Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Channel Catfish and Crawfish habitat

IMO I would not use crayfish as a main food item for CC for at least two main reasons. 1. Crayfish are not as nutritious as most fish or food pellets (not sure of nutrition of clams which CC do eat). Thus a main diet of crayfish will result in low productivity and slowed growth of CC. 2. Crayfish are often small indivduals and numerous ones will have to be captured and eaten (expending energy) to gain adequate nutrition for growth. This becomes more important as the CC get large (>24"). Some species of Crays do get large, but I question how vulnerable these big guys are to fish predation. Crayfish benefits: 1. they feed low on the food chain and lots of them can be grown in small productive waters, 2. they are slow and easy to catch esp at dusk/night when they and CC are most active. A bottom oriented, daytime active fish that does not get real large should be a good forage fish for CC; CNBG may fit this niche okay. I not saying do use crayfish, just consider them a supplimental and not a main food item.