch in water sane as the 'bamboo' ?

[Soothing Shrimp]

Whoops Louie, I must have been looking at wood near that time. LOL

 

I meant Willow.  Clip off a good 1/2" diameter branch with some leaves,and let it sit in the tank for a while. it will grow roots and act like a filter.  Never tried it myself, but I've read about people who have had excellent results with that.

[Louie]

Soothing,

                     Thanks.  I am not familiar with tree's but I know Florida has Willow tree's so going to try  a branch once I find out what is Willow. If it works will get more because the 'bamboo' looks nice and they enjoy the thick root hiding areas but it is simply to slow growing to truly be effective as aquaponics .

 

   I used to have tomato plant as aquaponics for outside guppies and that was amazing but it needs more sun that my cray bins get.

[Soothing Shrimp]

can you put tomato plants directly in water without stem rotting?

[aquarist]

Pretty cool write up! A friend of mine is wanting to breed crayfish as food for his turtles.

[Louie]

Soothing,

                   They grew like weeds and the root system was insane. I would have to constantly trim it but they need a lot of sun.  They were "Everglades cherry tomatoes" .

 

Aquarist,

                 He needs cloning crays which are very easy and a simple set up with pvc tubes and your set .

[Soothing Shrimp]

Thanks Louie.  I may try that!