What Crayfish to feed Oscars etc.

Ulu

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Dec 13, 2018
1,843
3,130
164
The Sunny San Joaquin
Evidently Marmorkrebs (self-cloning crayfish) cannot be imported to California without license, or perhaps not at all. I tried to investigate the rules but found no specific mention.

Anybody know the rules?

Local fish bait seller was no help.

So if I intended to raise crayfish for feed, what would be my best choice in native species?
 

TheReefer

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 13, 2019
602
423
72
43
Pennsylvania
I'm not sure if this is legal or not in california, but you could just catch crayfish from a creek or river. I think that would be your best bet
 

Ulu

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Dec 13, 2018
1,843
3,130
164
The Sunny San Joaquin
Anybody with a fishing license can take crayfish here with bait, dipnet, or approved traps. You can't fish for the endangered Shasta crayfish, but others are available.

They raise real Louisiana red crawdaddies on big rice paddies north of here.

My concern would be which ones would be best for feeding, and would also reproduce quickly in captivity.
But I'm thinking the ones you can buy for humans will be too large, otherwise buying them would be an option.
 

TheReefer

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 13, 2019
602
423
72
43
Pennsylvania
Anybody with a fishing license can take crayfish here with bait, dipnet, or approved traps. You can't fish for the endangered Shasta crayfish, but others are available.

They raise real Louisiana red crawdaddies on big rice paddies north of here.

My concern would be which ones would be best for feeding, and would also reproduce quickly in captivity.
But I'm thinking the ones you can buy for humans will be too large, otherwise buying them would be an option.
I'm not sure about which ones would breed readily, but I think just getting them from a local creek or river would be best
 

RD.

Gold Tier VIP
MFK Member
May 9, 2007
13,122
12,369
3,360
64
Northwest Canada
I knew a local that fed locally caught crayfish to his Mbu puffer years ago. It was a beast of a fish, approx. 18" , when it died shortly after from what he could only pinpoint back to his subjecting the fish to local crayfish, that were packing heat from local parasites.

I too would just supplement with something safer, such as krill.
 

Ulu

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Dec 13, 2018
1,843
3,130
164
The Sunny San Joaquin
Just a short update.

I have been feeding Sally's SanFrancisco Brand dried krill for about a year, and never did raise any crawdads.
Too many other things to deal with.

My Oscar really doesn't like the krill, dry or soaked, and I only feed it after he hasn't eaten for a day or more.

He's been getting Omega One pellets, NLS wafers, live redworms, live mealworms and BugBites cichlid formula.

If I could feed him live krill, I think he'd love it, but that's not happening.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store