• The LIFE+ Project CRAINat
• The freshwater crayfish
• The areas of the Project
• Actions
• Reproduction centers
• Source areas
• Progress
• Partners / Contacts
• Photo gallery
• The LIFE program
• The Natura 2000 network
• Projects completed

Reproduction centers

The reproduction centers are facilities for insemination in captivity, egg incubation and early rearing of fish juveniles. In breeding centers is possible to produce selected individuals (indigenous sorts from genetically known donor populations) and in perfect health. A breeding center must be equipped with hatcheries, e.g. tanks suitable for reproduction and the hatching of the eggs.

The tanks, generally of rectangular or square shape, may be made of cement, bricks or fiberglass and must be, if the location is external, shaded to keep the water temperature constant.
This must have chemical and physical requirements compatible with the survival of the species, especially the content of oxygen (for the crayfish: optimal value of 6 ppm to saturation) and calcium (optimal range for the growth equal to 50/100 ppm), and the thermal gradient (15 °C).

The project CRAINat is expected to achieve a new breeding center in Lombardy and the adaptation / expansion of six existing facilities located in Lombardy, Abruzzo and Molise.