Noble crayfish
Astacus astacus
Also known asBroad-fingered crayfish · Flodkräfta (Swedish) · Écrevisse à pattes rouges (French)
Water parameters
Minimum tank: 200 L per individual at harvest size.
Feed and growth
- Feed protein
- 30% target
- Daily feed (warm)
- 1.20% of body weight
- Daily feed (cool)
- 0.40% of body weight
- Max density
- 8 g per litre
A 120 g adult eats about 1.4 g of feed per day at optimum. 10 fish at adult size: ~14 g daily.
Legality
Rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Verify with your local fisheries or wildlife authority before stocking.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| eu-general | check local regulations | Protected under EU Habitats Directive Annex V; harvest from wild populations regulated by member states. Aquaculture is legal and encouraged in most European countries as a conservation-compatible food source verified 2026-05-14 |
| se | permit required | Swedish crayfish fishing requires license; first Monday of August season opener is a cultural institution verified 2026-05-14 |
Unlisted jurisdictions default to "check local regulations".
Origin and habitat
Astacus astacus, the noble crayfish, is native to fresh waters across central and northern Europe, from France east through central Europe to the western reaches of the former Soviet Union, north into Scandinavia, and south to the Balkans. It is the classic crayfish of European cooking, central to Scandinavian late-summer crayfish feasts. Since the late nineteenth century the species has collapsed across much of its range from crayfish plague, a water mold (Aphanomyces astaci) carried in from North America; the first European outbreak struck northern Italy in 1859, and the plague spread with introduced North American crayfish, especially the signal crayfish, which carries it without being harmed. Habitat loss and pollution have added to the decline, and the IUCN now lists the species as Vulnerable. Males grow to about 16 cm and females somewhat smaller, around 80 to 150 grams. The flesh is sweet and firm and is regarded as the finest freshwater crayfish in Europe.
Climate and outdoor ponds
- Climate
- temperate (handles seasonal swings)
- USDA zones
- 4–7 (winter low around -34°C or warmer)
- Heating needed
- no
- Cooling needed
- no
Care notes
A high-value but slow-growing and disease-prone crayfish for European aquaponics. It does best around 16–22°C within a tolerated range of about 2–25°C. Growth is slow, the slowest of the commonly cultured crayfish, taking three to four years to reach a market size of 80 to 150 grams on a crayfish pellet of 30 to 38 percent protein, with feed conversion roughly 2.5 to 4. The overriding concern is crayfish plague: any contact with water, gear, or stock that has touched North American crayfish such as signal or red swamp crayfish can carry the pathogen and wipe out the whole population, so plague-free water and strict quarantine are non-negotiable. Stock low, about three to eight per square metre of bottom, and give plenty of shelter, stones, pipe, or plant material, to ease aggression and protect soft animals while they molt. Juveniles come from conservation-minded hatcheries in Scandinavia, Germany, Austria, and other countries running restocking programs, so culturing the species doubles as a conservation effort. It fetches a premium, roughly $30 to $80 per kilogram in Scandinavian markets, reflecting both quality and scarcity, and it is not practical to raise outside Europe.