The redclaw industry is probably the only aquaculture industry that has not yet developed a hatchery for seed stock / crayling production.
All other aquaculture industries produce hatchlings / fingerlings / fry etc for sale to farmers for grow-out. This specialisation increases industry efficiency and relieves the farmer from having to use ponds and resources to maintain and produce their own brood stock and juveniles that can now be more productively used for grow-out.
For the first time redclaw farmers will be able to stock a pond with an exact quantity of redclaw hatchlings which reduces much of the guesswork of management and husbandry!
All the craylings / hatchlings are exactly the same age and therefore growth rates are more uniform. We also sell craylings to landholders who would like to stock their farm dam and to aquaponics enthusiasts.
Ring us – (07) 4091 2020 or email us – info@aquaverde.com.au – to order your craylings. Then follow the steps below to establish your stock.
Prepare the Crayling Home
If you’re stocking into ponds, best practice is to fill the ponds with water about a week before the crayling arrival date to give the water time to age and develop some natural food (algal bloom).
Craylings requirements for shelter are a little different from when they are older. We use plastic crates loosely filled with hay and weighted with a brick (see picture for example) so the top of the crate is under the thermocline. Space the crates generously around the pond. The hay provides plenty of habitat and when the craylings are bigger they will eat it.
Transportation of Craylings
The craylings are transported in 6 litre bags of water filled with pure oxygen which makes transport much easier and cheaper.
We achieve almost 100% survival during transport.
The box of craylings will then be air freighted to your nearest airport for pickup.
Our craylings have survived over 50 hours of transport time from hatchery to farm gate.
Unpack and Stock Your Craylings
Stock your craylings as soon as you get them on your property. Tip them from the bag into a bucket.
NOTE – If you have any doubts about their health/mortality, take a few digital pictures as close as you can, with plenty of light and email them to us immediately.
Bit by bit add a little cool pond water to the bucket to help the craylings acclimatise. Dont use hot surface water. After 10 minutes or so, take small handfuls of craylings from the bucket, sprinkle them over the crates filled with hay (you have to get wet to do this).
Its that simple!
