Crawdads- What to do about them?

[oldmarine]

They have been known to travel across land to find a new water hope or whatever. Where I work there is a creek that runs around our building, and crawdad's have been seen from time to time wondering past the front door into the parking lot. Two months ago I spotted the remains of a crawdad that was run over in the parking about four hundred feet from the creek. I guess the little guy didn't look both ways before running out into on coming traffic.

 

[BennyLava]

Yeah once I found a dead one under my water meter cover for my house. There isn't a body of water anywhere near there. So basically, if you have a pond, you're going to have crawdads. And they pinch the fish's fins. And it tears 'em up.

 

[oldmarine]

Crawdad's are normally scavangers, and usually don't bother fish. If they hungry they try to catch most anything that doesn't move fast enough to get out of the grip of their advances.

 

[addy1]

As scavengers maybe they help keep junk off the bottom of the pond.

 

[BennyLava]

Yeah I won't be taking them out once my fish get big enough that they can't be bothered by them. Its just right now, they are kind of a pain.

 

[Fly girl]

Crawdads belong in Louisana kitchens not in my Texas Koi Ponds. I just cleaned out my pond from top to bottom and the darn things are back! Its like a bad Texas Chainsaw Massacre Movie in 3D! To answer someone's previous question "NO they dont go through the rubber". Yes, they do burrow and make holes in the stone areas around the ponds! WE have had no issue with these critters in 9 years but they are killing my African Tadpoles who are currently growing into frogs... They are also chopping the leaves off of my Lilies and other aquatic plants. This makes the pond murky. First sign you have them. Second sign you see things darting about! Plus you find gifts floating around the water falls. Molting skins and dead tadpoles. My koi and goldies are large so they can't hurt them but they are exhausted from not being able to rest on the bottom and on the plants. I would NEVER purposefully add these terrors to your pond if you care about the quality of your fishes life.

 

[Diver]

Copper is only toxic to invertabrates. NOT fish. throw a handful of pennies into the pond. It will kill all snails as well, so think about it.

 

[Mmathis]

Barbie
The freshwater crayfish not only looks like a miniature lobster, but tastes almost as good as its saltwater relative. The first step to preparing crayfish for the table is to wash the live crayfish in cool, clean water. After washing, the crayfish are blanched (par boiled) in hot water for about five minutes. This process kills and cooks the crayfish, kills any bacteria present, turns the crayfish a brilliant red color, and facilitates peeling the meat from the claws and tail. Next, remove the intestinal track by twisting and pulling the middle flipper of the tail. Some prefer to cook only the claws and tails. After simmering, remove the meat from the claws and tail, add butter, salt, and pepper, and enjoy; crayfish meat may be served hot or cold.

If they're fresh, they have to be purged as the first step. At least that's what my friends from Cajun country have always told me. And the spices are very important, too.

 

[Mmathis]

Crawdads belong in Louisana kitchens not in my Texas Koi Ponds. I just cleaned out my pond from top to bottom and the darn things are back! Its like a bad Texas Chainsaw Massacre Movie in 3D!

You know, there IS a market for crawfish.... Maybe you could set aside a special place just for them and grow them to sell

 

[epidemic]

Well I have a solution to the crawdads but I think that it keep my fish from breeding.

I have Guppies, aka mosquito fish that magically appeared in my pond. Magically the transported themselves into my pond from a body of water hundreds of feet away.

that said these fish are right up the crawdads alley and they eat them instead of messing with my goldfish and koi.

 

[HARO]

MOSQUITO FISH EAT CRAWDADS????? Who'da thunk it??
John

 

[sissy]

ohhhh my LOL

 

[j.w]

You really got to be on guard around this place don't ya cuz one word misplaced and all Hell breaks loose

 

[Fly girl]

I am responding to the person who said copper is NOT toxic to fish -THIS IS NOT TRUE. Having lived on the Big Island of Hawaii and now Texas. I know that Koi Pond Installers always tell you never allow people to throw pennies in your ponds-hence the copper. Why do you think when you visit Hawaii- the resorts and Public Parks have signs that say "Please do not throw coins in the ponds" They are bad for the filters and the fish.
I am allergic to seafood so I choose not to eat the crawfish we find in the ponds.... to respond to another question. I love to saltwater fish, I just don't eat them! I throw them back in or give them to someone who will eat them.

 

[Fly girl]

Seriously with the mosquito fish? The ones I have seen down here for purchase in Texas are small b ut large enough to eat mosquitos. But small enough to be eaten by koi and gold fish. I cant imagine they can eat large craydads. Hmmmm. Hard to believe but if someone really says its true I would try it!