Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Crayfish Spawning/Reproduction

I have a question:
While on a bass fishing charter in Hawaii, the guide (a previous pro bass angler) told me that crayfish spawn 3 days before and 3 days after every full moon.

Does anyone know if this is true, & if not, what the real spawning cycles are for crayfish?

Thanks.
Sunil

There are at least 32 described species of crawfishes in Louisiana but only Procambarus clarkii and Procambarus acutus acutus are cultivated. The red swamp crawfish (P. clarkii) is preferred over the white river crawfish (P. acutus acutus) because it produces more consistent yields and is more valued in international and southern Louisiana markets. Unlike other cultured aquatic animals that require hatcheries to produce young for stocking, cambarid crawfish aquacul-ture as currently practiced relies on control of the pond hydrology to simulate optimal conditions occuring in the natural habitat for the species.

Mature P. clarkii and P. acutus acutus mate in open water in all months, but mating peaks in May and June. The female stores the spermatophore in a seminal receptacle for 2 to 8 months until spawning. After mating, the female burrows into the levee, 4 inches above the water level. The burrow extends in depth to the water table, generally 1 to 3 feet in Louisiana. The burrow is capped with soil to maintain a humid environment. A male may occupy a burrow with the female. Crawfish ponds are slowly drained over 2 to 4 weeks in May and June to stimulate burrowing and reproductive activities of the remaining crawfish population.

After an ovarian development period of 2 to 5 months and while crawfish are in burrows, oocytes (eggs) are extruded through the oviducts, fertilized and attached to the pleopods or "swimmerettes". About 300 eggs are extruded by females, with a range of 100 to 700 eggs, depending on the female's size. The female repeatedly dips the eggs in water in the burrow chamber to keep them moist. The eggs usually hatch in 2 to 3 weeks but may take up to 3 to 4 months to hatch at lower temperatures.

From http://www.uaex.edu/aquaculture2/SRAC%20pubs/SRAC241.htm

Thank you, Nick.

So this info. would seem to refute the comment that the crayfish spawn 3 days before and after every full moon.

Sunil

Hey nick, great info. But what happens after the eggs hatch? Do the young stay in the burrow for any length of time or to they crawl out right after they hatch? Are the newly hatched crayfish babies in a similar form as the adults or are they like lobsters that go through several larval "drifter" stages? What kind of survival rates do they get aquaculture or other low-predation environments?

thanks
-Scott

From what I've seen, crayfish (i.e. crawdads attach themselves to their mothers tail. I guess it could be their "Dad" though. They then travel along for the ride until the grow too large and fall off, you'll find the new generation clinging to surface weeds for cover until they're big enough to fight for a bottom "rock" or some other sub-surface cover.