Method and apparatus for raising softshell crawfish

摘要

A tank apparatus referred to hereinafter as an intermolt/premolt growth tank, and a method for the growth and harvesting of crawfish during one intermolt cycle through the time period in which the succeeding molt phase is completed. Individual crawfish are selected and placed in concentrated numbers in one of the intermolt/premolt tanks or in a series of such tanks, each of which is supplied with optimum preset selected water quality. The crawfish are fed and harvested individually after molting has occurred or until the late premolt phase, just prior to molting, is easily identifiable. The intermolt/premolt tank apparatus is designed as part of the method and contains contrasting environmental characteristics for the specific purposes of concentrating, feeding, and segregating molting and late premolt crawfish from the remaining population which contains aggressive feeding crawfish. Working in conjunction with the intermolt/premolt growth tank apparatus and for the efficiency of the production method are stocked-seining ponds and/or holding cages which are stocked regularly with crawfish to supply the intermolt/premolt growth tanks. Open bottom molting tanks to further segregate and concentrate late premolt crawfish just prior to the actual molt would also be used to allow the actual molt to be completed.